Beck, Angelini, Casagrande Look To Ban Motocross Tracks Near Homes

By Christopher Sheldon

Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblymembers Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande are sponsoring legislation that would ban motocross facilities from being built near residential properties.

They are also looking for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to withdraw the $500,000 grant money it has allocated for the motocross track proposed for Tinton Falls.

“Facilities like the one proposed in Tinton Falls can have a serious impact on nearby residents and property values,” Beck said in a release. “Homeowners should be protected from having one of these dropped in on their neighborhood. A bill like ours is a common sense measure protecting our constituents’ homes and neighborhoods.”

The legislation would not have any impact on existing motocross applications.

The Jersey Shore Motocross proposal would entail the development of a 21 acre facility for dirt bike racing. The plans call for the construction of three tracks, including one with lighting for night racing, as well as a parking lot for nearly 400 vehicles.

“The motocross track proposed for Tinton Falls would have a significant impact on the quality of life for residents in surrounding residential communities,” Angelini said in a release. “Residents who live nearby are understandably concerned about noise, pollution, traffic and a number of other issues associated with locating this type of facility in such close proximity to residential properties”

This legislation also requires anyone seeking to operate a motocross facility to obtain a license from the state Department of Law and Public Safety and prohibits such a license from being granted for any proposal to be located within five miles of a residentially zoned area.