Dawsonville City Council held the first of a possible two work sessions to discuss a proposed motorsports park Monday night.

Mayor Joe Lane Cox said he needs to know within the next few days if another work session is needed to understand all the information the city council has received about the park.

The proposal, which is scheduled for a vote April 13, calls for a driving track for high-end, custom, show cars. No racing would be allowed. The plans also include restaurants, retail and lodging.

Cumming developer Jeremy Porter, has requested that more than 150 acres on Duck Thurmond Road be rezoned from agricultural to industrial to allow for the park, could not attend Monday’s meeting due to a family illness.

Porter’s attorney, Wendy Butler, was there on his behalf to field council’s questions, which included concern over hours of operation, the number of spectators and guests allowed and enforcing conditional stipulations.

“If this is approved, I think 7 a.m. is too early (to run cars on the track),” said Councilman Jonathan Cox.

In February, the council tabled Porter’s rezoning request in order to review a noise impact study Porter submitted hours before the meeting.

A review of the study by Edwards-Pitman Environmental Inc., undertaken at the city’s request, concluded the field techniques and data collection in the report submitted by Porter “appear to be at a satisfactory level for use in comparison for projected sound levels.”

The report also found: “Mitigation recommendations and practices suggested to lessen noise impacts ... were clear, concise and specific to achieving particular results” and “would result in unacceptable impacts to only one residential property” within the one-mile study.

Dawsonville Planning Director Steve Holder, who has recommended approval, presented the council with 22 revised stipulations, which include that construction begin within 12 months and be finished within 36 months of council approval.

Additional stipulations include regulated hours of operation, strict guidelines on the number of people that can be at the facility at one time, no lighting or PA system on the track, and citations for failure to comply to conditions.

“If this is voted in, I want (the stipulations) to be met or exceeded,” Jonathan Cox said.

Monday night’s work session was open to the public, but the council did not take comments on the discussions.

Mayor Cox said notice of a second work session, if council decides to hold one, would be posted later.

E-mail Michele Hester at michele@dawsonnews.com.