MINOT – The latest compliance sound level study says that Hemond’s Moto-X park meets the requirements of the town’s noise ordinance.

The Planning Board Tuesday night received copies of the study conducted on May 9, the opening day of the 2004 motor bike racing season at the Hemond’s facility on Route 119.

Scott Bodwell, sound engineer for Resource Systems Engineering of Brunswick which participated in the study, said the May 9 race was selected for sound level monitoring because the first event in 2003 had the most entries of any race during the season and the same was expected in 2004.

The early race date was also picked for monitoring so Donald and Serae Hemond could provide the Planning Board with documentation that their track met the sound levels in the town’s noise ordinance. The board had asked that this documentation be filed with it by July.

The ordinance stipulates that at the property boundary, where the adjacent land use is residential, the maximum permissible hourly equivalent sound level is 60 decibels between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Bodwell, reviewing data from the three monitoring stations, noted that sound levels at the station located on the easterly property boundary (toward Center Minot Hill Road) averaged just under 40 decibels; under 50 decibels at a station situated 650 feet from Route 119 and averaged 53 decibels at a monitoring station adjacent to Route 119.

Bodwell also noted that traffic had been detoured away from the affected section of Route 119 from 9 a.m. until noon in order to give an accurate record of race noise. However, he further pointed out noise levels at the Route 119 monitoring station at 8 a.m., prior to racing, was 58 decibels and was 62 decibels when traffic resumed after the detour ended at noon.

Bodwell estimated that if the number of bikes in each race was doubled, hourly sound level would rise by three decibels, which would still be about three decibels below ordinance hourly limit.

Planning Board Chairman John Geismar noted that the report addressed the question of whether the track met sound levels in the town’s ordinance, however he said he would like to see a supplement to the report showing whether the track meets all state sound level requirements.

Don Hemond said he believed a report would be prepared for the state Department of Environmental Protection review, and he will make sure a copy of that report is given to the Planning Board.

The board voted to table action pending receipt of supplemental materials as may be contained in the report going to the DEP.