Plans for a motocross track at 627 Westfall Road in the Town of Wright drew mostly opposition from a crowd of more than 40 neighbors Thursday.
Kaden Marvin and his father, Jaime Marvin, who built and run Holiday Mountain Action Sports LLC in Monticello, first discussed their plans with Planning Board members in March.
Kaden Marvin is an Agricultural Engineering instructor at SUNY Cobleskill and is planning to move to the 138-acre parcel his family has just purchased with his fiancée.
Thursday, Mr. Marvin submitted his application for the motocross track, which he said in March would be mostly for use by family and friends, but also the site for Yamaha Demo Days and 4-5 American Motorcycle District-34 races year.
Concerns over noise and traffic voiced by neighbors Thursday echoed those from March.
A letter shared by members of the Ostermann families, who live on Benninger Road, addressed infrastructure and safety.
Lisa Ostermann said they intentionally chose to live in Wright and drive two hours a day to work and back because of the peace and quiet.
Noise from the motocross track will destroy that, she said.
Additionally, she said, Wright’s roads aren’t made for the increased traffic—and likely accidents—and all law enforcement and EMS services are far away and already spread too thin.
Ms. Ostermann said they’re also concerned about water, air, noise, and light pollution.
“The thought of a motocross track complex, just a short distance away from our home, with all of its associated noise, traffic, pollution, and other environmental impacts, sickens me,” said another speaker.
Other speakers said the track would lower their property values and questioned whether it would benefit the Town of Wright economy.
“We don’t have any hotels, gas stations, or restaurants in our towns,” said one.
“Why do we need this influx of traffic, noise, and other adverse impacts if our community does not benefit from it in any way?”
Karl Yoder, who lives on Larry Hill Road, said his property shares a 1,000-foot boundary with the 627 Westfall Road site.
Mr. Yoder said he’s invested “thousands of hours of sweat equity and around $100,000” to prepare his farmland for cultivation—possibly a U-pick berry and small fruit operation and plans that will be ruined by the noise from the track “the antithesis of the peaceful agricultural neighborhood in which I started my investment—and hence my investment has been lost.”
Hilda Blevins, who also lives on Benninger Road, also cited noise and traffic concerns and criticized Mr. Marvin’s promise in March to work with the community.
“They obviously never spoke to community members to ask what brings them enjoyment,” she said: Agricultural beauty, nature, peace and quiet.
“Most of us believe that we can all do what we want with our property, as long as it is not impacting the properties around us,” Ms. Blevins said.
“If a motocross track was here when we were looking at our collective properties, we would have turned our backs on this area and looked elsewhere.”
The Planning Board will continue its review of the proposed project at its May 18 meeting, 7pm at the Town Hall.