A Maryland father infuriated neighbors by building a half-mile go-kart track on 11 acres for his motorsports-loving son.
Charles Cipelko, CEO of KCS Roofing in Columbia, Maryland, began building a practice track for his 11-year-old son on his property in the Highland community of Howard County in August, but quickly became dissatisfied. met with disapproval and backlash from members of the community. .
“My 10-year-old son eats, breathes, and sleeps motorsports. His passion has the seeds of a future pro car racing career, but it won’t be an easy journey,” Cipelko said on August 28. stated in a Change.org petition.
Charles Siperko and Sarah Troxell built a half-mile go-kart track for their son on 11 acres in Howard County, Maryland. Change.org
The thrill-seeking preteen, now 11 years old, has been attending track every weekend for more than a year and a half, but has to travel to Florida to practice and spend time with friends, family, birthday parties and other social gatherings. I’ve missed it. The petition states what happened.
“He was dedicated to being a professional racer,” Sipelko added.
Sipelko claimed she invested more than $100,000 to build a practice track at her home so her son could pursue his racing dreams during Maryland’s warmer months.
The asphalt track features long straight lines bordering the driveway shared by the two properties, as well as S-curves, tight corners, and a full 360-degree circle. The photo was taken by Sipelko and his wife, Sarah Troxell.
Sipelko and his family faced several legal hurdles and had construction halted by the county when the course was being built.
Problems arose when it was discovered that proper permits were not obtained through the county and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Sipelko and his 11-year-old son are preparing to go for a thrill-seeking go-kart ride for preteens. Change.org
Neighbors also complained that the tracks could be exposed to public view, raising issues such as wetland destruction, noise, impact on property values and traffic problems on nearby roads.
The property is located 37 miles north of Washington, D.C., on a private road 300 feet from a highway blocked by trees and brush, according to satellite images.
Sipelko claims he didn’t know he had to get a permit to build a course on his property, saying he was “naively or stupidly” unaware and that if the paving doesn’t work, the permit won’t work. He claimed he believed the asphalt company, which said it wasn’t necessary. Install it on public roads.
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According to a report in the Baltimore Fishbowl, the family retroactively filed a conditional use application asking the county to classify the track as an “athletic facility,” with the help of land attorney Sun Oh. It is said that
To combat noise complaints, Mr. Ciperko said he would only use electric motors and operate the go-karts only at “certain reasonable hours.”
“We have 11 acres, so I don’t think noise will be an issue anyway,” he said.
Sipelko and Troxell asked the public for help in preserving their son’s passion for the sport. Change.org
Some neighbors said they were worried not about the engine noise, but the impact the tires would have on their surroundings, as microplastics could be leached into wetlands, the paper said.
“When we moved into this house, a previous environmental review had reported that there were no wetlands on the field, and we had to contact MDE personnel for another complaint. “We sent them and it was confirmed,” the family testified.
Supporters seeking the line’s removal attended a pre-submission community meeting on Oct. 24 to discuss the impact the private line would have on the community.
Sipelko and Troxell asked the public for help in preserving their son’s passion for the sport.
“We need your support to help confirm the legitimacy of this line and confront the current conflict with some local residents. It is a proof of love,” the petition added.
“Even if we solve the setback issue and the wetland issue and it makes less noise than a bunch of kids playing in the pool, they don’t want to see it or just because they don’t want it inside them. , I want to strip the whole truck off!”
