The Accord Speedway won approval from the planning board to add a dozen non-racing commercial events, overcoming the objections of local residents after dropping concerts – the primary noise concern.

The vote came at Monday evening’s meeting after the board closed a third and final public hearing on the proposal, which drew protests from neighbors of the 299 Whitfield Road racetrack. They said at public hearings that adding events such as rodeos, car shows and concerts would increase noise and traffic.

Speedway owner Gary Palmer previously stated that he was “turned off” from doing concerts due to complaints from the community. “I’m sorry I ever asked you,” he told the planning board last month.

The board had asked the Speedway to create a site plan to detail how and where the added events would take place on the property. Monday’s updated application showed the majority of events, such as flea markets, movies and car shows, as taking place in the parking lot, and others, such as rodeos or biking events, on the racetrack.

Instead of concerts, Palmer said stage events might include comedy shows or theatrical productions. Each event would allow up to 499 vehicles in the parking lot.

“I think we’re on the right track,” said board alternate Halina Duda after reading the revised site plan. “We’re only talking about 12 events a year.”

Palmer said that the speedway rarely hosts the 40 racetrack events it is allowed to schedule. “We’re lucky if we do 20,” he said.

With the exception of councilmember Zorian Pinsky, who appeared to side with residents’ worries about additional noise and traffic, the board said it was in favor of the proposal. Pinsky abstained from making a negative State Environmental Quality Review declaration and voted no on approving the project.

Palmer’s proposal to add events came before the board in December and seemed on its way to a speedy approval after getting support from the code enforcement office and a noise study waiver. However, after hearing from protestors the board agreed to leave the public hearing open. Supporters of the Speedway said neighbors should have known about the noise it generates before buying homes nearby.

A proposed community revitalization project at the Accord Granary also came before the planning board on Monday. The application underwent a lengthy zoning review process and received a negative SEQR declaration from the town board in October and is now before the planning board for site plan approval.

The board will review the site plan and send the application to the fire department, highway department, and Ulster County planning board for approval before a public hearing scheduled for April 8 at 6:30pm.