The Sauble Speedway needs to clear one final zoning hurdle before it can host the "Sauble Beach Party" on Labour Day weekend.
The Hepworth-based racetrack has been operating for over 55 years on lands that are designated as "agricultural areas." Planners for the Town of South Bruce Peninsula noted while the racetrack has a legal non-conforming status, the proposed new uses for the area mean an amendment to the zoning by-law is needed.
The Town held a public meeting during Tuesday's council to discuss adding more uses at the track including tradeshows, outdoor markets, battery-operated go-karts, a drive-in theatre, and an annual music festival with camping, the "Sauble Beach Party".
Organizer Hayden Hellyer already approached the Speedway about relocating the festival, which has taken place on the beach in Sauble Beach each of the last four years.
Deputy Mayor Caleb Hull said it was a difficult discussion to manage because they were already booking campsites for the event.
"There will always be concerns about more, bigger, better," he said to Hellyer. "And we want to see you be successful, but it is difficult to discern how to move this forward when campsites are already being sold... but we want you to be successful, we want this site to be successful so we will do our best to manage how we can make the applicant able to host you."
Hellyer told staff at max a third of attendees would use the camping spaces, with a shuttle service also being offered throughout the weekend.
Some members of the public also spoke against the proposed re-zoning, but most concerns were around noise and intoxication that went alongside the festival. Deputy Mayor Hull had to remind several speakers that they were discussing the property amendments and not a specific event.
Council raised no issues with most of the proposed new uses at the site, though Councillor Kathy Durst did suggest that they re-examine the Town's noise by-law down the line.
"I'm satisfied that Mr. Hellyer has gone above in terms of taking the residents concerns and issues with the camping into consideration," she said. "I feel that if we don't allow this to happen within the by-law as its written, we will never know if it will work. I think sometimes, you just have to trust the people that are organizing it and trust the systems you have in place."
A by-law for the proposed property amendments will come back to council at a future meeting.