Title
Humboldt County Fair Association: Modification to Conditional Use Permit
Case Number PLN-2022-17561 (filed 12/29/2021)
Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) 030-071-001, 030-011-003, 030-021-003, 030-112-017, 030-112-020, 030-081-006, and 100-181-003
Ferndale area
Humboldt County Fair Association (HCFA) is seeking to modify a Conditional Use Permit which authorizes five (5) concerts and two (2) motorcycle racing events to be held each year at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds. The approved permit places limitations on event-related noise levels, including a 63-decibel limit on composite noise measured by averaging noise readings collected during a 24-hour period surrounding each event, as well as a 90-decibel instantaneous noise limit applied to all motorcycles participating in racing events. In their modification request, HCFA is seeking authorization to raise the 90-decibel motorcycle noise limit to 99 decibels to be consistent with common national testing standards for competition established by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). Analysis of the proposal's effect on composite noise levels has been performed by Whitchurch Engineering and has determined that composite noise will remain at or below the 63-decibel limit, even with the requested increase. To help reduce event-related noise, HCFA is now proposing: 1. creation of two (2) sound barriers during racing events, fashioned by temporarily placing tractor trailers or strawbales (or some combination thereof) adjacent to motorcycle acceleration zones; and 2. acoustic treatment of the internal wall of the grandstands using special materials designed to decrease reverberation. Under the approved permit, each "event" occurs within the course of a single day, and concerts cannot last longer than 2 consecutive days. An additional day of racing can be allowed if all the racing on that day is by electrical motorcycles, but in no case can the total amount of motorcycle racing exceed 4 days per year. Other t...
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