ZACHARY - Residents along W.J. Wicker Road in Zachary say the sound of go-karts racing nearby has become impossible to ignore, fueling an ongoing dispute over a local track’s operation.

The noise comes from 593 Motorsports Kart Club, a go-kart track that opened less than a year ago and has since drawn both support and criticism from the community.

Longtime residents, including Larry Perkins and Diane Fletcher, say the track has disrupted the quiet, rural character of their neighborhood.

“They're coming to our backyard, and we're having to put up with the noise,” Perkins said.

Fletcher agrees, saying the track does not belong in a residential area.

“It does not fit the neighborhood, go find somewhere else to do it,” Fletcher said.

The track sits on land zoned residential, meaning the owner was required to obtain a conditional use permit from the city. The Zachary City Council approved that permit in November 2025, allowing the track to operate under specific conditions, including limiting races to three times per month and restricting hours between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

However, neighbors claim those rules are not being followed.

Fletcher alleges the track has operated beyond permitted hours and is functioning more like a business than a private club.

“He started racing, and that night he raced till 11:30,” Fletcher said. 

She says it's operating like a business, something she argues shouldn't be allowed in a residential area

Frustration over noise and alleged violations has led some residents to file a lawsuit against both the city and the track, arguing the permit should not have been approved in the first place.

“Take the opportunity to correct a mistake,” Perkins said.

Track owner Joshua O’Neal disputes those claims, saying he has followed all rules set by the city.

“We have never been in any type of violation of any law, any ordinance or anything,” O’Neal said.

He also pushed back on accusations made by neighbors.

“I don't want to call anybody a liar, but to say that someone's doing something that they're not doing is wrong,” he said. “They're assuming I'm guilty before anything, and I feel like I'm having to prove that I'm innocent.”

The Zachary City Council is expected to hold a public Tuesday to determine whether the track has violated the conditions of its permit.