[Amended 7-11-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-12]
In accordance with MGL c. 128A the Town Manager of the Town
of Palmer shall not approve a site for a track to be used for any
form of racing in connection with pari-mutuel betting unless the following
provisions are met in all regards:
A. The area for a site must not be within two miles of a church, cemetery
or burial ground, school playground, public park or recreational area
or fire station.
B. The area for a site must contain sufficient property so that it will
provide for a five-hundred-foot buffer zone between the area of the
racetrack, including any barn, kennel, concession stand, parking area
or any other building utilized for the racetrack, and any abutting
property line, including a public way.
C. The petitioner shall provide an engineering plan, complete in detail
as to elevation, drainage, sewerage, water and building layout. This
must be first filed with the office of the Building Inspector with
a complete building plan by a certified architect as is necessary
for the issuance of a building permit.
D. A noise study shall be provided by the petitioner with a certification
by a qualified noise engineer that there will be no appreciable increase
of noise which will affect abutting and other property owners.
E. A traffic study shall be provided by the petitioner with a certification
by a qualified traffic engineer that the public highways as they presently
exist in the Town of Palmer will be sufficient for traffic attracted
to a track at the site which is the subject matter of the petition,
and further, a certification that said traffic will not materially
interfere with the provision of adequate fire, police, ambulance,
snowplow and other necessary services.
F. The Planning Board shall, prior to the approval of any site, render
detailed written factual findings that said site approval shall not
adversely affect the residential, rural and the agricultural nature
of the Town of Palmer, including the natural, scenic, historic and
aesthetic qualities of the present environment, the existing conditions
with respect to clean air, water and noise, traffic, sewage disposal
and other factors affecting the environment of the Town of Palmer.
G. The engineering plan and architectural plan shall be approved by
the Building Inspector, Conservation Commission, Historical Committee
and Planning Board.