Possible Closing of Road Atlanta... Please Read!

[Peking]

Copied from MaconRacers:

Please read and voice your opinion to Hall County. Possible further restrictions and/or possible closure of Rd. Atl. If this land is rezoned it will be horrible for road racers and racing fans. Roebling Road is already under attack and Road Atlanta could be next. This has already been on some racing forums but any help would be greatly appreciated. I have already emailed all commisionsers. This is supposively the real thing. People move in next to a racetrack and then later hate the noise and through lawyers close the track. I thought that Dr. Panoz owned that land, but I guess not.

Thanks,
Clay S.
Macon resident
Atlanta Region SCCA member


Copied from another forum:

A lot of it is taken from Road Atlanta's letter to the Atlanta Region SCCA. If anyone wants to cut and paste to some other forum or email list any or all of this please feel free.

ROAD ATLANTA’S EXISTENCE IS UNDER AN IMMEDIATE THREAT AND I ASK ALL SCCA MEMBERS TO IMMEDIATELY EMAIL, WRITE, OR CALL THE HALL COUNTY COMMISIONERS LISTED BELOW BEFORE JUNE 19TH TO LET THEM KNOW JUST HOW IMPORTANT ROAD ATLANTA IS TO THE MOTORSPORTS COMMUNITY AND TO REITERATE ITS POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON HALL COUNTY. ACT NOW.



An Atlanta Developer has contracted to purchase a tract of property off of Highway 211 that is directly adjacent to Road Atlanta. In fact, the property line is fifty feet from the actual race track along the Turn 9 backstretch. Nine acres will be reserved for commercial development and the remaining acreage will be developed into HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL. The project will be called the “Park at Riverside”.



Road Atlanta is one of the premier road racing circuits in North America if not the world. Its unique topography with its challenging elevation changes combined with a fast and flowing course design can not be duplicated on any other real estate. Since the 1970s Road Atlanta has operated with the protection of reasonable zoning that provided appropriate non-residential development around the track.



The current REQUEST TO CHANGE THE ZONING for this new project to allow residential development will no doubt lead to homeowner’s complaints, petitions for sound abatement or limited operating hours. This requested zoning change would seriously challenge Road Atlanta’s core business. Road Atlanta attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. According to Hall County’s own Visitor Bureau statistics, Road Atlanta contributes 53.5 MILLION DOLLARS a year to the Hall county economy alone. That is 27% of Hall County’s total tourism expenditures from visitors.



This project is up for review on JUNE 19TH with the Hall County Planning Commsion. Pleae help save an irreplaceable “institution” in Motorsports by contacting the Hall County Commissioners. If you have personally visited Road Atlanta, let them know how you spend your hard earned dollars in their county because of Road Atlanta.





Hall County Commissioners:
Hall County Website
Tom Oliver
Chairman
[email protected]
Deborah Lynn
Commissioner District 1
[email protected]
Billy Powell
District 2
[email protected]
Seve Gailey
District 3
[email protected]
Deborah Mack
District4
[email protected]
Jim Shuler
County Administrator
[email protected]

Common folks, send those emails to show support.

[krindus]

sounds credible but im not quite sure of realism this really upholds... Road Atlanta draws too much money for the local government to build a road through it... i'de need to see some more proof before going all crazy over it.

[Bishop]

cant read cause im about to head out but thats gay...i live right down the road too.

[Scrappy]

it is true. it was actually on the local news website and on every import forum. literally... so take action or wait and be at a loss...

[Julio]

long time rumours. I guess now is public.. hnm.. sucks if it happens.

[rickgiblin]

dam, this sucks.. im gonna voice my oppinion

[fight club]

even more interesting is all that land is owned by one man.....

[2.0civic]

even more interesting is all that land is owned by one man.....

yeah the panoz family owns chateau elan too (the ones here in GA, FL, and ireland). after speaking with a friend of mine whose father owns mcmichael superformance down the road, this is a very credible story BUT it is unlikely to happen....sounds like they better shut lanier down too cause of the noise....

[The Ren]

There has been lots of town meetings about that up here.. alot of the new subdivisions (including mine) around here have people complaining about the noise... I think its bullshit.. but its a real possibility that R.A. might be closing

[Ran]

alot of the new subdivisions (including mine) around here have people complaining about the noise...

They live next to a race track, and they complain about the noise? lawl

[civic95]

Road Atlanta does not make a ton of money. The biggest event they have is the Petite Lemans. They make all their money off spectators. When you consider how many employees it takes to hold an event, have security, have EMTs standby, and the cost of insurance they really don't make much. They have superbikes, small SCCA, and club events, that don't bring many spectators. But they have to maintain the property all year long. During the week they are not making a dime hardly.


It's sad. I wish I was the judge. Considering the track has been there before any of the subdivisions. I would tell them to move, they should of researched their community a little more before buying there. They already have a track curfew of midnight on the weekends. If you HAVE to sleep before that on friday and saturday, take a sleeping pill, or fucking move. The real problem here is the government. We need the government to lookout for the stupid people. Thats why they exist. They should of never zoned anything residential within a 2 mile radius of the track.

[Ran]

Road Atlanta does not make a ton of money. The biggest event they have is the Petite Lemans. They make all their money off spectators. When you consider how many employees it takes to hold an event, have security, have EMTs standby, and the cost of insurance they really don't make much. They have superbikes, small SCCA, and club events, that don't bring many spectators. But they have to maintain the property all year long. During the week they are not making a dime hardly.


It's sad. I wish I was the judge. Considering the track has been there before any of the subdivisions. I would tell them to move, they should of researched their community a little more before buying there. They already have a track curfew of midnight on the weekends. If you HAVE to sleep before that on friday and saturday, take a sleeping pill, or fucking move. The real problem here is the government. We need the government to lookout for the stupid people. Thats why they exist. They should of never zoned anything residential within a 2 mile radius of the track.

+1

[Stormhammer]

[silver]

Road Atlanta does not make a ton of money. The biggest event they have is the Petite Lemans. They make all their money off spectators. When you consider how many employees it takes to hold an event, have security, have EMTs standby, and the cost of insurance they really don't make much. They have superbikes, small SCCA, and club events, that don't bring many spectators. But they have to maintain the property all year long. During the week they are not making a dime hardly.


It's sad. I wish I was the judge. Considering the track has been there before any of the subdivisions. I would tell them to move, they should of researched their community a little more before buying there. They already have a track curfew of midnight on the weekends. If you HAVE to sleep before that on friday and saturday, take a sleeping pill, or fucking move. The real problem here is the government. We need the government to lookout for the stupid people. Thats why they exist. They should of never zoned anything residential within a 2 mile radius of the track.

Yeah that has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves EVER! When someone moves somewhere, that is a choice that they are making.. wheather it be the area, distance, things around them.. esp when buying a house, they know EXACTLY what they are getting themselves into (if not its their own fault for not weighing the pros and cons or doing their research).. so why complain about something that was there before you or something that was bound to happen or the inevitable when you knew damn well that it would be an issue a few days, weeks, months, years or whatever down the road when you came to reality...

If this really happens that would suck... I have been up there a few times and it was always a good time to be had!

[Kermit]

I don't like the idea of losing RA, therefore it will stay, so says Kermit.

I just tried to go to their website and it appears to be out of commission, I hope this is just a coincidence and bad timing.

[The Ren]

I COMPLETELY AGREE... I was very excited about moving near R.A. and i love waking on on Sat mornings to the cars.. people shoulda looked where they were buying if they dont like it.. i will try and go to the town meeting oin june 19

[SampaGuy]

they better not

[speedminded]

I spent 5 minutes on Hall County's Planning and Zoning website and found the said property. It consists of 280 acres....add more info in a sec...

[A.P. Photography]

I sent an email to every one of them listed. Don't shut down the one track I am closest too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SixSquared]

Dear Commissioners,

Hello, my name is Emily Covi, and though I am a Clarke County resident, I thought it important to write to you about the rumored rezoning of the area around Road Atlanta. Personally, I have been going to events hosted at Road Atlanta since I was about 4 years old, as my father is a motorsports enthusiast. Some of my fondest childhood memories are sitting with my dad at SCCA events, watching the cars fly through the curves (and occasionally into the sides of the curves), finding out why a driver would position himself where he was, etc. And I know I wasn't the only child there with my parent(s). Road Atlanta is a great asset to not only the Hall County community, but also to Georgia, and even the Southeastern US. It is one of the best road racing courses in the country, and I know that at the various events I've been to, I've seen entire families and extended families come down for the festivities. Whether it be the American le Mans series, drawing out thousands of fans and large companies, to a small SCCA sponsored race, I believe that Road Atlanta is an important part of Georgia that needs to be preserved. As I got older and started developing my own interest in cars and motorsports, I continued to attend SCCA events. I met people in my age group there, and now most of my friends are people who I met at the track. Road Atlanta is involved with the community and the future community, and by hosting family friendly events, I believe that the venue is doing its part to save our next generation. And yes, I did say save. With all of these flashy car movies coming out, kids are trying to replicate the wild stunts and reality bending driving styles they see on the big screen. I personally have had to endure the pain that goes along with losing friends due to their bad driving decisions, but also the bad driving decisions of others. I believe that by hosting community events, Road Atlanta is helping to teach younger people that while those driving styles are possible to perform, it takes practice to do them properly, and that the street is not a proper place to do them. By rezoning the area surrounding Road Atlanta to a residential code, I believe that Hall County is making a big mistake. People will move in, and will inevitably start complaining about the noise. Eventually, noise ordinances will be instilled, and the track will be further and further limited by residential restrictions. I did some research, and last year alone, Road Atlanta brought in approximately 53.5 million dollars of revenue for your county. 27% of your tourism income was from a single venue. If the area around the track is rezoned, everyone will lose. Hall County will lose revenue, residents who would potentially move in will be unhappy about the noise from the track, and the country will lose one of the few well designed road racing courses on our side of the pond. So I ask you, as a single enthusiast, to please consider me, my friends, and the thousands of other people who spend so much time and money at that track, and deny the rezoning request.

I really hope they don't pull that shit. I've been going to that track for as long as I can remember. I totally agree with what everyone in this thread has been saying... if you don't like the noise, RESEARCH THE FUCKING AREA YOU'RE MOVING INTO... sheebus... "Hmmm.. I want quiet north GA property... oh look honey! This house is 600 yards from a racetrack!" Dumbshits. We need to rezone an area in southern podunk GA just for stupid people.

[nogirlsatgt]

No more petite?

[A.P. Photography]

Dumbshits. We need to rezone an area in southern podunk GA just for stupid people.

They still wouldn't be able to find it.

[HiPSI]

Hall county has been known to re-zone shit when more money is potentially there. the number of homes they will slap on that 90 or so acres in question probably is enough money for them to consider it when it comes to tax revenues on the 140+ houses they will squeeze in there. at the same time, Panoz has a lot of influence ($$$) in the area between RA, Chateau Elan, and his manufacturing shop for his roadcars off of 124 and i'm sure they'd hate to piss him off and have him pull out of the county (and he certainly could do so if he chose to).

[speedminded]

Hall county has been known to re-zone shit when more money is potentially there. the number of homes they will slap on that 90 or so acres in question probably is enough money for them to consider it when it comes to tax revenues on the 140+ houses they will squeeze in there. at the same time, Panoz has a lot of influence ($$$) in the area between RA, Chateau Elan, and his manufacturing shop for his roadcars off of 124 and i'm sure they'd hate to piss him off and have him pull out of the county (and he certainly could do so if he chose to).

actually it's 280 acres minus 9 for commercial...so 270+ acres zoned high density residential. The question is do they have the capacity to supply that much water and push that much sewer...and i'm 99.9% positive they do not and do not have have plans to make it happen.

[HiPSI]

actually it's 280 acres minus 9 for commercial...so 270+ acres zoned high density residential.

doh! i thought i read 90 acres in the letter but i was doing something at work at the same time and mixed shit up

[speedminded]

doh! i thought i read 90 acres in the letter but i was doing something at work at the same time and mixed shit up

i read it as 9 acres high density residential and the rest commercial the first time

[Julio]

Road Atlanta does not make a ton of money. The biggest event they have is the Petite Lemans. They make all their money off spectators. When you consider how many employees it takes to hold an event, have security, have EMTs standby, and the cost of insurance they really don't make much. They have superbikes, small SCCA, and club events, that don't bring many spectators. But they have to maintain the property all year long. During the week they are not making a dime hardly.


It's sad. I wish I was the judge. Considering the track has been there before any of the subdivisions. I would tell them to move, they should of researched their community a little more before buying there. They already have a track curfew of midnight on the weekends. If you HAVE to sleep before that on friday and saturday, take a sleeping pill, or fucking move. The real problem here is the government. We need the government to lookout for the stupid people. Thats why they exist. They should of never zoned anything residential within a 2 mile radius of the track.

More then likely, One or 2 Petite Lemans Sponsor can pay for one day. I can only imagine how much the charge.

[civic95]

More then likely, One or 2 Petite Lemans Sponsor can pay for one day. I can only imagine how much the charge.

It was my understanding that the sponsors are sponsoring the race, not the track, and that all the money they spent goes to the series. The series uses that money to pay winnings, its officials/workers, and a track fee. Of course I could be wrong.

[2.0civic]

im sure if RA was shut down, BBS and Barbour racing would consider leaving as well.


i would hate to see cars like these leave too

[down_shift]

I am writing an email to all of them just incase. Can't hurt.

[dazn]

Hall county has been known to re-zone shit when more money is potentially there. the number of homes they will slap on that 90 or so acres in question probably is enough money for them to consider it when it comes to tax revenues on the 140+ houses they will squeeze in there. at the same time, Panoz has a lot of influence ($$$) in the area between RA, Chateau Elan, and his manufacturing shop for his roadcars off of 124 and i'm sure they'd hate to piss him off and have him pull out of the county (and he certainly could do so if he chose to).

dont forget about Elan Motorsports where tons of racecars are built from Indy cars, Star Mazda, IMSA Lites, and the Esperante GTLM and the Batmobile a few years ago. His shop for roadcars is Panoz Auto Development, although not hugely successful, still supplies a lot of jobs.
Personally, I dont think this is going to happen, I have been hearing it about it for a while, before I worked there, while I worked there, and still hear it now about friends who still work there. But only time will tell, hopefully it wont close, that place was a second home to me.

[2.0civic]

i personally know four panoz family members and the owners of mcmichael supersports and their family. They are not concerned too much because as mentioned in this thread, this is not the first time this issue has been brought up.

[eViLMunkey]

He has to buy the track off of alot of people and doubt the rezoning will happen due to revenues brought in from the track...