Racing facilities across the country are dwindling for a variety of reasons. Profitable real estate developments forced the closure of drag strips nationwide (as well as Irwindale Speedway in Southern California), and even the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway has faced a litany of noise complaints and legal thorns from neighboring residential subdivisions. However, the state of Iowa will step in to protect its motorsports parks from such nuisance claims, ensuring everything from drag-prepped Dodge Chargers to trackcross-ready MX-5 Miatas will have a fun, safe place to go to raise some hell.
No More Meddlesome Neighbors
Iowa House Bill 645 specifically benefits existing racetracks, which will receive immunity from any noise or nuisance complaints from neighbors as long as the track was there before the residents purchased or began construction on their homes. That means new real estate developments will have to accept nearby motorsports parks as members of the neighborhood. The legislation also protects all components of a racing facility, including the specator’s areas, garages, and buildings.
The bill passed through Iowa’s House of Representatives and Senate with unanimous support, and Governor Kim Reynolds signed 645 into law on May 1. The bill will go into effect on July 1 and will provide retroactive protection to every motorsports facility in the state, provided the track predates its neighbors. Better still, according to reporting by The Drive, protection extends to the track itself, not the property owner, meaning no matter how many times a raceway or a neighboring home changes hands, the law stands.
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Track officials will conduct a sound impact assessment and introduce sound mitigation measures to keep nearby residents happy.
It’s Not Too Late For Other States To Follow Suit
The Iowa law will benefit big, headline-grabbing tracks like Iowa Speedway, which hosts a variety of NASCAR and Indycar events each summer, but the real winners may be smaller, local tracks that play host to youth- and amateur-oriented racing events. Such races are great opportunities for car and motorcycle enthusiasts to test their limits in a relatively safe environment that doesn’t endanger non-participants like hooning on public roads would.
We’d like to see other states imitate Iowa’s motorsport-friendly legislation with laws of their own. California’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has faced lawsuit after lawsuit as residential areas have crowded closer and closer, with neighbors complaining about noise and traffic. The Monterey facility is far from the only track in the country facing such problems: One dragway in Michigan was ordered to shut down last week due to “excessive noise and vibrations,” and a dirt track in Maine is facing a noise nuisance lawsuit from its neighbors.
“Iowa’s race tracks [sic] are more than just entertainment venues; they are economic engines that support local businesses, create jobs and generate substantial revenue for the state.”
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) applauded the Iowa state legislation, as did the Performance Racing Industry (PRI). Both organizations have long championed access to motorsports for both professionals and amateurs, in part because the businesses they represent have a vested interest in the money that comes with making cars go faster around a track. But the industry and its enthusiasts can all agree: We’re glad Iowa’s done something to safeguard racing in the future.
Source: The Drive via The Truth About Cars
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