Press Release | March 22, 2024
County of Monterey and Friends of Laguna Seca Celebrate Positive Settlement for Laguna Seca Recreation Area
- Favorable agreement allows Friends of Laguna Seca (FLS) to continue its 2024 season and operations as planned.
- FLS will begin crucial assessments, including a previously planned sound impact assessment, to make necessary improvements.
- Agreement establishes Friends of Laguna Seca’s stewardship of the facility for 50 years.
This is a press release from The County of Monterey Department of Public Works, Facilities, and Parks and Friends of Laguna Seca (FLS)…
Monterey, CA (March 22, 2024) – The County of Monterey Department of Public Works, Facilities, and Parks and Friends of Laguna Seca (FLS) are pleased to announce the execution of a comprehensive settlement that ends the Laguna Seca Raceway lawsuit, Highway 68 Coalition vs. County of Monterey.
“We view this as a very favorable resolution for the County and its long-term partner at Laguna Seca, the nonprofit organization Friends of Laguna Seca,” stated Nick Pasculli, County Communications Director. “The future of the track and the amazing recreation area, which is a premier County Park, is bright. Laguna Seca is loved by local, national, and global car enthusiasts and also by the tens of thousands of people who enjoy the beauty of the recreation area.”
The settlement clarifies the long-term plans of FLS to conduct a previously planned sound impact assessment at the racetrack and carry out appropriate sound mitigation measures, all as part of being a good neighbor to the surrounding community.’
“FLS is pleased that the litigation was dealt with quickly and we’re looking forward to our next steps toward Laguna Seca’s long-term success for the benefit of the community of Monterey County and the entire racing world,” said Friends of Laguna Seca President Ross Merrill. “We know these improvements will take time, but we are committed to ensuring the success of Laguna Seca for decades to come.”
The County and Friends of Laguna Seca want to especially thank the loyal fans of the racetrack and the public who voiced their overwhelming support for the County in this lawsuit.
“I grew up watching races at Laguna Seca and have raced there since the late 1970s,” said Bruce Canepa, Vice President, Friends of Laguna Seca. “I have a lifetime passion for this facility and want to see it be preserved for future generations. With Friends of Laguna Seca, we’ve built a team of individuals who share the same passion, paired with business acumen, to make Laguna Seca the place we’ve always hoped it could be.”
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has a rich history of hosting world-class racing events, and non-profit initiatives benefiting the community and driving prosperity for the region.
The following is a post from January 23, 2024:
The historic Laguna Seca racetrack is being sued by the “Highway 68 Coalition,” a group of an unincorporated association of property owners living and owning property in the Highway 68 corridor of Monterey County, and they want the facility shut down. The Coalition claims the Raceway is “a public nuisance and has caused and will continue to cause irreparable injury not subject to money damages.”
Laguna Seca Raceway is being sued by a group of property owners who want the facility shut down.
According to the website The Drive, the facility already operates under strict limitations, which include abiding by noise ordinances and limited operations per year, among many other restrictions. The Coalition says motor vehicle racing events, rentals of the racetrack, and noise levels at LSRA have “intensified and expanded over the level of use and noise that existed at the time [of] legal nonconforming use was established and are therefore a violation of Respondent County’s Zoning ordinance and a public nuisance.”
The complaint was filed on December 12, 2023, with Monterey County.
According to The Drive, the second-closest development is also a suburban neighborhood, built around a country club that opened after the track’s construction.
