Bedford County drag strip zoning ruling appealed

By Justin Faulconer
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: February 22, 2008

A Forest man is not giving up his fight against a nearby dragstrip.

Al Stroobants, who owns hundreds of acres along New London Road, is appealing a Jan. 22 decision by the Bedford County Board of Zoning Appeals that declared the New London Dragstrip a legal use.

Stroobants filed an appeal in Bedford County Circuit Court on Wednesday, a few days shy of the 30-day limit to do so. He wants to reverse a recent ruling by George Nester, the county’s director of community development, that states the race track is a land use that was “grandfathered” in when the county adopted zoning in 1989.

The strip, located on New London Road close to U.S. 460 and Virginia 24, has operated for 50 years, but its number of yearly races has fluctuated. Stroobants said racing has increased since owner Kevin Murray took over operations a few years ago, with plans to increase the number of races from 15 a year to 20.

The neighbors said the noise the strip generates is a headache, particularly on Sundays when the races are most popular. Some have to go elsewhere, they said, and it disrupts their weekends.

Stroobants’ lawyers said the strip exceeded its zoning rights by expanding its number of races per year, which they said is cause to lift any “grandfathered” status.
Nester says the strip and an airport have been on the same property for nearly 50 years and mere increases in activities are not breaking laws.

Stroobants has not formally protested the airport, which some zoning board members said did not make sense since both generate noise. Another residents’ complaint is that the strip has caused more traffic and littering along New London Road.

Hundreds of people flooded the board’s meeting in January, most to support the strip. Advocates said it’s a safe, fun entertainment venue for racing enthusiasts, and noise is actually less than it has been in past decades due to mufflers.

Some mothers spoke in favor, saying it is good for their families, and others said it is the only place in Central Virginia to go. Some also said they usually sit within a hundred yards of the tracks and they can carry on conversations.

A circuit court judge will now hear Stroobants’ case. Carl Boggess, attorney for Bedford County, will defend the county’s position. Dates have not yet been set to move the case forward.