I have read other threads on this subject but could not find an answer pertaining to this specific situation.

Need some advice on how to proceed in the following situation:

A dirt bike track, zoned residential, is right next to a subdivision. The track runs parallel to several people's backyards and causes problems for the entire neighborhood. Noise and dust is a huge problem for the entire neighborhood. People in the neighborhood have called the police many times about the noise and dust and the police have cited the owners several times, fined them for everything including noise/dust/disturbing the peace or whatever the police could think of, and the owner's have been arrested for it. This has not stopped the problem nor made it any better.

The people that ride on the track range in age from 3 years old The owners allow other people on their track as well as we see many trailers in their yard unloading dirt bikes to ride on the track. Don't think that they are charging to them to use the track, but I highly doubt that the people they have to ride are all family members. They will ride all day long with little or no breaks. This makes it unbareable for the neighborhood people to even go outside and enjoy their yards or the park that is within their subdivision. Not to mention INSIDE the house, with all the doors and windows closed people can still hear the dirt bikes and have to turn up the TV to drown out the noise.

There is no noise ordinance in the city, but their land is within city limits and is zoned residential. We've talked to the police and they said that they (the police) are getting in trouble by the judge because the judge doesn't understand what it is really like, with the noise and dust, and the judge just thinks that people are complaining about a noisy lawn mower. The judge is ultimately throwing out every single case that comes to him since he is relating the noise of a full out race bike to the noise equivalant of a lawn mower (which obviously it is not!). The police have said to get a lawyer and file a civil suit against the owner. Is there anything else that can be done without getting a lawyer to make all of this stop?

Just can't believe that in a residential neighborhood this is allowed to go on especially since that land is zoned residiental and NOT AG!

I would like to know what other's have done or tried to put a handle on this situation? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!


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cd replication
huge discount electronics

Not sure if you have already, but you might try be-friending them and working out some "riding hours" and helping them come up with some ideas for dust management. I know most motocrossers would prefer a nice moist track vs. a dusty one any day.

If they agree to some concessions (i.e. riding time, watering), It may work out for both of you. They can still ride during reasonable times and not have to deal with getting pestered by the police, and you may not have to deal with the dust and the noise during the early morning/evening hours.

Most moto folks are generally pretty good people and would be happy to work with you. There are the occassional troublesome ones.. but hopefully far and few between. Heck, mebe they let you come over and burn a few laps for some fun every now and then.

Buy a dirtbike and go join them!!

It might be the most fun you have ever had in your life!!!

If there is no noise ordinance than nothing can be done. its ridicolous that they have been charged with disturbing the peace. I cant see how some guy getting drunk and causing a big ruckus(what i think of when i hear disturbing the peace) is the same as good ol people enjoying the outdoors on their dirtbikes is related.

GO RIDE!!!!

Wow, sounds like a great idea to have recreational riding in the neighborhoods.

In all reality the screams from the crowd and the PA system at a ball game or foolsball game far exceed the 99 dB of most powersports vehicles today. But it is about the frequency of the sound, and not the dB level, more on that later.

Back in the early 1900s and up to the 1980s there were numerous tracks inside the city limits in most places in the US. Over 100,000 fans would line the board tracks to watch their favorite racers compete. For some unknown reason, stereos got giant speakers and much louder, TVs got larger surround sound speakers and the racetracks got the bum steer to move out to the country. Even the commercial indoor motion picture sound is over 105 dB in many scenes.

I submit it is the frequency of the sound more than the dB level that bothers some people. Two stroke engines generally are annoying to most who are not operating them, on the other hand a V8 engine burning methanol with a blower and open headers seems to attract tens of thousands of people to come watch such as with NHRA and Monster Trucks. Even a carburetor on a V8 attracts millions to watch the NASCAR events. So I stick with my frequency argument.

I have advocated rec riding areas at parks in the city limits for 12 years. Wish the City Parks that have the swimming pools and ball parks shut down due to the economic problems would open up Short Tracks and MX tracks to offset their losses and put the gate money into operation of the neighborhood pools. Park in my area has some wonderful Musco Lights, paved parking lot, fenced in area where three ball diamonds once were, great access and a shut down olympic size swimming pool that has been closed for 9 years due to the economy here. Would make a perfect race track and rec riding facility.

Interesting how many cities have accomodated the skate boarders snd bicyclists with riding areas, BMX Racetracks in City/County Pards, and other areas of parks to ride in, but have seemed to ignore the powersports industry. One would think the tax dollars generated by the Powersports dealers would far surpass those collected by the Skate Board stores, but who knows?

What is the difference with a few powersports vehicles and all the neighborhood motorized riding mowers, edgers, line trimmers, hedge trimmers, and leaf blowers?

Have to agree with the previous post, get a motorcycle or quad and join in and have some fun! Or get out and drag race em on your lawnmower along your fence iine.

Best not buy a home on a lake shore, the boats and personal watercraft would be another problem there.

Believe progress has brought us to the motorized age, folks are not using manual push type reel mowers on their lawns, or riding horses much anylonger, and horse manure was most likely a problem back in that time.

Here there is no noise ordinance from 6am till 10pm in the City limits. Otherwise there would be little or no manufacturing, public transportation or construction allowed to occur.

We are fortunate in Tulsa to have seven racetracks inside the city limits, most of which are surrounded by neighborhoods. Interesting that the majority of these were built way before any homes were built around them. Others were built in existing neighborhoods. Only two of which have suffered from complaining neighbors over the past several decades.

1. Tulsa Quarter Midget Track at Netty Park on north Yale Avenue
"The track was established in 1958. It's a tight little track that is a real challenge, even to the best of drivers."

2. Tulsa Raceway Park 1/4 mile IHRA dragstrip on north Garnett
"The track was built in 1962 first opened as Southwest International Raceway"

3. Port City Raceway 1/8 mile Micro Sprint dirt oval on east Pine
"Track was built in 1970 by Rudy & John and first called RuJo Raceway in their namesake."

4. JRP Speedway 1/4 mile asphalt Oval and .75 mile road kart/supermotard road course on West 51st Street.
Track built around 1990.

5. Tulsa Moto-Cross Park on north 56th street.
Established around 1990.

6. Tulsa Speedway on north 66th street
Moved to this location from the fairgrounds in 1974

7. Expo Raceway a large 3/4 Mile dirt oval on the Fairgrounds at 21st and Yale at Expo Square
Established around 1938 at this location.

http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-upset-over-motor-track-story,0,1026114.story

You can petition the city counsil for a restriction. this could be from no riding to limited riding,ie: wednesday evening and weekend only. I would go say talk to them. As a racer I like to ride. As a home owner I enjoy be able to cook out without the dirt. Hope you guys get this settled. Bob

We are fortunate in Tulsa to have seven racetracks inside the city limits, most of which are surrounded by neighborhoods. Interesting that the majority of these were built way before any homes were built around them. Others were built in existing neighborhoods. Only two of which have suffered from complaining neighbors over the past several decades.

1. Tulsa Quarter Midget Track at Netty Park on north Yale Avenue
"The track was established in 1958. It's a tight little track that is a real challenge, even to the best of drivers."

2. Tulsa Raceway Park 1/4 mile IHRA dragstrip on north Garnett
"The track was built in 1962 first opened as Southwest International Raceway"

3. Port City Raceway 1/8 mile Micro Sprint dirt oval on east Pine
"Track was built in 1970 by Rudy & John and first called RuJo Raceway in their namesake."

4. JRP Speedway 1/4 mile asphalt Oval and .75 mile road kart/supermotard road course on West 51st Street.
Track built around 1990.

5. Tulsa Moto-Cross Park on north 56th street.
Established around 1990.

6. Tulsa Speedway on north 66th street
Moved to this location from the fairgrounds in 1974

7. Expo Raceway a large 3/4 Mile dirt oval on the Fairgrounds at 21st and Yale at Expo Square
Established around 1938 at this location.

Maps and Satellite views of the tracks and homes surrounding them.

1. Port City Raceway http://www.portcityracin.com
Port City Raceway
This one was built inside an Industrial Park, which makes sense.

2. Tulsa Raceway Park
Tulsa Raceway Park
This one, as I suggested is built by the airport!

3. Port City Raceway
Port City Raceway

4. JRP Speedway
JRP Speedway

5. Tulsa Moto-Cross Park
Tulsa MX Parrk ~ Need to scroll down on the map to see the racetrack

6. Tulsa Speedway
Tulsa Speedway Map JRP Speedway

7. Expo Raceway
Expo Raceway Map

Expo Raceway includes Indoor Arenacross, Indoor 1/4 Mile Oval and Indoor TT Tracks during select events in the winter, plus the 3/4 mile outdoor oval racetrack. One will note this facility is totally surrounded by residential with a small buffer of commercial on the east side.

I have unfortunately been forced to work these issues before. You will need to check your city code. There needs to be some sort of ordinance that they can enforce. Is there something prohibiting the track? Is the track really a noise complaint? Are they really intentionally disturbing your peace? That is for the judge to decide. Check with the code compliance officer if there is one. There is no overnight fix unless you and the owner can work something out. The other option is file a civil law suit against the party. That will cost you legal fees and winning is sketchy.

To aid in whatever you do, obtain lots of video with noise. Get a decent noise meter and see what decibels are coming out of the bikes. Not all bikes are noisy.

Also who was there first? The owner and track or the subdivision? Subdivisions go up, city folk move to the country and they want the country folk to change their lifestyle.

cd replication
huge discount electronics [/quote]

There you go, a market for electronics in your own neighborhood. Hook everybody up with speakers loud enough to drown out the dirtbike noise. Oh, and I've got some CDs I would like copied.

Seriously, without a noise ordinance or other code that is actually being violated, talk to the owner. The AG zoning won't help you, though.