The Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit has applied to the Municipality of North Cowichan to amend the Official Community Plan to rezone properties in the area for the purposes of expansion.
The noise coming from the track has been a contentious issue for residents in the area, many of whom are first responders, other emergency personnel and shift workers.
Paul Rossmo is the General Manager of the motorsport circuit and he says the best sound management experts in North America are helping to reduce noise.
The Sahtlam Neighbourhood Association is a group made up of residents in the area who have opposed the track for a few years for a number of reasons, the most significant one being the noise generated from the race cars.
Association President Isabel Rimmer says the sound coming from the track is affecting the quality of life for people who live in the area.
The Municipality of North Cowichan is working with the circuit and the Sahtlam Neighbourhood Association and two community open houses are coming to the Motorsport Circuit tomorrow night and Sunday.
Rossmo says there is a lot planned.
The expansion, should rezoning of the properties be approved, would include tripling the size of the track, the paving and logging of the Somenos Lake watershed area, and a one hundred metre extension of the one point eight kilometre straightaway.
Rimmer says the rezoning and plans for expansion would have a significant impact on the area and the people who live there.
Tomorrow’s open house runs from 7-9 p.m. and Sunday’s open house runs from 2-4 p.m.
Originally, these open houses were going to allow those in attendance to sign up for a working group, but North Cowichan staff has postponed the development of a working group.
The Municipality of North Cowichan has released results from an acoustical study conducted at the race track that is meant to address noise concerns.
For more information on what the Sahtlam Neighbourhood Association all about visit the group’s site.
