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Motorcycle track
dispute arises in
Jericho
JERICHO -- A Jericho property owner is asking
the town's Development Review Board to allow
him to continue operating a track for dirt bikes
on his Plains Road property.
Neighbors complained to the town in September
about noise and dust coming from the track. The
town sent a letter to landowner Michael Mallow
that he needed a permit to continue operating
the dirt-bike track, said Seth Jensen, Jericho's
town planner.
The track first was used as a practice track for
Mallow's son, Jensen said, but during the
summer, several people began using the track,
especially Tuesday and Thursday evenings and
on weekends.
Mallow argues the dirt track is a "passive use,"
meaning it's a relatively low-impact activity that
does not require a conditional-use permit from
the town, Jensen said. Mallow could not be
reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
A letter signed by several neighbors and other
Jericho residents and sent to Jensen in
September disagreed, saying the dirt bikes
generate noise and dust, triggering the need for
a permit.
According to Jericho zoning laws, a landowner
needs a conditional-use permit if an activity
affects the character of the adjacent
neighborhood, traffic and the availability of town
services, such as fire protection and schools,
among other criteria.
The Jericho Development Review Board is
expected to decide today whether Mallow needs
a permit. If so, the board could grant it or ask
him for more information.