After over an hour of discussion Thursday, March 19, the Warren County Planning and Zoning commission voted 4-2 with one abstaining against a conditional use permit for a proposed race track to be located at 22245 Lix Road.

The matter had originally been tabled from the commission’s Feb. 19 meeting to allow the applicants, Robert and Alexis Alberternst, the opportunity to present more information regarding the parking situation on the property and to give more details regarding the sound to be created by cars racing on the track.

During the March 19 meeting, the Alberternsts presented parking for up to 754 places as well as a short video which showed that the loudest sound made by their largest vehicle would cap out at about 95 decibels. The track would be situated on the north end of their 27.38 acre parcel.

At this point the discussion focused primarily on the decibel readings and the amount of noise to be created by the track. Several of the commission members, specifically Mike Mirth, Brian Nothstine and Jim Bardy asked questions about the sound levels. Bardy noted that if one car creates 95 decibels, several cars going around a track would create a slightly higher noise level. This then led to a discussion among the commissioners regarding what the decibel level would be at the property line and what it would be at the nearest neighbor’s home. Mirth said that one of his concerns was nearby neighbors having to wear earplugs.

Eventually Nothstine told the Alberternsts that there was enough of a question on the sound being created by the track that he didn’t think he could support a proposal. At one point Nothstine suggested continuing the hearing another month to allow the applicants the opportunity to retain the services of a sound engineer who could calculate the decibel level at the property line and at the nearest neighbor’s residence. Both Robert and Alexis Alberternst did not seem interested in retaining the services of a sound engineer, with Robert Alberternst noting at several points during the meeting the fact that the county does not currently have a noise ordinance. He told the commissioners he could not understand being required to meet a sound restriction when the county has no sound ordinance on the books.

Several of the commissioners noted that their standards required them to assure that the track would not negatively affect any of the neighbors. This then led to an argument from Robert Alberternst that practically anything could negatively affect someone.

Eventually the discussion continued along these lines until Bardy made a motion to reject the CUP request from the Alberternsts. This motion ultimately passed 4-2 with one member abstaining. Nothstine, Dawn Turpin, Alan Weber and Bardy voted to reject the CUP, while Mirth and Becca Gasperoni voted against the motion. Commissioner Russell Kersten abstained as he said he didn’t feel he had enough information one way or another.