new race track in Texas

I searched both FAA sectionals and google maps and the nearest airports I could file are Sheboygan Municipal KSBM and New Holstein 8D1, both about 8nm from the track. I think Brenhan Muni 11R is closer to Wonder Hill or about the same, but there appear to be a couple of private airfields right at the Wonder Hill area. Presumably aircraft noise is not objectionable to the residents. I have flown to Brenham and it is a nice airport with a fun restaurant on site.

 

Just wanted to say, I grew up here in Brenham and I'm excited at the possibility of having a local track. Not everyone in Brenham is against the idea! Hope to see this go through and if anyone ever needs it, I'll always have spare garage space/covered parking at my house!

 

FarmerDave, you seem to be the sole voice of reason in this debate. The people objecting are not "country folks" with a closed mind. They are business people, many of whom have had careers in Houston, retired military, or having owned property for generations. They are living the dream of a life in the country. We understand the positive economic impact on Washington County and do not object to the track, only to the location that has been chosen.....the middle of a neighborhood where people are heavily invested! The question is: while you enjoy the hobby, would you want this track right next to your home?

There is plenty of commercial property that has not been considered. Even though Von Schmidt said he looked at every piece of property but I know for a fact that is not true. Commercial properties are all around the area. I implore you to appeal to the other members of the Club. Speak to the residents of Wonder Hill. They are rational, organized and respectful. Please ask your club to step back and do an organized search for commercial property. Let's preserve what makes Washington County a sought after location for second homes and retirement homes. Let's keep commercial business where it should be....in a commercial area.

 

Matt G.,the car club is welcome in the area, just go to a commercial property. Have you ever been to Wonder Hill? Have you ever talked to the residents that live there? They are understandably upset so would you please go to the car club members and and encourage them to build next to your house if you like the idea? Thanks.

 

Kverges, Wonder Hill is not a lone voice, is not here to pontificate and is not an anonymous keyboarder. It is a respectful, well organized group trying to protect the whole reason they live in the Wonder Hill area. Have you ever been there? It is a group of well educated, successful business people who moved here to get away from the City and its noise, events, etc. The objection is not the track but the location. It belongs on commercial property which there is plenty of in the county if someone would just take the time to find it. The track will, quite literally, ruin people's life investments. I doubt that the club members really want to live with that distinction.

 

The chosen parcel is 277 acres without a single occupant. Farm? OK. Middle of a neighborhood? Leads me to question the truth of every statement you make.

 

I think its time we enter this conversation. Our group has looked at well over 100 and close to 200 sites. We have a very specific set of criteria and have employed professional site selectors to locate the site for the new track. There is no piece of property on the market between Sealy and Cleveland that ex have not look at. These comments about the availability of commercial property are great and I once again simply state for the record rather than simply saying it so please spend just a part of the effort and let me know exactly where this property is, and if it's comparable we would like any business consider relocation even at this late date.

Fact is we need 200-300 acres with rolling terrain, 3 phase power, outside of city limits, unrestricted, and in an area with easy access to major highways. The property needs to be fairly square, have good soil stability, and be situated so the high ground is near the highway. The site needs to have considerable highway frontage, and must have water rights. The site needs to be located within 10 miles of hotels with occupancy available for 100 rooms at least 48 weekends pre year. If such a site has somehow been overlooked I would be happy to personally look at it this week.

As for the track itself we are proceeding the sound management plan calls for 75db la10 at the fences dramatically reducing the sound impact and while certainly not silent has comparable numbers to highway 290 a mike away.

This facility has been designed to work with the community, and I'm sure that many of the residents actually fear NASCAR rather than the relatively low sound levels our users will make.

 

The fun part about being the sole voice of reason is that I get to piss off both sides

As you can imagine, yes I would want that track next to my home if I were retired to the country, because I enjoy the hobby, and it would be rather convenient. In fact, kverges built his home adjacent to MotorSport Ranch in Cresson for this very reason.

I was worried about how my deer hunting would be affected when a development of 5 acre housing plots popped up right next to my lease. Guess what? 6 years later the deer population is huge, much bigger than before. Cause and effect? No. But i was worried about something I thought would ruin one of my favorite pastimes, and it had zero negative effect, other than I havr to make sure I dont shoot that direction.

Retirees are a special kind of vocal because they have nothing better to worry about and campaign against.

By the way, 20 years ago Cresson was in the middle of nowhere, I used to pass it on the way to my uncle's ranch in Bluffdale. But I drove through Cresson recently, and there is quite a bit more development there now.

Baby boomers seem to want to have their cake and eat it too... if you (the collective you) really cared about being away from the hustle and bustle of the rat race, you could own land in Terlingua. But health care is much better in populated areas, and your (the collective your) grandkids probably live in Houston or Austin.

As with everything in life, real estate choices are subject to trade offs.

 

The imposed 'voice of reason' is subjective.