Pray fo Palmer

[DanDarcy]

This was posted in the local paper today

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
By LORI STABILE
lstabile@repub.com

PALMER - Questions about noise and drainage still remain, but the Planning Board may make its decision at its meeting next month regarding the proposed motorsports facility off West Ware Road for amateur racing enthusiasts.

The board, which met last night, will convene again on Dec. 3 at the Town Building at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the project, which would be open 32 weeks a year and closed in the winter, according to NER Investments LLC's project manager Richard E. Patullo, of Hampden.

Only one resident voiced concerns. David J. Mazzarese, of Warren, said he was worried about hearing noise from cars on his nearby land. Mazzarese said he enjoys hiking, and the peacefulness of the woods, and argued that the project will change the environment.
It really degrades what I have," Mazzarese said.

Planning Board Chairman Michael S. Marciniec said engineers have found the site complies with the law regarding noise.

"If you read the law, it's not clear to me that they do," Mazzarese responded.

The Planning Board's engineer, John J. Furman, of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., said the noise expert from his office will review Mazzarese's concerns. Furman said the question is one of interpretation.

"The question becomes, do they comply with the DEP requirement?" Furman said.

Marciniec said short of buying the 600 acres, there is no guarantee that Mazzarese would never hear anything on his land. Marciniec said he would rather see this type of project instead of a residential subdivision, saying he feels that the racetrack proposal will keep the environment as close to what it is today.

Patullo after said that on 10 weekends a year, noise would be limited to 100 decibels at 50 feet away from the cars, and the remainder of the time, the limit would be 89 decibels.

[brucesallen]

Dick Patullo told me that last Monday's meeting went great and there are just a couple of minor things to clear up on Dec. 3. He is confident we will get Planning BOard approval then. That completes town approvals. We ar finishing the Mass EPA full EPA report. We passed the preliminary.

Dick has been throughout the process great in smoothing everything over and addressing every concern before things some to a vote.

[denndy]

Should we consider a small increase in annual dues that would be invested in the Palmer facility to ensure we have regular dates available?

Don't know if the money would be significant enough, but it would show that we are putting our money where our mouths are.

Any thoughts?

Dennis