MINOT – Selectmen Tuesday night officially accepted a citizens’ petition that asks for a vote to amend the town’s ordinance so that the local ordinance’s permitted noise levels will be the same as the noise levels allowed by state law.

The petition, as presented by supporters of Hemonds Moto X Track with 224 voter registrar verified signatures calls for a vote to raise the permitted daytime noise level from 55 decibels to 60 decibels. The ordinance change would also adopt the Maine Department of Environmental Protection method for measuring noise levels.

Noise studies undertaken last summer by critics of Hemonds Moto X Track concluded that noise at the Hemond’s property lines sometimes exceeded the allowable 55 decibel limit despite efforts by the Hemonds to reduce noise made by the motor bikes. Noise levels did not, however, exceed 60 decibels.

Supporters of the moto cross motorcycle racing track undertook the petition effort after it became apparent that, one, the town’s ordinance actually set a 55 decibel limit; two, that the town’s ordinance actually applies to the track; and, three, that the town was obligated to enforce the 55 decibel limit.

Questions had been raised about whether the ordinance’s section on noise limits had been legally incorporated. However, at its January meeting, the Planning Board affirmed that changes made to the town’s land use control ordinance at the March 2000 town meeting included the noise limit scale that sets the 55 decibel level. That stand was backed up in a letter from attorney Rebecca Warren Seel, received earlier Tuesday and read at the evening meeting by selectman George “Buster” Downing.

The question of whether the town ordinance applied was also settled Tuesday night when selectmen agreed that although one of the conditions on Hemond’s permit to operate the moto cross track specifically states the track must meet state DEP noise regulations, the town’s stricter limits apply. State law states that if a town has an ordinance with stricter limits for a given matter, the stricter local limits apply.

In accepting the petition, selectmen also agreed that the question to amend the town’s ordinance will be placed on the referendum ballot to be voted on during the Friday, March 5, municipal election.

The election should draw plenty of interest as Town Clerk Nikki Verrill also confirmed Tuesday that she has received completed nomination papers from seven residents seeking two seats on the Board of Selectmen and papers from three residents seeking two seats on the School Committee. Verrill said the nomination papers had been given to Registrar of Voters Hester Gilpatric to verify that they had the required number of signatures for inclusion on the ballot.

Candidates who have submitted their papers include, for School Committee: Lisa Bridgham, Michael Callahan and Stephen Holbrook; and for selectman: Randy Bourgoin, Harold Bridgham, Dennis DeCoster, Stephen French, Susan Geismar, Ralph Gilpatrick and Deborah Milazzo-Shannon.

Road Manager Arlan Saunders told selectmen that state Department of Transportation officials will be recommending that Old Woodman Hill Road be made one way at its intersection with Minot Avenue (Route 11 and 121).

The intersection, located across from the Minot Country Store, has long been identified as a hazardous zone. The recommendations would allow traffic going west on Minot Avenue to turn into Old Woodman Hill Road but would forbid traffic heading east (coming from Mechanic Falls) from making a left hand turn onto Old Woodman Hill Road as well as forbid traffic from exiting Old Woodman Hill Road onto Minot Avenue.