County hosts motocross park evaluation Tuesday

After 19 events on a controversial motocross track near the Pine Nut Mountains, the Douglas County Parks & Recreation Commission is evaluating the location's suitability 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Douglas County Senior Center, 2300 Meadow Lane, Gardnerville.

On Friday, Community Services Director Scott Morgan said the parks use application for the temporary track had run its course, and that Tuesday's meeting is a chance for park and recreation commissioners to examine the location.

He said if the applicant wanted to build the track again next summer, they'd probably submit another application in winter or spring. As of Friday, he said, he'd received eight comment cards from residents about the track's impact this summer.

"Reactions are mixed and strong on both sides," he said.

The original application for the track was approved in May by county commissioners with the support of the motocross community, but with the noted objections of residents who worried about noise, dust and traffic.

Thereafter, the track was built on 15-20 acres of county-owned land across from the fairgrounds, between the animal shelter and the transfer station. The 19 events held there included practice race days and both pro and local races, with the last event on Sept. 27.

In his report, Morgan said noise from the races was the single biggest issue to nearby residents and specifically employees of the transfer station.

"Track activities and events generate a significant amount of noise," he said. "Staff was present during every practice and every event, touring the surrounding neighborhoods and facilities. Again, no adverse impact was witnessed from the Douglas County Animal Shelter but depending upon the weather and wind conditions noise could be heard from some of the surrounding neighborhoods.

"Even though wind and weather conditions alter noise levels, the impact on the employees of the Douglas County transfer station was significant, and they at times had difficulty hearing their customers during transactions at the transfer station pay booth."

The driving forces behind the motocross track are Nevada Motocross Park, LLC, which produced the events this summer, and the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Authority, which had submitted the parks use application.

Chamber Executive Director Bill Chernock said they've hired a company to analyze the economic impact of the track, though results won't be available for another few weeks.

"With the disclaimer that it's all anecdotal, there were some pretty significant days out there," Chernock said Friday. "I believe businesses on that end of town felt positive impacts on those days."