Residents, farm groups oppose ATV park in rural Flemington

Residents, farm groups oppose ATV park in rural Flemington

by | Jun 13, 2020 | Double Gate ATV Race Track, News

As published in the Ocala Star Banner on June 13, reprinted with permission.

By Carlos E. Medina

Posted at 12:21 PM
  
The 240-acres project would include an ATV track, sales, service and an RV park located in the pastoral area designated as part of Marion County’s Farmland Preservation Area.

A proposal to build an all-terrain vehicle recreation and entertainment complex, with included track, sales, service and an RV park at Flemington, has many in the rural community up in arms.

The 240-acre project, near the intersection of County Roads 329 and 318, lies on land designated as part of Marion County’s Secondary Springs Protection Zone, and the property includes wetland areas. The proposal to grant a special use permit for the land goes before the Marion County Commission during a special meeting on June 17.

The commission carved out the proposal for a special meeting so it could accommodate those interested in attending since COVID-19 distancing guidelines limit capacity in the commission’s auditorium.

On Wednesday, the commission will vote on sending the proposal to the state for its review.

County staff recommends approval for all but the RV park portion of the project. The Planning and Zoning Commission, however, voted 3-2 to deny the proposal mostly on the basis that the use is not compatible with the surrounding agricultural nature of the area. The zoning board’s vote is only a recommendation, and the commission is not bound by its decision.

The proposed site for the Double Gate ATV Park and Recreation is owned by John and Shirley Rudnianyn. John Rudnianyn is a well-known local developer.

Rudnianyn did not immediately return a message left for him on Friday.


The proposal calls for 40 RV spaces with electric hookup, an event facility available for rental, a motorcycle/ATV sales, rental and service area, an ATV track and several ATV and walking trails within the property. The plan also could include a paintball area and designated fishing areas.

In May, several ATV enthusiasts were invited to the property for a test ride.

Barbara Henry, who lives nearby, said the noise was awful.

“We couldn’t hear our TV with all doors and windows closed,” Henry wrote in an email to the county. “Please don’t spoil this beautiful peaceful area.”

Busy Shires Byerly of Horse Farms Forever, said the group is opposed to the project because of its location.

“It’s in the Farmland Preservation Area. We’re not against the activity, we’re against the location,” Shires Byerly said. “There are existing, currently zoned properties in the county that would allow an ATV racetrack. All this is for John (Rudnianyn) to sell his property to Double Gate.”

Dannie Reaves is the principal of Double Gate LLC, the Ocala-based company behind the proposed park. Attempts to contact Reaves on Friday were not successful.

The county staff’s report on the proposal does not mention the Farmland Preservation Area designation. It does list the property outside of the Urban Growth Boundary and only references the springs protection designation.

“I don’t know how they are going to stay below 65 decibels, which is normal conversation. Just one ATV is at 95 decibels, now imagine 750, which is the maximum number of vehicles they can have on the property,” Shires Byerly said.

The meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, 601 SE 25th Ave. Live video of the meeting is available online at www.marioncountyfl.org

— Contact Carlos E. Medina at 867-4157 or cmedina@starbanner.com

Attend the June 17th Hearing
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Truth Over Distraction in Flemington ATV Matter

Truth Over Distraction in Flemington ATV Matter

by | Jun 12, 2020 | Double Gate ATV Race Track, News

Perhaps you’ve heard the term red herring? Its origin is from the training of hunting dogs, where a bait fish is used to distract the dogs and send them in a different direction. A red herring is a distracting, usually emotional argument thrown out during a discourse that sends the listener down a rabbit hole, blurring the facts and obscuring the truth. We’ve got a red herring in this Double Gate ATV matter. We’re calling it out, and directing your attention to the developer behind the curtain.

At the June 17th Board of County Commissioners Hearing, the Commissioners will consider a Land Use Change, Zoning Change and Special Use Permit Application for 240 acres of property in the Farmland Preservation Area, owned by Blitch Plantation (Rudianyn), and intended to be sold to or used by Double Gate ATV Park. It is no secret that we oppose the application along with hundreds of other members of the community who have written in saying so.

Just the fact that this location requires:

  1. a Land Use Change;
  2. a Zoning Change; and
  3. a Special Use Permit; 

shows that this location has 3 strikes against it and is not appropriate for the activity.

In recent blogs, we have highlighted the flaws in the application and spotlighted the community opposition.

Double Gate ATV Park is a business that its owner is calling a movement. At Wednesday’s meeting, supporters of this movement will bring a petition filled with names of people from near and far who say that they will come to Double Gate. Some will show up at the Hearing in t-shirts printed for this purpose. Their message is a good one – “At Double Gate, we don’t care about race, color or creed. We all love ATVs. Let us Ride.” Double Gate describes their for-profit business as “safe, legal fun” and an opportunity to enjoy nature. Who can argue against that?

The good news is that nobody has to argue against it.

Double Gate ATV is NOT the applicant. The applicant is Blitch Plantation/Rudianyn – a prominent real estate developer. If Rudianyn obtains the Land Use Change and Special Use Permit, Double Gate will set up shop through some sort of lease or purchase arrangement.

Double Gate is not locked in to the Blitch Plantation location. It is free to find another piece of property outside the Farmland Preservation Area once Rudianyn’s application is denied. This means that you can support the idea of an ATV Park as a valid business and legal family fun AND oppose the location.

So you can say, let them ride – in an ATV-friendly location. There are lots of them all over the County, as we blogged yesterday. You do not need to be against Double Gate ATV Park in order to be against this application for its impacts on the village of Flemington and the Farmland Preservation Area. Your opposition is not a vote against Double Gate, it just tells the Rudianyn organization that it needs to find a more compatible use for the property.

We Need You to Help Keep the Hearing Focused!

We have heard from hundreds of you who don’t want this application to be approved.

What matters most is that the County Commissioners hear your voices and see your faces at the Hearing on June 17th, 2pm.

There will be a distraction. The way to fight it is to keep stating the truth – it’s not the activity, it’s the location.

We know that daytime meetings are difficult to manage for many, so please write in or attend virtually (scroll to bottom of page to see instructions), or both.

If you can make it to the meeting, don’t be alarmed by the t-shirts or the testimonies advocating for the Double Gate movement. It is a red herring. You can choose to hear and affirm the idea of the Double Gate ATV business. You can applaud a resident for wanting to do something that he sees as good for the youth of the community.

 

And at the same time, you can say NO to the developer behind the curtain.

Contact the County Commissioners
Attend the June 17th Hearing
Where to ATV in Ocala? Not In My…

Where to ATV in Ocala? Not In My…

by | Jun 11, 2020 | Double Gate ATV Race Track, News

NIMBY No-Funners?

Does the opposition to Double Gate ATV Park really come down to a whole lot of residents who are saying Not In My Backyard to a wholesome, family activity? If you believe this, you are missing the point. What hundreds of people are saying, with one voice, is this:
 
Not in my Farmland Preservation Area.
 
Today, we received a letter from Northwest Marion County resident, Joe Hartman. This very thoughtful letter clearly acknowledged that the applicant for the Double Gate ATV Park and its proponents are seeing this development as good for the community. He says,
 
“I do not know any of the folks who support this proposal, but I’m confident they see it as positive, not just for them, but for the entire community. I hope they, like you, will understand why many of us do not see it that way. I also would imagine there are some unmet needs out here that we could work on together. This unfortunately, is not one of them,”
 
Mr. Hartman hits the nail on the head when he says,
 
“Maybe the developers think they can do better than the Hogwaller ATV Park you have probably seen in videos. If so, I can assure you that most, if not all, of landowners opposed to this amendment don’t see this as a question of quality. It’s a question of compatibility. Nothing in this proposal is compatible with the farmland preservation designation, no matter how responsibly the developers would intend to proceed.”

Let Us Ride.

In order to get Double Gate ATV Park in Flemington approved at the County Commissioners Hearing on June 17th, the applicant must show that there is a need for the Land Use Change from Rural to Rural Activity Center. Because the property is in the Farmland Preservation Area, the bar is high. Let’s be clear – wants and needs are different things. I might want to put chemical storage tanks on my property adjacent to Lake Weir, but I would be hard pressed to show why they need to be in that location. In this same way, Double Gate may be able to present us with a long list of potential customers who want an ATV Racing and Riding Park in Flemington, but is there a compelling reason that it needs to be there?

We say NO. It only took a quick bit of research to find ample ATV/OHV opportunities around Ocala. We even found a Park very much like the proposed Double Gate just 15 minutes down the road. Hardrock Cycle Park has four motocross tracks, an oval track, harescramble course, challenging rock garden and 80 acres of 4×4 woods trails. The main track is about two miles long. The park has a 50 site campground, restroom and shower facilities plus a parts/accessory shop. It is open daily and hosts various motocross races, vintage trials, flat track and 4×4 events throughout the year. During special events a concession stand is available. Best of all, Hardrock is not in the Farmland Preservation Area.
Two similar parks that are also open and operating are Waldo MX in Waldo and Gatorback in Newberry. Then, of course, there is Hogwaller in Palatka.
Now, if you are less interested in racing and want to ride the trails, this site enthusiastically promotes Ocala as a great place to “get off road and get dirty.” The Ocala National Forest is a fantastic playground for all kinds of trail users, including ATV/OHV riders. The 47 mile Ocala Centennial Trail and the 125 mile Ocala North OHV Trail System are the biggest options. These public resources offer excellent amenities and are well-supported by the State of Florida. Take a look at this Guidebook to get an idea of how much Florida has to offer for offroading.

It’s About Compatibility.

Like it or not, the proposed site for Double Gate ATV Park is in the Farmland Preservation Area. The County designated those boundaries in 2005 after extensive research to back up the importance of preserving that area for farmland for both environmental and economic reasons. It can not simply allow chunks to be taken out each time a developer expresses a business opportunity. Once it’s erased, it can’t be replaced. There are many ways to have fun and make a livelihood that are compatible with the Farmland Preservation Area. There are others that can be allowed if a sufficient need is shown and appropriate care is taken by the landowner. We have seen neither in this case, and so we strongly urge our County Commissioners to back up their promise to the people of Marion County and with us declare:

 
Not in my Farmland Preservation Area.
Contact the County Commissioners
Attend the June 17th Hearing

Always Watching

We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

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Residents, farm groups oppose ATV park in rural Flemington

Soil and Water Experts Say NO to Double Gate ATV Park Location

by | Jun 9, 2020 | Double Gate ATV Race Track, News, Uncategorized

Above is a photo taken yesterday of the proposed site for the Double Gate ATV Park in Flemington. Does this look like a good place to put “dry ATV trails?”

On Soil and Topography Alone, the Double Gate Location Fails

Neighbors to the proposed Double Gate ATV Park continue to write the County Commissioners with clear opposition and good evidence to support their contention that the Flemington location is not suitable for this use. Here is a letter from Rick Robbins, a nearby resident and former Soil and Water Conservation District employee.

Dear Commissioners (especially Commissioner Stone),

This email is in regards to the proposed Double Gate ATV park near Flemington, Florida. As a landowner in District 5 of Marion County, I am concerned about the possibility of introducing a land use that is not compatible with the current Zoning in the designated “Farmland Preservation Area”. The intent of previous commissioners was to protect this area from incompatible land uses and to foster the stewardship of agriculture in NW Marion County. I believe we should respect and honor the work of our past commissioners.

 
As a past employee of Marion County (Marion SWCD), I was involved with the initial efforts (mid-80’s) to collect land use and soils data to effectively protect this area for agricultural purposes. Below are the official soil metrics (from USDA-NRCS Web Soil Survey) associated with the Project Footprint:
Land Use Designation: Soils within the project footprint are within the USDA-NRCS classification: Farmland of Local Importance. This designation effectively demonstrates the agricultural value of the area (and soils) around Flemington, and should be protected.  

Over 91 percent of the soils within the footprint are designated as Farmlands of Local Importance.

Hydric Soils/Wetlands: Hydric Soils are one of the components of wetlands, hydrology and vegetation are the others. Over 50 percent of the soils within the footprint are designated as hydric soils and could be wetlands if the other 2 criteria are met. Please note that the USFWS wetland delineations often do not include wetlands rating in agricultural areas (pastures, etc.)

Soil Interpretations:

  • Erosion Hazard: Offroad/Offtrail – Many of the soils (over 40%) in the area have either a Moderate or Severe rating for Erosion (Off-Road). This means that there will be soil loss from the site and possible off-site impacts resulting in site degradation and unintended off-site consequences.
  • Soil Rutting Hazard: 100% of the soils within the footprint have a moderate limitation for Soil Rutting Hazard. This causes soil degradation and can channel water to affect and accelerate offsite impacts.
  • Suitability for Roads: Over 50% of the footprint have soils that are Poorly Suited for Roads with Natural Surfaces due to wetness.
  • Building Site Development: 100% of the soils are very limited to Buildings (with or without basements) due to wetness, shrink-swell potential, and a few soils are subject to ponding.  This should be considered when evaluating the site for an RV Park.
  • Camp Areas: 100% of the soils are very limited to camp sites (due to wetness), which should be considered when evaluating the site for an RV Park.
  • Off-Road Motorcycle Trails: 100% of the soils are either Very Limited (78%) or Somewhat Limited (22%) for motorcycle trails due to wetness.
  • Sanitary Facilities (Septic Tank Absorption Fields): 100% of the soils are Very Limited to either Sanitary Facilities and Septic Tank Absorption Fields.  This is also a consideration when considering an RV Park at the location.

Soil Properties: 

  • Seasonal High Water Table: All soils (100%) within the project footprint are poorly drained with a seasonal high water table within 12 inches of the soil surface.
  • Clay Content: All soils have over 35% clay within 20 inches of the soil surface.  Clay minerals are smectitic which means they are highly expansive (shrinking and swelling). This can affect construction, such as, concrete slabs, foundations, etc.
  • Permeability: Moderately slow to very slow.  This means that water transmission through the soil profile is highly restricted.  This will affect water movement on the soil surface since water cannot enter the soil profile. In addition, the use of ATV’s will compacted the soil and increase overland water movement to offsite locations.
  • Slope: Most of the soils have slope above 2 percent and up to 8 percent.  Slope along with restricted permeability means that water will move offsite, and even more so…. during tropical events.
  • Offsite Impacts: All of the above soil properties can result in onsite degradation that moves to offsite locations. The slope and restricted permeability means that pollutants, sediment, and surface water will most likely move offsite, unless retaining structures are built to mitigate the effects..

Conclusion: There has to be a better location for an ATV/RV park than the proposed location. Soil characteristics, Farmland Preservation classification, and the rural environment around the proposed site should make the rejection of this proposal…a no-brainer. I am OPPOSED to the ATV Park at it’s proposed location.

 

I have attached the Soils Report for the proposed ATV park for your reference.
 
 
Sincerely,
Rick Robbins
Marion County Landowner

Blue Means Low and Wet

Let’s look at the proposed ATV Park site from a regional perspective. Most of the surrounding land has a higher elevation. All of the rainfall (and groundwater recharge) is going to accumulate in this drainage basin, and if the rainfall totals are high enough….they will bridge the levee and move significant water offsite and to the southeast. This map illustrates how water moves across the land. The red polygon is the proposed site. Red and yellow hues are higher elevations, green- mid-level elevation, and blue hues are lower elevations. If this graphic doesn’t illustrate what off-site impacts will occur (and where), I don’t know what will. The proposed site is in an extremely large drainage basin with significant areas of local recharge.

Soils of Local Importance

Lest you think this is a boggy and useless piece of property, we’d like to point out that the proposed ATV Park sits in the middle of one of the largest areas of “#8 soil” in the County. This soil is considered ideal for agriculture, particularly for pasturing livestock. It is designated as “Locally Important Farmland” by the USDA. The Farmland Preservation Area was created to protect these soils. Our supply of them is finite and valuable for farming.

No Brainer For You?

Last week, we wrote about how the decibel limit for ATV noise can not be met on this site. Today, Rick Robbins showed that the soils can not support an ATV Drag Strip and Racing Trails. Read the comments on our blogs – neighbor after neighbor is asking the County to oppose and deny this flawed plan in the wrong location. In an upcoming blog, we’ll show that there are many existing good locations for ATV trail riding and racing. It is not necessary to invade the Farmland Preservation Area.

What’s your story? The Commissioners need to hear it.

 

Email the Commissioners
Attend the June 17th Hearing
ATV Engine Noise – The Science of Sound

ATV Engine Noise – The Science of Sound

by | Jun 3, 2020 | Double Gate ATV Race Track, News

 

Do you hear what I hear?

At the June 1st Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing, we heard quite a lot of testimony about the engine noise from Double Gate ATV Park on their “sound test weekend” May 15-16. On that weekend, there were 250 ATVs operating on the site. Neighbors up to 3 miles away and closer reported hearing the engine noise, while some right in the village said they heard nothing. No decibel readings were submitted by the applicant, so the sound issue has been reduced to a matter of differing opinions.

We would like to help clear up the confusion.

Sound Calculations?

Growth Services recommended that the County restrict the ATV sound to 65 decibels at the property line from 7 am until 10 pm, and 55 decibels all other times. Here’s the problem: 

“Loud ATV exhaust noise has become an issue both medically and environmentally. The threshold of permanent hearing damage, as set by the OSHA, is 85 dB. A gas-powered lawn mower produces 85 dB. The snowmobile industry cannot, under U.S. law, exceed 78 dBs at full throttle, and since 1979 motorcycle manufacturers must stay between 78 and 84 dB. However, most ATVs are between 85 and 100 dBs, which has led to concerns by both riders and non-riders about excessive noise.” – How to Quiet ATV Exhaust Noise (A Practical Guide) from bettersoundproofing.com

How does one reduce the noise to 65 decibels at the property line? The answer is distance, but how much distance? Here’s a guideline:

“Doubling the distance between the highway and residence will result in a noise level reduction of approximately 4.5 decibels, depending on the surface composition over which the noise is traveling.”  – Traffic Noise Fact Sheet by KeepSanDiegoMoving.com.

So, at 50 feet from the property line, 95 decibels becomes 91. At 100 feet, it is 87. At 200 feet, it is 84 – at the threshold for permanent hearing damage. The applicant is asking for a 100 foot buffer while the County is asking for 200 feet. At either distance, just one ATV breaks the sound restrictions. Now add 499 more ATVs. The applicant stated in the P&Z Hearing that they expected 500 to 750 ATVs on the property on a given weekend. Add in the fact that they will be dispersed all over the property, on the race trails and at the drag strip. Add in the fact that, ten weekends per year, there will be organized events with an amplified sound system/loudspeakers.

Sound Barriers?

The Traffic Noise Fact Sheet states that trees are not effective at blocking noise unless they are planted closely together and at least 100 feet thick. Earthen barriers must be above the line of sight in order to be effective. The six-foot berm proposed for the ATV drag strip in the Double Gate Project is not nearly high enough, and only covers one side of the strip.

Sound Thinking?

The size and shape of the Double Gate Property makes it very difficult to achieve allowable noise levels at the property line. The size of the buffers needed would significantly reduce the options for trails. Add in the reality that they have committed to fence off the wetlands on the property, and we have to wonder if race trails will even be possible? Add to that the cost of constructing a much higher berm for the drag strip and all of the environmental and sound studies, and it would seem wise to rethink the business model.

Now let’s take one step back and examine what it would be like to live in Flemington, even if Double Gate ATV Park can obtain the County’s allowable levels of noise. Nobody is saying it won’t be heard. Between 65 and 70 decibels is somewhere between the sound of traffic noise and the sound of a conversation. Every weekend, all day. It will be heard by residents as they play in their yards or in the Community Park. It will be heard by farmers in their fields and by all the animals, both wild and domestic. Some will hear it more than others, with those who are downwind and downslope hearing more from a greater distance. The prevailing winds in this part of Florida are out of the west. Nobody can argue that there will be no sound.

There is much that can be done to the ATVs themselves to modify their noise, but these solutions can be costly and usually affect performance making them unpopular for racing. Take a look at the average decibel levels for after-market exhausts typically used for ATV racing. It is certainly possible to require that all ATVs have appropriate silencing equipment in order to use Double Gate ATV Park, but it’s hard to imagine filling the place with 500 to 750 ATVs each weekend that all have that equipment. Once again, is this a practical business model?

We are not sound engineers, but we believe that there’s enough here to warrant further questioning. The concerns voiced by the community at the P&Z Hearing about ATV noise from the proposed Double Gate Park are…
well…
sound.

It's Not About ATVs. It's About Location.

We at Horse Farms Forever like ATVs. Many of us own and enjoy them. We support family-oriented outdoor recreation, just like the Double Gate ATV Park applicants. Our concern continues to be about the location of the subject property:

  • in the Farmland Preservation Area;
  • in a flood zone and spring protection area;
  • in a peaceful residential area where noise will be a factor.

Our message continues to be the same as our mission:

We ask that the Farmland Preservation Area be respected and protected. Once it's erased, it can't be replaced.

Always Watching

We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members' interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County's 193,000 acre Farmland Preservation Area.

Join the herd. Every voice matters.

Join Today!
Join or Donate Now
Planning and Zoning Commission Denies Double Gate ATV Special Use Permit

Planning and Zoning Commission Denies Double Gate ATV Special Use Permit

by | Jun 2, 2020 | Double Gate ATV Race Track, News

The Community Showed Up 

Thank you to everyone who showed up at last night’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The room was past capacity with a rotating line of speakers waiting patiently outside to be heard. Busy Shires Byerly, our Director of Conservation Strategies, spoke for Horse Farms Forever. Here are her comments.

After 3 hours of respectful and insightful public commentary on both sides of the issue, the Planning & Zoning Commission voted as follows:

  1. By a vote of 3 to 2, they recommended that the Board of County Commissioners deny in its entirety the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment to change the Future Land Use designation on 18.2 acres from Rural Land (RL) to Rural Activity Center (RAC). This was contrary to the recommendation of Growth Services staff.
  2. They unanimously recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve the proposed Rezoning of the approximately 5 acres having an existing Future Land Use Designation of Rural Activity Center (RAC). This was consistent with the recommendation of Growth Services staff. They unanimously recommended denial of the remainder of the proposed Rezoning, which is the opposite of the recommendation of Growth Services staff.
  3. By a vote of 3 to 2, they recommended that the Board of County Commissioners deny in its entirety the request for a Special Use Permit on 239 acres for an ATV racetrack and associated uses and activities. This was contrary to the recommendation of Growth Services staff.

The Board stated that a key factor influencing their decision was the fact that the subject property is IN THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION AREA. We are happy that this message was heard loud and clear.

These non-binding recommendations now go before the Board of County Commissioners on June 17th. As was stated many times last night, this Planning & Zoning meeting was a dress rehearsal. Community voices are even more important at the next meeting. We will be preparing to advocate clearly for the protection of farmland, environment and community character.

Thank you for joining us last night and please plan to come to the June 17th meeting, 2pm.

It's Not About ATVs. It's About Location.

We at Horse Farms Forever like ATVs. Many of us own and enjoy them. We support family-oriented outdoor recreation, just like the Double Gate ATV Park applicants. Our concern continues to be about the location of the subject property:

  • in the Farmland Preservation Area;
  • in a flood zone and spring protection area;
  • in a peaceful residential area where noise will be a factor.

Our message continues to be the same as our mission:

We ask that the Farmland Preservation Area be respected and protected. Once it's erased, it can't be replaced.

Always Watching

We work hard to keep you informed, and to represent our members’ interests in preserving our horse farms, farmland and the unique character and culture of Marion County.

Join the herd. Every voice matters.

Join or Donate Now