The July 26 Wallkill Town Board meeting evolved into an, at times spirited, debate on how the Orange County Fairgrounds can continue to operate and be enjoyed by the public, while still ensuring adequate resources are provided for the safety of both event attendees and Wallkill residents. At the meeting, the board entertained public comment on two proposed amendments to local law that would require the Orange County Fairgrounds to submit permit requests for events with more than 5000 attendees and eliminate the long-standing noise exemption for events that continue after 11:59 p.m.

Wallkill Town Supervisor George Serrano claimed that the Fairgrounds has failed to communicate with the town, making it difficult for the town to prepare for them.

“The town is not against public assembly and the use of the Fairgrounds. The town wants the Fairgrounds to be successful. The town sees the fairground as part of our family, therefore we expect communication and respect from them,” said Serrano, noting that Wallkill is considering event permits to plan for public safety.

During the public hearing, several commentors addressed the increasing financial difficulty of operating events at the Fairgrounds and expressed concern that the proposed permitting and noise requirements would hinder its ability to operate successfully.

Christopher Gurda, an attorney whose family owns and operates the Fairgrounds, commented that the noise restriction would be an issue for events that end at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., as it would be impossible to have machinery taking down equipment. He also commented that sometimes races may be in the middle of a lap after 11 p.m. The attorney also commented that the Fairgrounds’ events are routinely attended by more than 5000 people, saying it would be onerous to get a permit for every event.

Gurda called for better communication, admitting to his own issues in this area, instead of more government oversight.

“We don’t need more bureaucracy; we don’t need more government; we don’t need more red tape; we need to be able to operate the facility,” said Gurda. “All that being said, we’ve always had a good relationship with the town and we want to continue that relationship. Let’s work collaboratively.”

Speakers supporting the Fairgrounds included current and former racers, business owners who work with them and those who enjoy attending concerts and other events there. Among them was RJ Smith, a realtor who shared that he has been attending events there since his first visit as a five-year-old in 1958. Smith voiced concern that removing the noise exemption and requiring permits for events would deter would-be investors from coming in and providing much-needed financial investment.

Many supporters of the Fairgrounds shared their worry that the town was looking to shut them down. While the council members repeatedly stated their stance that they support the Fairgrounds and want them to remain operational, some speakers said they were worried that establishing new regulations for them could lead to future boards restricting or even removing the Fairgrounds altogether.

Several speakers suggested better communication was all that was needed to ensure events were run safely. Some wondered why the board wasn’t aware of events when most are prominently advertised. Others disagreed that the board should be spending their time researching what events are planned and that is up to the business owners to keep the town informed.

In addition to alerting the town about upcoming events, some residents called for better communication with those who reside near the Fairgrounds.

Michael Cody, a Middletown resident, shared that a recent truck event impeded access to his home and that he was worried emergency services might not be able to get through if roads were blocked in the future. “You got to get more traffic control. You got to get more cops, or whatever they got to do for the people who live in the area,” he said.

Councilman Mark Coyne acknowledged Cody’s concerns and said the permit process is designed to ensure the safety of attendees and residents.

“What if there was an emergency down one of those side streets? Every minute matters; every second matters to somebody who’s having a heart attack, having a stroke, but you can’t get there,” said Coyne regarding impediment of emergency vehicles. “We talk about the owners’ rights of the Fairgrounds, what about the right for that guy or gal to live?”

Barbara Gonzalez, Assistant Property Manager at the Wallkill Living Center, which is located near the Fairgrounds, shared that the residents enjoy the races and fireworks, but take issue with noise coming from the area, often as early as 7 a.m. and going well into the night. Gonzalez also commented on event attendees being disruptive to her community and dumping garbage on the property.

“I just want it tone down a little just so we can have a good quality of life. We don’t want them to go away; we enjoy it. People who were born and raised here in Orange County and people who moved up from the city; everyone enjoys it. We just feel that it should be a little more controlled,” said Gonzalez.

Former Wallkill Town Supervisor Daniel Depew came out in support of the board, noting that when he was a young, town councilman, the town discussed dust control regulation because the Fairgrounds stopped caring for the racetrack. He said that the Fairgrounds, at the time, made the argument that the town was against them and recalled that many drivers, including his uncle, had to stop races because of the dust impeding their visibility. Depew called for better communication between the Fairgrounds and the town so that residents, hospitals and others can be better prepared for when events happen.

The discussion of the Fairgrounds included many mentions of its owners’ alleged interest in selling the property to a warehouse developer. The Wallkill Town board claimed that the Fairgrounds was looking for the town to change the zoning law to allow for warehouses in the area. The board insisted that was not going to happen.

Michael Gurda, a principal majority owner of The Fairgrounds, addressed this issue via Zoom and acknowledged that he would consider selling the property to a warehouse developer if he didn’t feel supported enough by the town to continue functioning as an events space.

“I absolutely want to sell to warehousing when I have my own personal my own private government or own local government that’s against me trying to implement laws to impede my business. Why would I want to stay in the Town of Wallkill when you clearly don’t want us there?”

Gurda mentioned his family’s long history with The Fairgrounds and his desire to continue operating and like others who spoke before him insisted that the issue could be resolved with better communication and not more legislation.

Councilman Valentin objected to Gurda’s claim that he was considering a warehouse deal because of the proposed legislation. He said that the possible warehouse deal has been going on for two years, long before the noise exemption and permit discussion was an issue.

The board determined that it was best to close the public hearing for the proposed changes to town code involving the Orange County Fairgrounds; however, it agreed to accept written comments for up to 10 days after the close of the hearing. The town further agreed to table any decision regarding the proposed amendments to local law.