After listening to gravel hauling concerns, the Brown County, Minn., Planning Commission added a number of Conditional Use Permit (CUP) conditions to a pair of North Star Township gravel mining operations applications.
North Star Township Supervisor Ron Groebner said gravel trucks owned by Central Specialties Inc. of Alexandria and Knife River Corp. exiting the Geis gravel pit in Section 29 have taken a heavy toll on township roads leading to U.S. Highway 14.
“Without grading and water, the roads have been a mess for the last two years,” Groebner said. “Between the two companies, the roads were damaged more than you can imagine.
The 10 cents (per yard township maintenance donation, a permit condition), didn’t cover costs to restore the road. It should be graded daily, which we do,” he said.
Brown County Assistant Zoning Administrator Desiree Hohenstein said her office has received complaints. Commissioner Loren Renberg said landowners and haulers need to work together to help maintain roads.