 An amended ordinance was brought to a vote Monday evening by the
Lincoln City Council and passed. It includes penalties on the track
owners for races running past the set curfew times.
Lincoln aldermen heard complaints on the matter during their
council session on May 27. As a result of the numerous complaints,
most associated with the particular night in May, a special
ordinance committee meeting was called to discuss the matter
further.
The Lincoln Speedway was established when "special use" was added
to the C-2 zoning. It allows the use of the fairgrounds track for
racing in accordance with regulations set by the city council.
Council members could not recall having any written agreements
with the business owners on the yearly changing details.
Each year the owners have come before the council to negotiate
terms for the next season. A number of changes have taken place over
the years. This year and last year they were granted their set
season with a choice between Saturday or Sunday events, with the
only limit that there would be no Sunday races when there was school
the next day. The cutoff times would be 11 p.m. on Saturdays and
10:30 p.m. on Sundays.
The sale of beer was added last year.
Last year the owners were granted one 30-minute extension to be
used to finish the races if there were unavoidable disruptions. This
year the owners requested and received three 30-minute extensions to
be used as needed this season. It was not clarified if more than one
extension might be used on one night.
The proposed ordinance that was read last week says in short that
$1,000 would be assessed for every 15 minutes that there is
racetrack activity past the agreed curfew times.
When the matter was opened for discussion Monday evening,
Alderman Benny Huskins said he wished to clarify his position on the
matter. "I'm not against the races," he said. "What I'm against is
when the guys come up here and say 11 o'clock is 11 o'clock;
[if]10:30, then it's 10:30." They should stay with the hours they
asked for.
He also recalled that the track owners said they would do
something about the dust, but it is still a problem. "What I'm
against is when somebody gives you their word and doesn't stick by
it," he said.
Huskins said he doesn't get calls about it on Saturday nights
when they race. Other aldermen agreed that it is the Sunday race
nights when people are complaining.
Some aldermen even said that they don't hear any complaints, but
that they hear positive comments.
Marty Neitzel said: "I am not against the racetrack either. This
ordinance is not against the racetrack. It's actually for the
citizens of Lincoln; they asked for it."
She added that she didn't think the racetrack owners would allow
what happened recently to happen again, but she felt that it is
important to accommodate both sides.
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City attorney Bill Bates said he received some questions about the
ordinance. He said it applies to the racetrack at the fairgrounds.
It does not apply to any other noise in the community.
The amended ordinance applies to any
business conducting car racing at the fairgrounds, and includes, but
is not limited to, the following activities:
Penalty amounts are $1,000 for each 15-minute increment past the
set curfew time.
The amendment passed 8-2, with Dave Armbrust and Jonie Tibbs
opposed.
At the end of the evening, Alderwoman Jonie Tibbs said she had
conducted an economic impact study of the races and wished to share
her findings with the council.
Discussion ensued on whether it was allowable, or might even be
the council's preference, to wait until the next meeting, which
triggered a lengthy discussion that often became irate.
Tibbs was finally permitted to speak. She said she visited 25-30
west-side and downtown businesses and all said that the races were
good for their businesses.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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