MONTEREY, Calif. (CN) — A historic California racetrack, Monterey County’s picturesque Laguna Seca has drawn in drivers and sightseers for decades. But in a lawsuit filed in state court in December, some longtime residents are demanding the county take action over what they say is excess noise from sports cars.
Monterey County residents have taken a decades-long fight against racing noise at Laguna Seca to court, accusing the county’s supervisors of violating environmental and zoning laws by allowing increasing amounts of racing there. The plaintiffs, who call themselves the Highway 68 Coalition, say that they do not want to completely halt racing activities but do want the racetrack to keep it down.
Once sponsored by Mazda, Laguna Seca already operates under strict limitations. Racing only takes place 35 days per year, and the venue can host a maximum of 5,000 spectators. Racing noise must also stay at or below 105 decibels.
Even still, the plaintiffs in the new suit call Laguna Seca a public nuisance and say the county was wrong when it began allowing increased racing activity at the track. They say excessive noise at the track impacts their daily life and also raise environmental concerns, claiming the track has inadequate sewage facilities and potable water.
Alexander Henson, the Carmel Valley-based attorney for the plaintiffs, acknowledged in a Feb. 16 interview that this case is “a little unusual” for an environmental petition, as it challenges a county concession agreement with Laguna Seca as well as the zoning of the venue.
He said the plaintiffs simply want to enjoin any excess racing activities, including by rescinding a 2023 county resolution in which local officials determined the facility was “categorically exempt from environmental review,” according to the lawsuit.
“I think it’s fair to say that the case recognizes that noise and concentrating people in a small area like this can have environmental consequences,” Henson said.
Michael Weaver, head of the Highway 68 coalition and the lead plaintiff in the case, says he’s lived in the area since before the racetrack opened in 1957. In a February interview, he described this hilly coastal area as full of longtime residents who treasure Monterey County’s naturally beautiful and tranquil environment.
Back when the racetrack first opened, that tranquility was only interrupted by one race per year, Weaver said. Then the track asked for permission to have two per year. That number has continued to grow — and over time, Weaver said the track saw more and more racing and music events, from the Sea Otter Classic and the Christian music festival Spirit West Coast to the Laguna Seca SpeedTour.
The fight against the racetrack has been going on “for a generation,” Weaver said. Because Highway 68 is a two-lane throughway, events at the venue can choke the area with traffic. He argues the county’s supervisors have control over the racetrack and yet are ignoring concerns from constituents like him who live in unincorporated parts of the county.
In spite of the lawsuit, Weaver stressed Laguna Seca does bring good to the community.
“The racetrack fills rooms and restaurants,” Weaver said. “This is not a bad thing, but the amount of it is the concern. If you say anything derogatory about Laguna Seca, you’re considered a car hater.”
Weaver said he does not want the racetrack to shut down. Rather, he wants a yearlong sound study to find ways to mitigate noise at the racetrack. “It hasn’t had any real environmental review in a long time.”
With discovery still ongoing, the case is in an early phase. Weaver and other plaintiffs are hoping for a trial this summer.
Mary Adams, the county supervisor who represents the region that includes Laguna Seca, declined to comment on the case. In a statement, Monterey County spokesperson Nicholas Pasculli said officials were “confident in our position and look forward to a speedy resolution of the lawsuit.” The lawsuit would not impact 2024 activities at the track, he said.
“The best way for supporters and friends of Laguna Seca to show solidarity is to participate actively in the events lined up for this year,” Pasculli stated. “Attendance not only reaffirms support for Laguna Seca but also helps us demonstrate the profound impact this iconic venue has on our local economy.”
As the county battles in court with frustrated residents, others are coming to Laguna Seca’s defense. In a Change.org petition from February, supporters have called on officials to “keep Laguna Seca Raceway open.”
Its organizer, Levi Zeidlhack, did not respond to a request for comment by press time. In the petition, he argues the track hosts many local events, prevents street racing and has been in the area longer than many of the homes of those now suing.
“Laguna Seca is a historical location and will always be,” Zeidlhack wrote. “For people to want to take down Laguna Seca is almost like people wanting to take down the Colosseum because it’s so dirty.”
Like Zeidlhack, Weaver is quick to stress that he too appreciates Laguna Seca. But as its popularity continues to grow, the track’s storied history is no excuse to avoid a noise study, he said.
“It’s not that we dislike the racetrack at all,” Weaver said in his interview. “I have sports cars, I visit there. It’s the intensity of use that’s my issue.”
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