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Resident urges Oconee County to stop reopening of Westminster Speedway; council schedules legal review
Summary
A resident told the council that reopening the Westminster Speedway would harm neighbors with noise, pollution and falling property values; a council member said staff are researching prior rezoning and scheduled legal advice for July 7.
At the June 29 special meeting, Miss Aldra Baldwin told the Oconee County Council that neighbors near Coffee Road fear the former Westminster Speedway will reopen and that the change would "severely diminish" nearby residents' quality of life.
"The noise is unbelievable. And you can't get away from it," Baldwin said, citing noise, pollution, gas fumes and dust and warning that those impacts would reduce property values.
After the public comment, a council member said staff are digging into the property's history — including rezoning actions dating back to at least 2012 — and that county planning staff will return with legal advice. The council member said the item will be placed on the July 7 agenda for legal review to determine the county's options and next steps for both the property owner and affected neighbors.
Why it matters: Residents said the racetrack would be a community nuisance and public-health concern; the council has not yet made a legal or policy determination and said it needs staff and legal analysis before taking formal action.
The county recorded no additional public speakers on the matter during the meeting. The council's plan to seek legal advice opens a formal path to review rezoning history and any regulatory or enforcement options available to the county.
