The Warren County Commissioners discussed another racetrack request Tuesday, May 12, this time for a motocross track on the western end of the county near Jonesburg.
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The Warren County Commissioners discussed another racetrack request Tuesday, May 12, this time for a motocross track on the western end of the county near Jonesburg.
The commissioners heard from county resident Anthony Pupillo who came before the commissioners to see if they would allow camping for his motocross race scheduled for June 6-7.
Pupillo said he had previously conducted a race at his property located at 29148 Highway Y and it was successful for the entire area. He said the motocross races bring people from all over the country and the races brought a lot of customers to businesses in Jonesburg as well.
Pupillo said the races include racers as young as four all the way up to 80 who bring their bikes to race on his approximately 25-acre property over two days.
He said he wanted to have two races this year over a total of four days and that they are requesting the county allow them to have camping on their property for a maximum of four days.
He said the races raise money for charitable causes, ALS last year and the American Cancer Society this year.
Presiding Commissioner Joe Gildehaus said that camping was a difficult issue as the county has no specific rules allowing camping in such situations. He asked Putillo how many campers and he estimated 15-20 max for this event, but said his event later in the year could bring as many as 30-40.
Gildehaus said the problem was there wasn’t a specific permit the commissioners could issue and that Putillo would have to go through the county’s planning and zoning commission for approval.
Commissioner Matt Flake was more direct. In referencing another racetrack case the county was considering for approval he noted that Putillo didn’t even have permission to run the races he is proposing.
“You folks have never even applied for a conditional use permit to have this race,” Flake said, noting that the county’s ordinances require a conditional use permit to put on a race where admission is charged.
Pupillo said he was told he could have the race, but he couldn’t have camping, which Flake said was wrong in his opinion.
Gildehaus told Pupillo that the commissioners found out he had conducted the previous race after the fact.
Pupillo said that his 25-acre property is out in the middle of nowhere and he thought living in a rural environment he could do what he wants with his property.
Commissioner Dave Mikus said the commissioners are not against Pupillo, but he has to go through the process the county requires to have the race.
“The same set of rules apply no matter where you live in the county,” Mikus said.
The commissioners told Pupillo that the earliest any decision could be made would be at the June 17 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, but that the date would not help him if he had a race already scheduled for June 6-7.
Flake recommended Pupillo go through the process of obtaining a CUP for the races through Planning and Zoning as the next step.
