So, you want to build a quarry? “Not in my community!”

That's the opinion of 64 percent of Americans interviewed for the 2007 Saint Index survey of attitudes toward real-estate development. To put that in startling perspective, 65 percent said they would oppose a nuclear power plant in their hometown. Only landfills and casinos — both with 76 percent opposition — are more opposed.

If there's good news for quarry operators, it's that opposition is down from 2006, when 76 percent of American adults said they opposed quarry development in their community. A closer look at the Saint Index findings also gives insight into strategies that can help when operators look to expand a quarry or win permits for a new one.

First, expect citizen opposition as a given. In this new age of spreading NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard), chances of keeping your project “under the radar” are almost nil. One out of four Americans say they have actively opposed some type of real-estate development in their community — a level of activism that has remained strong for the past three years, according to the Saint Index. Active opposition could mean attending a public hearing, writing a letter, calling a public official or signing a petition.

Quarry opponents often cite noise, dust, truck traffic, blasting and possible damage to wells as their objections. But is that what it's really about? Seventy-eight percent of Americans say their hometown is fine just the way it is or already over-developed. The most frequent reasons Americans give for opposing development are: preserving community character (31 percent), protecting the environment (22 percent) and increased traffic (21 percent). The Saint Index involved interviews with 1,000 adults across the United States.

SELF-INTEREST: THE REAL REASON FOR OPPOSITION

However, by asking the question in different ways over the years and examining the response, we've come to the conclusion that the real reason Americans oppose development is self-interest: They are protecting their own real-estate values. Consider that the most-welcomed type of new local development, according to what Americans across the country say, is single-family housing. Yet, what type of development is it that people say they have most frequently opposed? Yes, single-family housing.

The scary fact for quarry developers is that politicians increasingly are following the demands of the NIMBYs. It is more politically expedient for officials to side with the voters who elect them than to defy an angry mob — and with good reason. Nearly 90 percent of adults say a local candidate's position on land development and growth is an important factor in determining how they vote.

Unless a permit-seeker brings public support from real citizens to the process, politicians will not approve even a good project that benefits the local economy. That means a permit-seeker must proactively work to neutralize the opposition as much as possible. But, most importantly, a developer has to identify, recruit and organize citizen support for his project.

QUARRY PROJECTS HAVE SOME ADVANTAGES

That's where a quarry project has some advantages over several other types of land use.

Nationwide, 29 percent of Americans support a quarry project in their community (according to the 2007 survey), compared to just 15 percent the previous year. That's much better than the 20 percent who say they'd support a landfill or casino. So, there is a potential base of supporters in most communities. It takes experience, persistence and the right approach to organize these citizens — and, sometimes, civic groups and business people — in a way that publicly demonstrates their support for your project. Keep in mind, however, the strong opposition to landfills when identifying the potential secondary use for your quarry. Showing a landfill as a secondary usage (once all the reserves have been mined) can draw even more opposition to the quarry permitting process.

The Midwest region is the most hospitable to a new quarry, with just 53 percent opposed, and 39 percent saying they would actually support a quarry project in their hometown. Rural residents are more likely to support a quarry than urban or suburban dwellers, with 35 percent of rural Americans saying they would welcome a quarry project.

According to the Saint Index, the strongest quarry supporter lives in the rural Midwest, earn less that $35,000 annually, identifies himself as conservative and would support either John McCain or Fred Thompson for president in 2008. The strongest quarry opponent would tend to be a college-educated, suburban homeowner who earns over $100,000. He or she would lean Democratic and would prefer Barack Obama for president in 2008.

A STRONG SHOW OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Regardless of region or demographic, what is needed to win approval of a quarry project is a strong show of community support to counter the inevitable opponents.

It is prudent to conduct outreach into the community early and often. It is easier to present a message and opinion to a citizen whose position has not already been influenced than to change an opinion. By getting out into the community early on, you have the opportunity to educate neighbors and likely opponents about the aggregate industry and the positive impact that a quarry will have on their community. Sitting back and hoping that no one in the community will notice allows the opposition to formulate the message and the opinions.

You also need to identify who your supporters will be in the community and provide others with reasons to become supporters. The reasons can range anywhere from the tax benefits and jobs that you will bring to mitigation opportunities in the community. You need to provide a reason for people to support your project. Once you have identified a supporter, you need to maintain that contact and counteract any negative information and pressure they will be receiving from the opponents who could include their friends and neighbors.

Most importantly, it is extremely effective to have actual voters calling on their own elected officials to advocate for your project. Receiving 50 letters from their constituents stating that they favor your development gives local officials the political cover they need to vote “yes” rather than vote “no” out of a desire to be re-elected.

The need for such an effort is made clear by the Saint Index: Opposition to quarry development is universal through all regions of the country, with just slight fluctuation based on geography and demographics. Men are somewhat less likely to oppose a quarry than women. Opposing development projects in general cuts across political ideology, as 28 percent of those who identify themselves as liberal have actively opposed a development, while 22 percent of those who identify themselves as conservative said they had actively opposed a development.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Christopher M. Hopkins is a senior vice president for The Saint Consulting Group, an international land-use political consulting firm. Hopkins oversees the firm's Aggregate and Mining Division, which helps aggregate clients obtain required local, state and federal permits. The Saint Consulting Group has 13 offices in the United States, as well as offices in Toronto and London. The company is based in Hingham, Mass. For more information, visit www.tscg.biz.

THE SAINT INDEX

The Saint Index is an annual survey that tracks the impact of politics on land use developments in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The results are used to help The Saint Consulting Group understand trends regarding NIMBYism and what is driving opposition to development projects and strategies.

The Saint Index was created by the group, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts' Center for Economic and Civic Opinion. This year's survey was performed by the Logit Group from Aug. 1 to 10, 2007. A total of 1,000 respondents were randomly selected from the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The maximum margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval nationwide.

PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE

In keeping with the spirit of the political season, we decided this year to add some presidential preference questions in our annual survey. We found that of the 1,000 people surveyed, cutting across all political parties and ideologies, 21 percent preferred Sen. Hillary Clinton. The second choice of those surveyed was “undecided” with 20 percent and “don't know” with 11 percent. The next candidate to register was Sen. Barack Obama with 9 percent and Rudy Giuliani with 6 percent. Of those respondents who identify themselves as conservative, Rudy Giuliani registered first with 13 percent but was second to undecided/don't know, which scored a combined 38 percent. Of those respondents who are likely to support a new quarry, they are likely to be either a McCain or a Thompson voter. For those who identified themselves as a quarry opponent, they are likely to be an Obama supporter.