RUTLAND, Vt. (AP) – City officials say they have no authority to stop a proposal to bring stock-car racing to the Rutland fairgrounds.

“The city attorney has advised us that we have no jurisdiction at this point,” Alderman William Gillam said during a hearing on the plan Tuesday. “We still want to have the hearing though, so that those for and against the proposal could have a place to be heard.”

Dozens of people said they were against the plan to begin racing cars on the fairground’s dirt track every Saturday afternoon and evening from May to Oct. 25.

“It’s going to affect the whole real estate market down the road,” said Richard Bellany, who lives near the fairgrounds. “If I want to sell my house, I won’t be able to because there will be a racetrack in my back yard.”

Residents said they are concerned about noise, dust, air pollution and traffic from the racing.

“During the fair the noise is almost intolerable, I couldn’t fathom it every week for 26 weeks,” said Don Tadio. “Stock-car racing at the fair is a ludicrous idea.”

Richard Rivers, president of the Rutland County Agricultural Society and the Vermont State Fair manager, said his organization wanted to host racing so the fair could afford its agricultural programs, which cost as much as $100,000 annually in premiums alone.

“We need to find other ways to support our programs,” he said.

Fair officials have said they would like to start racing as soon as May of next year and they haven’t balked at the estimated $250,000 to $300,000 that it would take to add concrete walls, fencing and other safety features needed to host stock cars.

Patricia Noble said she endured the inconveniences of life next to the fairgrounds and she said residents living on the street now shouldn’t complain.

“If it’s going to bring people into the city and it would give young people something to do, then I think it’s all right,” she said. “I think that five to six hours a day, one day a week – I think people can live with that.”

Information from: Rutland Herald, http://www.rutlandherald.com/