Car show still a no-go in Dundee Twp.

Signatures from local village board members and area business owners, and the attendance of more than a dozen supporters, proved ineffective in swaying Dundee Township trustees to allow a car show at the former Meadowdale International Raceway in Carpentersville.

Without discussion or a vote, the township board again denied the Meadowdale International Raceways Preservations Association's proposal to hold an event at the track, now designated open space and known as Raceway Woods.

The group had planned to host a car show in September, similar to last fall's 50th anniversary for the track. The association, however, was not responsible for that event.

But the township has repeatedly denied access to the racetrack - which is under the Kane County Forest Preserve District's jurisdiction - via a 200 foot stretch of gravel and woodchipped road that is owned by the township.

Dundee Township Supervisor Sue Harney said agreements with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Besinger family, which sold part of the land to the township in 2001, prohibit the use of motorized vehicles for recreational purposes on the site.

"Persistent and willful disregard of the easement would result in the return of $1.7 million," said Harney, referring to the amount of money the township received from the state to toward the $18 million purchase price of the land.

Harney has said the 50th anniversary celebration was understood to be a one-time event and added attendance grew beyond the township's expectations.

Some two dozen businesses and the entire Caprpentersville village board, as well as trustees on the East and West Dundee boards, were on the petition presented to the board by Wayne Bastiaans of the preservation association.

But opponents said the proposed event is incongruous with the township's intended use for the property.

"I like to see the racetrack honored with signs ... and people are able to walk to the track," said Carpentersville resident, Dave Poweleit, one of about half a dozen residents at the meeting who were against the car show. "But I think holding a big event like this is inappropriate. It taxes the land too much for what it was originally intended for."

But event supporters argued that the event would not disrupt the open space or violate the easement.

"I can't understand the objection," said East Dundee Trustee Jeff Lynam. "It is a betrayal to the voters and a stretch that this event would violate (the easement). To not allow people to use public land that was paid for by public money for a public event - this is tyrannical."

Len Besinger, whose grandfather and uncle built the racetrack in the 1950s, said the family sold the property to preserve the heritage of the racetrack, instead of allowing developers to build on the land.

"It would be very nice to have an event once a year to glorify the raceway and remember the history that was Meadowdale Raceway," said Besinger, a Streamwood resident who owns property in the township.

Show: Supervisor says agreement prohibits use of motorized vehicles on the site