***Ione Sands MX track needs your help!!!

Isn’t this place on a huge piece of property that they mine on? What the hell is a motocross track going to do.

orange_44 wrote:

Isn’t this place on a huge piece of property that they mine on? What the hell is a motocross track going to do.

Yes, exactly... I'm not privy to all the information but from what I heard potentially some disgruntled person/persons may have helped fan the flames of the "conservationists" to push back at the original permit proposal last year. Once the "it's too noisy", "It's too dusty" crowd with nothing better to do got involved it got messy.

I'll post this on bayarearidersforum.com. southbayriders.com and... is AMA D36 on this?

I wish them well. But I don’t get Building a track in California without having your permits in order, from beginning to end.

We went through 4 years of permits and studies to build a track in California and would have been denied if we built and operated the facility before having all our permits in place.

Pin this

E-mail sent.

The place is awesome. I hope they get the permit.

Email sent. I recieved a nice response from planning office and will be added to mailing list. She promised updates.

jbrownmxr wrote:

Email sent. I recieved a nice response from planning office and will be added to mailing list. She promised updates.

Classic! The Commision already responded to mine, nice!

"Thank you for your comments Manny! They will be included in the comments forwarded to the EIR consultant should the project proponent decide to proceed."

I’ll email after lunch, that place is incredible

slipdog wrote:

Once again our sport faces the loss of a potentially great new facility to the motocross community and they need our help.

"The Amador County Planning Commission will now use the comments received during the scoping session to prepare an Environmental Impact Report, a comprehensive review of all the potential impacts of the project and ways to address them. The project would then go before the Planning Commission for a recommendation and then the Board of Supervisors for final approval or denial."
http://www.ledger.news/news/local_news/community-expresses-concerns-over-proposed-motocross-facility/article_72ca3182-e92c-11e8-a9c9-23f7e6e25084.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR11iiTQn6A93ELRhgV40dVu1C_Z_27-1_DeLGsyrVNirlzttrlmLkBEe9w

Leaving a positive comment here will ensure the motocross community is well spoken for to help convince the committee that allowing Ione Sands MX to continue would positively benefit the economy in Amador County.
https://www.facebook.com/ledgerdispatchnews/posts/1873589746070293?__tn__=-UC-R

You can also email the Planning Commission directly with your thoughts https://www.amadorgov.org/departments/planning?fbclid=IwAR0yHaMsoRhUMNxJCk45ErCmb3AaRDRsag3Zc6Xf-AmQr_j4Oqb2nmtTPOY

Are they actually allowing riders to sctually ride there that arent "connected" or part of the "in-crowd" with the guys that built the track being allowed to ride there?? I was living 15miles from there for the past year and wanted to ride that place sooooooooooooo freaking bad! One of my Dads cousins has been an operator for the IS Mine Company that owns the spot and he couldnt get me in there ....then it was closed down right after I got my KX250. I guess it reopened?

Ironically the amount a sound from the mining equipment and massive loaders and heavy equipment that goes on out there including the dust and the tamid to the environment that goes on from the mining itself is tenfold worse than a handful of dirt bikers riding around a track there.... so ridiculous!!!!

What's even funnier is that place used to have a bunch of trails around it and we used to go out there and ride around in the hills every once in a while in that same exact area

slipdog wrote:

Once again our sport faces the loss of a potentially great new facility to the motocross community and they need our help.

"The Amador County Planning Commission will now use the comments received during the scoping session to prepare an Environmental Impact Report, a comprehensive review of all the potential impacts of the project and ways to address them. The project would then go before the Planning Commission for a recommendation and then the Board of Supervisors for final approval or denial."
http://www.ledger.news/news/local_news/community-expresses-concerns-over-proposed-motocross-facility/article_72ca3182-e92c-11e8-a9c9-23f7e6e25084.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share&fbclid=IwAR11iiTQn6A93ELRhgV40dVu1C_Z_27-1_DeLGsyrVNirlzttrlmLkBEe9w

Leaving a positive comment here will ensure the motocross community is well spoken for to help convince the committee that allowing Ione Sands MX to continue would positively benefit the economy in Amador County.
https://www.facebook.com/ledgerdispatchnews/posts/1873589746070293?__tn__=-UC-R

You can also email the Planning Commission directly with your thoughts https://www.amadorgov.org/departments/planning?fbclid=IwAR0yHaMsoRhUMNxJCk45ErCmb3AaRDRsag3Zc6Xf-AmQr_j4Oqb2nmtTPOY

Lightning78 wrote:

Are they actually allowing riders to sctually ride there that arent "connected" or part of the "in-crowd" with the guys that built the track being allowed to ride there?? I was living 15miles from there for the past year and wanted to ride that place sooooooooooooo freaking bad! One of my Dads cousins has been an operator for the IS Mine Company that owns the spot and he couldnt get me in there ....then it was closed down right after I got my KX250. I guess it reopened?

Ironically the amount a sound from the mining equipment and massive loaders and heavy equipment that goes on out there including the dust and the tamid to the environment that goes on from the mining itself is tenfold worse than a handful of dirt bikers riding around a track there.... so ridiculous!!!!

What's even funnier is that place used to have a bunch of trails around it and we used to go out there and ride around in the hills every once in a while in that same exact area

There is a country club that is within close proximity, it's like across the small valley... anyway, from what I heard from a person that is in the know.... some folks were playing golf one weekend an the track was open, they (golfers) could hear the bikes...... and then the phones started ringing.... then it was shut down.

I know some folks who bought the "season pass" deal... that they offered... shit ton of money to ride there!

I spent a few days out there. The track was invite only specifically to stay within the rules. They were testing out what it took to maintain the facility and wether or not it would work as a track.

The information I got during my visits was that the plan was always part of a larger project that was to include an RV Park, Hotel and business park.

It seemed like it was going to bring some jobs and businesses to the town.

Funny when a private track calls on the public for help to save their facility. Shame, even if they do open the vast majority here aren't welcome.

Chopin wrote:

Funny when a private track calls on the public for help to save their facility. Shame, even if they do open the vast majority here aren't welcome.

It is not going to be private. it is membership based. They are not going to run it like a typical just show up and pay a fee facility. Anyone is welcome to join.

Agree with Chopin's above mentioned statement. Many NorCal riders got the cold shoulder when trying to find out how to get "invited" to ride the track. Nonetheless for the good of our sport, I'm going to do as slipdog suggests and contact the Amador County Planning Commission. Encourage others to do so as well.

joeyw wrote:

It is not going to be private. it is membership based. They are not going to run it like a typical just show up and pay a fee facility. Anyone is welcome to join.

As of last year when they were accepting applications they were in fact not public. Read for yourself:
"As we appreciate your passion and dedication to the world of motocross and riding, our facility is not for public use. That is why we have those interested apply for membership, so that we can be selective on who utilizes our facility. Simply put Ione Sands MX is a Training Facility as well as a Research and Development Facility. We cater to the Professionals."

KirkChandler wrote:

I wish them well. But I don’t get Building a track in California without having your permits in order, from beginning to end.

We went through 4 years of permits and studies to build a track in California and would have been denied if we built and operated the facility before having all our permits in place.

Hi Kirk:

Just stepped in to clear up some misconceptions. I am familiar with their plans, and I understand that they were allowed to have a private facility while testing the whole idea. It was not open to the public for that very reason. It was invite only to keep it within the boundaries of the larger process.

This is always a good reference and could be a way to help positively promote MX in an area as well. And I am sending positive comments in email as well.

http://cedr.gatech.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Grady-County-Cutsheet2.pdf

Chopin wrote:

Funny when a private track calls on the public for help to save their facility. Shame, even if they do open the vast majority here aren't welcome.

joeyw wrote:

It is not going to be private. it is membership based. They are not going to run it like a typical just show up and pay a fee facility. Anyone is welcome to join.

Chopin wrote:

As of last year when they were accepting applications they were in fact not public. Read for yourself:
"As we appreciate your passion and dedication to the world of motocross and riding, our facility is not for public use. That is why we have those interested apply for membership, so that we can be selective on who utilizes our facility. Simply put Ione Sands MX is a Training Facility as well as a Research and Development Facility. We cater to the Professionals."

"We cater to the professionals"

*except for when we needed to submit for permits

I'm still going to write to the commission and hope that it gets opened, but boy the irony in that statement lol

ERpatient wrote:

Hi Kirk:

Just stepped in to clear up some misconceptions. I am familiar with their plans, and I understand that they were allowed to have a private facility while testing the whole idea. It was not open to the public for that very reason. It was invite only to keep it within the boundaries of the larger process.

The whole “private only” thing only leads to problems down the road.

Like I said I wish them well, but I have been involved in trying to open 6 different public facilities in California over the past 20 years. The ones that built a “test track” and moved dirt before they had a conditional use permit or approved plans through all applicable agencies were not successful because they are perceived to have tried to circumvent the permit process. And once a property has been red flagged it makes it difficult to come to fruition because the level of scrutiny becomes so much higher.

I deal with building departments and the EPA every month, you need to leave your common sense hat at the door and follow their process or it will never go the way you want it to. It’s their way or the highway.

Sand mines and old rock quarry’s are perfect places to get motocross tracks approved though, it’s already disturbed land so the environmental impact is negligible, and most of the time the infrastructure for water and electricity are in place. They have the right idea. Just can’t put the cart in front of the horse.

I contacted them a year ago about riding there and for me and my kid to ride there would have required hundreds of dollars a month subscription and a pretty clear email that they aren't interested in regular Joe's riding there.... oh well.

I have an opinion about this

KirkChandler wrote:

I wish them well. But I don’t get Building a track in California without having your permits in order, from beginning to end.

We went through 4 years of permits and studies to build a track in California and would have been denied if we built and operated the facility before having all our permits in place.

ERpatient wrote:

Hi Kirk:

Just stepped in to clear up some misconceptions. I am familiar with their plans, and I understand that they were allowed to have a private facility while testing the whole idea. It was not open to the public for that very reason. It was invite only to keep it within the boundaries of the larger process.

KirkChandler wrote:

The whole “private only” thing only leads to problems down the road.

Like I said I wish them well, but I have been involved in trying to open 6 different public facilities in California over the past 20 years. The ones that built a “test track” and moved dirt before they had a conditional use permit or approved plans through all applicable agencies were not successful because they are perceived to have tried to circumvent the permit process. And once a property has been red flagged it makes it difficult to come to fruition because the level of scrutiny becomes so much higher.

I deal with building departments and the EPA every month, you need to leave your common sense hat at the door and follow their process or it will never go the way you want it to. It’s their way or the highway.

Sand mines and old rock quarry’s are perfect places to get motocross tracks approved though, it’s already disturbed land so the environmental impact is negligible, and most of the time the infrastructure for water and electricity are in place. They have the right idea. Just can’t put the cart in front of the horse.

very true, in Norcal alone i've seen about 4-5 tracks try to open in the last 10 years all with the same issue. they built the track before all the paperwork was done. only tracks that were able to offically kick off were estreet mx and mmx in marysville, but the city has a long history of moto and etreet was leased for a few days out of the year before it became a permanent track

AZRider wrote:

This is always a good reference and could be a way to help positively promote MX in an area as well. And I am sending positive comments in email as well.

http://cedr.gatech.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Grady-County-Cutsheet2.pdf

Thank you for that link! I added that it in on my comments in support of the facility.

I'm an acoustical engineer in the Bay Area- let me know if I can help. We've done studies like this. Acoustical engineers that study noise issues like this can be found here: http://ncac.com/resources/directory/

The nearest residences appear to be more than 3,000' away, but that doesn't mean that they won't complain. The Environmental Impact Report is a big, expensive deal and just getting that to the county planner is huge, plus the General Plan change, zoning change and conditional use permit. If an EIR was triggered after them already operating- that is not good. Asking forgiveness is not easier than asking permission!

Thanks for the heads up slip. I'll definitely support this.