A friend is planning to purchase 154 acres of land here in Monroe County to open a motocross school. Please read the article below that is from the local newspaper on what he's facing and then click the link below to leave a comment showing your support. Thank you.
From the Monroe County Reporter
BY WILL DAVIS
Monroe County's zoning board waved a caution flag on Monday night over
plans to put a private motocross school at an abandoned ATV track in
Culloden.
The zoning board recommended on Monday that county commissioners reject a
conditional use permit for Matt Walker of McDonough to operate a motocross
school on a 154-acre tract of land he wants to buy. Located at the corner
of Hwys. 341 and 74, the property was the former home to the Rocky Creek
ATV track, and is now bank-owned.
Walker, 30, has been one of the top motocross racers in the U.S. After a
career as a factory racer for Kawasaki, he said he now wants to help other
young kids who want to be professional racers. He retired after suffering
an injury at age 24, and says he wants to build a home where he can raise
his family, including a 3-year-old boy, and teach other kids how to
motocross. Walker is recognized as one of the best motocross trainers in
the country, as his riders have won hundreds of races.
Walker's been racing since he was 4 and was recognized by RacerX magazine
as the 19th-most influential motocrosser in the sport’s history. His
longevity made him the youngest person ever to secure life membership in
the American Motocross Association, the governing body of the sport.
But some of his would-be neighbors in Culloden were not impressed. About
12 area landowners attended Monday night's meeting to express their
opposition, according to county administrator Anita Buice. Among those on
hand were members of the Pierson family that used to own the 154 acres
before it was foreclosed, according to sources at the meeting. Walker said
the majority of those who spoke against his plan didn't even live next to
the property -- one visits one Saturday per month, others live two miles
away and one only owns land, no home, in the area, said Walker
The recommendation now goes to Monroe County commissioners who are
scheduled to rule at their Nov. 1 meeting.
Walker said he's been looking for five years for a place to raise his
family and have a motocross school. He said he's found the perfect spot in
southwest Monroe County.
"I love Culloden," said Walker. "The neighbors are nice. It's perfect."
Walker said he won't be building an oval track or hosting public events
there, but merely creating trails for training motocross students. "It's
nothing gnarly," said Walker. He said he and his wife, who teaches school,
wanted to find a place close enough to Atlanta to enjoy, but far enough in
the country to be safe and quiet. He said he spent many weekends as a boy
at the High Falls Motocross competing, but said his operation will be much
more subdued than it.
He said people might've thought the High Falls motocross was kind of
redneck, but he looks forward to showing people what they do and how they
do it.
Rocky Creek ATV had been able to host four-wheeler races on the property
because it was grandfathered in when the county passed its zoning
ordinance. However, since the property has been out of use for some time
and was foreclosed upon, it lost its special use permit to operate that
way.
Please go to the link below to show your support and thank you.
Click Here
http://www.mymcr.net/articles/2011/10/26/news/doc4ea7575f6f344257096930.txt
