Essex County panel delays decision on Linden House dirt‑bike track, asks for mapped plans and draft conditions

The Essex County Planning Commission on July 7 deferred action on a conditional‑use permit request for a dirt‑bike/ATV track and associated short‑term camper parking at Linden House, giving staff and the applicant time to produce clearer site maps and circulate a draft list of conditions for public review.

The CUP, filed by Angelo and Ashley Malaseca, would allow off‑road track operations and associated dry parking on a property described in application materials as roughly 204 acres in an A‑1 agricultural/preservation district off Route 17. At the hearing the applicant clarified she did not intend to create a permanent campground but wanted to allow on‑site parking for campers related to track use (short‑term stays tied to events and rentals).

Commissioners and neighbors focused on noise, water quality, emergency access and the project’s fit within the county’s agricultural/preservation and historic‑district context. Staff recommended the applicant consider the county’s special‑event permitting process for larger gatherings; staff said special‑event permits generally trigger coordinated review with the sheriff’s office, EMS and life‑safety staff and that the county’s typical outdoor threshold is about 200 attendees.

A draft conditions list proposed by a commissioner—distributed at the meeting as a starting point—covered: business licensing, limits on days of operation (no more than five days per week), an on‑site responsible monitor during operations, refined hours (opening no earlier than 30 minutes after sunrise or 8 a.m., closing no later than 8 p.m. or 30 minutes before sunset), limits on annual races (a small number of race days), no nighttime operation or track lighting, two‑wheel vehicles only (no ATVs), mufflers required and a suggested 500‑cc engine maximum, setbacks (tracks at least 600 feet from any dwelling on another lot), prohibition on permanent campground infrastructure, and requirement of a special‑event permit for events expected to exceed about 200 daily attendees.

Opposition included nearby property owners and conservation groups that noted Linden House’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places and argued the proposal did not fit the A‑1 Agricultural and Forestry Preservation district. “This is a rural historic district,” Lisa Mountcastle, president of the Essex County Conservation Alliance, told the commission. “A dirt‑bike operation of any sort is not compatible with this location.”

Supporters and some commissioners noted economic and recreational benefits countywide and suggested conditions could balance neighbors’ concerns with a new recreational use. Commissioners asked the applicant to supply a clearer, mapped layout showing where the 2–3 proposed tracks (and any trails) would be located within the 25–26‑acre proposed activity area so staff and the public could judge setbacks, visibility and noise buffers.

With the applicant’s consent, commissioners voted to table formal action until the August meeting and to circulate the draft conditions and an updated site map to the public in advance. Staff said it will follow up with the county attorney on legal questions about periodic re‑review or renewal of conditional‑use permits and will clarify the special‑event permitting thresholds and requirements.

Next steps: Staff will distribute the proposed conditions and updated site map; the commission will revisit the matter at its August meeting.