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The fate of a go-cart track in the Millbridge community will be decided Monday night.
The Rowan Zoning Board of Adjustment will hear an appeal from the owners challenging a ruling by Zoning Administrator Marion Lytle that the track can no longer operate.
At issue is whether Millbridge Speedway went for a year without a race. Under the county’s zoning laws, the speedway had been allowed to operate as a non-conforming use in the rural agriculture district.
When neighbors complained to the county more than a year ago, seeking to close the track, they were told that if the track ceased operations for 360 days, it would lose its non-conforming status. Without that status, the track would require a rezoning to commercial business-industrial before it could be reopened.
Neighbors kept close tabs on the racetrack for the months that followed. In letters to the Planning Department, O.L. Beaver of 6225 Mooresville Road and Jackie and Danny Shaw of 6328 Mooresville Road said the track had not been used for 12 months.
But now the owners, Barbara and Al Welter of China Grove, are asking the track be reopened. The Welters own and operate a business on Main Street in China Grove.
In a memo to county commissioners, Lytle said Barbara Welter originally told him there were no racing events at the track during the summer of 2000. She submitted several receipts showing work done at the track. On Feb. 26, Lytle informed Barbara Welter that the site had been “discontinued” as a racetrack.
Barbara Welter filed a notice of appeal in March to the Zoning Board of Adjustments, saying that she had discovered that a race had been held at the track on March 26, 2000.
In writing to the Planning Department, neighbors pointed out that it has been easy to determine whether there were races.
“During the various times that it was operating,” wrote Danny and Jackie Shaw, “the track would run late, sometimes after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. The noise made it impossible for us to use our yards and porches or have our windows open during the months of March to November.
“All racing activity ceased at the end of May 1999, and there has not been any activity at the track since that time. You can only imagine how happy we are that the peace and quiet in this rural community has been restored.”
In a similar letter, O.L. Beaver wrote: “I can say with utmost confidence that no motorized vehicle racing activities have taken place at this speedway since spring of 1999.”
Although county commissioners recently appointed a new Zoning Board of Adjustments, commissioners are expected to hear this appeal and to continue functioning as the Zoning Board until the new members are trained.
The board hears only sworn testimony related to facts.
The board meets at 6 p.m.Monday in the County Administrative Offices, 130 W. Innes St.
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