Laguna seca

[Mike Andrew]

Just read an article about a new lawsuit against Laguna, filed by neighbors. It seems that they are upset by the presence of the track and the noise, traffic and environmental issues associated with it. Undertone is that it devalues their property.

WTF?????

Track has been there since 1957, long before the local homes were built. LS already runs a reduced schedule and attendance limits and noise restrictions.

Sorry, but these folks built/bought knowing the track was there. Unless I am missing something, they should suck it up or move the Fork out.

[wildthing]

Well you know... probably the same folks who complain about the smell of farm animals in Salinas.

PARF iin 3, 2, 1...

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Just read an article about a new lawsuit against Laguna, filed by neighbors. It seems that they are upset by the presence of the track and the noise, traffic and environmental issues associated with it. Undertone is that it devalues their property.

WTF?????

Track has been there since 1957, long before the local homes were built. LS already runs a reduced schedule and attendance limits and noise restrictions.

Sorry, but these folks built/bought knowing the track was there. Unless I am missing something, they should suck it up or move the Fork out.

100% spot on. But knowing this doesn't stop the same krap from happening to nearly every race track & drag strip in the country.

[GH85Carrera]

And most airports as well. Move in next to an airport, and you will hear aircraft take off and land on a regular basis. Or move to the area at the end of the runways in either direction.

Laguna Seca has one ace in the hole, they bring a LOT of business to local hotels and restaurants. Many millions!

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

Just read an article about a new lawsuit against Laguna, filed by neighbors. It seems that they are upset by the presence of the track and the noise, traffic and environmental issues associated with it. Undertone is that it devalues their property.

WTF?????

Track has been there since 1957, long before the local homes were built. LS already runs a reduced schedule and attendance limits and noise restrictions.

Sorry, but these folks built/bought knowing the track was there. Unless I am missing something, they should suck it up or move the Fork out.

In 1957 they didn't have track days or driver school.

[911 Rod]

NIMBYS are everywhere with urban sprawl

[herr_oberst]

I've got to assume that Laguna Seca has a pretty ironclad deal with the county by now. It's not like this hasn't been happening since the days of the Roman Coliseum.

[rfuerst911sc]

Live near RR tracks . You going to ask the railroad to move ? Frigging idiots

[Zeke]

Isn't LS on leased government land? The feds deeded the land to Monterrey Parks and Recreation.

The old argument rages on. I live a mile from Long Beach Airport. I get 200 small planes a day sometimes 20 seconds apart for a couple hours at noon and then again at 4-5 pm. Didn't used to be like that. Other airports ruled against training flights so now we have 7 schools using 2 runways. Should I be saddled with that argument that if I knew there was an airport....?

Things do change. In the case of Riverside, the land became more valuable as civilization crept out that way. Same thing happening at Willow Springs, but anyone that wants to live out there has a lot of other misery to put up with.

[dw1]

Here's a good article on locals suing Laguna Seca for... being a race track: https://www.thedrive.com/news/a-public-nuisance-laguna-secas-neighbors-sue-track-want-it-shut-down

While I hope things work out for LS, I am pessimistic. The moneyed NIMBYs always seem to get their way, unfortunately.

Here in the northeast there are many examples, including such storied tracks as Bridgehampton, Nazareth Speedway, and Flemington Speedway. More recently, Raceway Park in Englishtown NJ ceased all drag racing (although they still have a kart track and motocross).

Surprisingly, Island Dragway (also in NJ) closed but later reopened. So perhaps there is some glimmer of hope.

Btw, the "Rrrrrraceway Park!" radio spots were so common we did a satirical one for my college radio station (ah, so many years ago....). To get the intro right I had a friend (and fellow member of the radio station staff) talk slowly, recording it on a reel-to-reel, until it sounded "right" when I raised the playback speed. Yes, this was before digital audio.

[herr_oberst]

I guess I never knew there was a laguna at the track. Is it ever seca?

[Tobra]

They have been trying to close that track for a long time

[unclebilly]

The demise of every racetrack everywhere is neighborhoods with too many people named ‘Karen’…

[juanbenae]

2.238

[GH85Carrera]

When I ran the track in a DE, it was a fun track, but just my third favorite track. The best part was the weather. It was middle of summer and at one point while in a garage I felt cold, and had to step out into the sun. There was not one tiny bit of green vegetation. Just brown desert.

[greglepore]

Originally Posted by hcoles

In 1957 they didn't have track days or driver school.

This. Although they do have a pretty strict noise limit, its only "recently" that the track is in use pretty much full time for various trackday type events.

[Mike Andrew]

Originally Posted by dw1

Here's a good article on locals suing Laguna Seca for... being a race track: https://www.thedrive.com/news/a-public-nuisance-laguna-secas-neighbors-sue-track-want-it-shut-down

While I hope things work out for LS, I am pessimistic. The moneyed NIMBYs always seem to get their way, unfortunately.

Here in the northeast there are many examples, including such storied tracks as Bridgehampton, Nazareth Speedway, and Flemington Speedway. More recently, Raceway Park in Englishtown NJ ceased all drag racing (although they still have a kart track and motocross).

Surprisingly, Island Dragway (also in NJ) closed but later reopened. So perhaps there is some glimmer of hope.

Btw, the "Rrrrrraceway Park!" radio spots were so common we did a satirical one for my college radio station (ah, so many years ago....). To get the intro right I had a friend (and fellow member of the radio station staff) talk slowly, recording it on a reel-to-reel, until it sounded "right" when I raised the playback speed. Yes, this was before digital audio.

That is the article that I read before posting.

It very much reminds me of the folks near O'Hare whining about the noise from aircraft arriving and departing. I knew when I bought in the NW burbs that planes were going to pass overhead and it would create noise. I still bought and deal with being in a flight path a couple days a week.

Choices bring consequences.

[hcoles]

As mentioned above LS brings in a steady stream of money to the area. Fort Ord, now gone, was also there giving the area a fairly strong economy. Remove both and there is really nothing much going on other than golf events and tourists. Hwy 68 provides the transportation for the house keepers from Salinas.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by dw1

While I hope things work out for LS, I am pessimistic. The moneyed NIMBYs always seem to get their way, unfortunately.

Hopefully, it costs them a crap ton of money and they don't get anywhere.

[hcoles]

There are many people that don't view auto racing as entertaining or needed. Those people are likely to watch/play golf or tennis and live in the area.