Palmer news

[CP]

Rumor says Palmer is almost finished...

Can anyone confirm/deny?

[MiataSteve]

Anybody? Bueller. Bueller?

Or, is it still classified Top Secret?

[boltonite]

Current status: http://www.mass.gov/envir/mepa/pdffiles ... 89deir.pdf

[TroyV]

The noise regulation looks a little discouraging as it mentions the residual noise at the site, and the activities at the site. 10dBa over ambient doesn't seem like a whole lot in a forest area. I hope it all works out though. It'd be really nice to have another track within 3 hours ride from here.

[Dave_G]

The noise regulation looks a little discouraging as it mentions the residual noise at the site, and the activities at the site. 10dBa over ambient doesn't seem like a whole lot in a forest area.

Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, so 10dB over ambient is 10x noisier than ambient.

[breakaway500]

"grass parking lots" Not a good idea in new england. Sure hope this happens. It will be in my back yard!

[DanDarcy]

This from the Springfield Newspaper today;

" PALMER - An amateur sports car race track is moving forward more slowly than originally planned, but the developer said he hopes it will open in 2011.

Richard E. Patullo, of Hampden, project developer for the New England Region of the Sports Car Club of America, said that minor changes made in the plans will make the racetrack one of only two of its kind in this country, with the other in California.

The track is intended for use by amateur racers and by companies that develop race cars, so it is not expected to draw large crowds, Patullo said.

"My analogy on this is Tiger Woods plays golf and people pay to watch it. If I was to play golf, no one wants to pay to watch me," Patullo said.


The project, to be situated on more than 650 acres off West Ware Road, was approved by the Planning Board in December 2007. The track, which now has a price tag of $12 million, is not allowed to have more than 1,000 people present, including racers, families, staff and spectators, he said.

Patullo said that he attended a racing event at a track in Loudon, N.H., last weekend and only 500 people attended with 130 cars racing. The nearest track to this area is in Lime Rock, Conn., he said.

"Palmer is at the cross roads of New England. It's a reasonable site to get to," he said.

The permit has not expired because the project is moving forward, Town Planner Linda G. Leduc said. In November, the developer came with a modification to the plans which calls for paving the "aprons" around the track and that was approved by the board, she said.

Originally, plans had called for having grass around the track and then a wall, but the decision was made to install asphalt because when a car goes off the track, it slows down 60 percent faster on pavement, Patullo said.

Now, engineers are working on designing the storm water management system which is required by state regulations and it must be presented to the Planning Board and Conservation Commission, he said. That could happen this summer or in the fall, he said.

This year, "if we're lucky," some site clearing and installation of the access road could happen, Patullo said.

"Our pace has slowed because of the economy, but I'd rather be in the position of building a facility in the down turn and getting it ready in time for the turn-around," he said.

The Sports Car Club of America has 65,000 members nationwide and 3,000 in the New England Region. "

I guess there won't be grass parking lots

[breakaway500]

"I guess there won't be grass parking lots" Good. This will be a great addition once it is up and running. Imagine that,a race track in Ma!

[Shawn624]

I like the Tiger Wood analogy. In fact, sometimes when I play golf people have to look away.

[chaos4NH]

I like the Tiger Wood analogy. In fact, sometimes when I play golf people have to look away.

Hhhmmm, I never figured out why lawyers and doctors were not great golfers. They are the only ones with lot's of time to play!

[paultg]

So it doesn't sound like they broke ground yet. Humm...

Lots of hurdles to go through still but sounds like it might just happen.

[DanB]

The noise regulation looks a little discouraging as it mentions the residual noise at the site, and the activities at the site. 10dBa over ambient doesn't seem like a whole lot in a forest area.

Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, so 10dB over ambient is 10x noisier than ambient.

We perceive a doubling (not 10x) of apparent sound level with a 10dB increase.
http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/2004-About-dB/

[chaos4NH]

dB and Power (20dB = 100x)
When talking about power, 3dB represents a ratio of two to one or a doubling of power.

Thus, a gain of 10dB would represent a ratio of ten to one for power - so 10 dB be 10 times the power

[DanB]

dB and Power (20dB = 100x)
When talking about power, 3dB represents a ratio of two to one or a doubling of power.

Thus, a gain of 10dB would represent a ratio of ten to one for power - so 10 dB be 10 times the power

Right, 10dB = 10x the power, but only TWICE the perceived increase in "loudness".

[chaos4NH]

dB and Power (20dB = 100x)
When talking about power, 3dB represents a ratio of two to one or a doubling of power.

Thus, a gain of 10dB would represent a ratio of ten to one for power - so 10 dB be 10 times the power

Right, 10dB = 10x the power, but only TWICE the perceived increase in "loudness".

AAAAHHHHHHH! So that's it! Now I can explain to my wife that she has to holler 10x for me to hear at 2 feet. right?