DEL MAR — Fourteen speakers, most of them from Del Mar, voiced their views during an hour-long meeting April 16 about the master plan proposed by the 22nd District Agricultural Association for the 340-acre fairgrounds.

Primary objections from residents during the session were noise, traffic and possible harm to the San Dieguito Lagoon, which runs along the west side of the fairgrounds.

Del Mar native Tensia Trejo urged board members to reconsider putting a proposed train platform back on the list of short-term objectives, saying that it would reduce traffic, noise and pollution. She noted that during the racing season’s early days, a train from Los Angeles would bring hundreds of fans to the track. Her opinions were echoed by other speakers.

Del Mar Mayor David Druker pointed out that the city provides services including law enforcement, traffic control and road maintenance. Costs for these remain constant even though sales tax revenue generated at the fairgrounds has decreased, he said. It was reported previously that approximately 33 percent of the city’s sales tax income comes from fairgrounds events.

The master plan was last updated in 1985 when interim use of the fairgrounds was minimal compared to current activities, which number more than 300 events annually that attract 3 million visitors — not the least being the annual San Diego County Fair with an attendance of 1.27 million visitors and summer Thoroughbred racing that attracts approximately 720,000 fans.

A dozen near-term objectives were outlined by Barry Nussbaum, chairman of the district’s Master Plan Committee since its inception in November 1999. These include realignment of the Solana Gate road, paving of the east parking lot, improvements to the existing RV court, relocating the fire station, replacing Pat O’Brien and Bing Crosby exhibit halls with at least one larger green exhibit building, expansion of the present turf course, construction of an underground parking facility, a rooftop sports complex, development of a 330-room hotel/condominium with a convention center, construction of an administration building and ticket box office facing the main entrance, and an electronic reader board along I-5.

Nussbaum said all comments expressed at the meeting will be considered and addressed in the draft Environmental Impact Report that should be ready by October. A public hearing will be held when it is released, Nussbaum said.

The permitting process will involve no less than a dozen agencies, such as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Coastal Commission, State Lands Commission, Water Resources Control Board, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Department of Fish and Game, and local agencies including the cities of Del Mar, Solana Beach and San Diego.

Approximately 50 people attended the meeting held in the Mission Tower building on the fairgrounds.