Council Says No To More Restrictions

The Speedway Town Council agreed to adhere to the Marion County Sign Ordinance for regulating temporary signs. Town Council President Bill Golay could not persuade the other council members to adopt a stricter temporary sign ordinance. The current ordinance only allows a temporary sign to be up 30 days for the entire year concerning city-recognized events. ]

Some residents oppose the ordinance because they cannot place race-parking signs prior to 15 days before the event or face the possibility of a citation.

Golay insisted the parking signs are not a permitted use because the race is the event recognized by the city, and not parking. He wants Speedway to be more than a huge parking lot during IMS racing events. Golay said the race parking and the overnight crowds takes away from the community and schools. He wants to showcase Speedway as a community, not as a parking lot for race fans. He would like to see the overnight camping eliminated.

Golay referred to the massive parking as a parking lot carnival with out of control crowds that make it bad for residents on 25th and 26th Street.

"This is has been going on for millions of years. I don't see why it is a problem now. I don't think the parking signs takes away from the school systems or anything," Town Councilor Lu Hillmer said.
Councilman Jeff Hartman did not have a problem if the parking signs were no larger than a realty sign. "Parking is part of the reality of Speedway," he said.

Councilman Gary Raikes did not disagree that maybe the town could work on its improved image over time, but it that it is not realistic from going from one swooping change to another within a short time.
The council also agreed to draft an ordinance about prohibiting people from parking the their yards year around. Hillmer tried to gather a consensus from the council in 2006 to draft such an ordinance, but the issue died. This time Councilman Dean Farmer requested the issue be addressed.