Zoning issues in Washington Township have delayed the proposed sale of Grandview Speedway. Copart, Inc. is appealing a recent denial of its second zoning application on the 35.05-acre parcel.

            Though the reconsideration could push completion of the transaction to next year, the prospect of another season of racing remains uncertain. As of earlier this week, no official decision regarding 2023has been made, said Jeffrey Ahlum, a Grandview Speedway media spokesperson.

            A deadline to make a decision is approaching quickly, according to an email message received Tuesday afternoon from Ahlum. He wrote that once track officials make that decision, they will make an announcement "one way or another."

            "Planning for a new season usually begins anytime from now till the end of the calendar year," Ahlum wrote.

            Township Manager Rich Sichler said the township's code enforcement officer rejected Copart's most recent zoning application on Sept. 28. He said the decision focused on application language.

            The manager claims the applicant has requested to store vehicles, heavy equipment and trailers on the property. Sichler said the latter two items are not currently permitted based on legal language.

            Copart filed an appeal the same day. Sichler noted the zoning hearing board has 45 days to schedule a hearing, and that a date has not been selected.

            Due to scheduling issues and legal requirement to advertise to and alert neighbors, these types of meetings rarely occur before 60 to 90 days after the appeal is filed, the manager said.

            In late August, track owner Theresa Rogers, 80, announced that she had accepted a proposal of sale from Copart, Inc. – a global provider of online vehicle auction and remarketing services to automotive resellers, with a facility at 2704 Geryville Pike in Upper Hanover – for the 60-year-old track, located at 43 Passmore Road. Terms of the agreement were not released.

            Berks County property records list the property's total assessed value at $761,900. Municipal officials estimated approximately $35,000 in revenue from the track during the current year, according to Sichler.

            Rogers never listed the track for sale. An email sent from Copart to Speedway officials looking for property to purchase sparked a conversation about the one-third-of-a-mile, high-banked track. The transaction won't proceed unless the company gains certain approvals from Washington Township officials, according to a news release from Ahlum.

            The track owner informed employees of her decision during a face-to-face meeting prior to the start of racing on Aug. 27.