Concrete Crushing Permit Approved
The Medina, Ohio, Planning Commission gave the Osborne Concrete Co. a conditional zoning permit to continue operation of its concrete-crushing operation despite complaints of noise and dust pollution from residents of two nearby housing developments, according to The Gazette.
The decision was made after an hour-long meeting behind closed doors, which was called when the five members of the commission could not agree on approving or rejecting the permit.
An hour after the start of the executive session, and four hours after the start of the meeting, the commissioners voted 3 to 2 to grant the permit over the angry protests of about 50 residents of the Yorktown and Liberty Woods housing developments.
Part of the approval included demands that the concrete company create a 22-ft. high earthen wall to shield residents from the noise of the concrete crushing machinery.
The company was also ordered to frequently wet down the machinery and the concrete piles to reduce airborne dust and restrict operations to Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The company also agreed to abide by the Ohio EPA rules regarding stormwater runoff.
Expanded Mining Operation Planned
A mining operation off State Road 37 in the Center Grove, Ind., area is looking to expand. Martin Marietta wants to expand its existing mining operations to another 185 acres of land on the west side of State Road 37, just south of Fairview Road. The company would be mining for sand and gravel, according to a filing with the Johnson County Planning Department.
The company has asked for a special exception to do the work on the property, which is zoned for agriculture, according to the Daily Journal. Martin Marietta already has a mining operation south of the property proposed for the expansion. If approved, sand and gravel would be mined from the new property and then processed at the property further south.
According to the filing:
- A 4-ft.-tall fence will be constructed around the property, and gates will be locked. Work will be done between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. During peak construction, work could go from dawn until dusk.
- Lighting will be aimed down toward the mining operations, and work will be done behind trees and a buffer.
- Workers will also have to take steps to keep dirt and dust down.
- The company is also required to take steps to protect wetlands in the area and to have wells to test ground water for any chemicals.
The proposal to allow the special exception on the property, which is owned by Rob Richards Investments, is set to go to the planning commission for approval after being reviewed by the county’s technical review committee.
Michigan Gravel Pit Denied
The Bear Creek Township, Mich., planning commission voted 6 to 0 to deny a special use permit for extracting sand and gravel off a property on Pickerel Lake Road, according to the News-Review.
During a packed public meeting the board heard the request from Elmer’s Crane and Dozer to use the property for extracting sand and gravel as well as crushing concrete. The site has single-family residential and farm/forest zoning.
The meeting lasted three hours, and heard concerns from citizens of the township regarding the safety caused by trucks, as well as noise and health concerns.
Residents also asked about how resource mining might affect any water sources, whether the land on the property is considered a wetland and if the mining could affect nearby neighbors water wells, some only reaching as far down as 60 ft. deep.
Officials from Elmer’s said they couldn’t be sure about how damp the ground would be during extraction, and that so far, only a northern corner of the property seemed wet enough to be considered a wetland.
Colorado Operation Facing Opposition
Loveland Ready-Mix’s (LRM) proposed gravel and concrete batch operation in Laporte, Colo., is being opposed by some of the residents of that town.
Larimer County Commissioners said the operation will occupy 123 acres of land owned by LRM on Larimer on County Road 54G, a half mile west of Taft Hill Road, across the street from the Plantorium nursery and adjacent to Kintzley Plaza, according to the North 40 News.
A group of 275 unhappy area residents expressed their objections to the project at a meeting while LRM co-owner Stephanie Fancher-English made a presentation about the project and then fielded questions and comments.