The board spent two hours Tuesday, discussing three conditional use permits for gravel pits in Mower County.

Wednesday, March 06, 2002

The board spent two hours Tuesday, discussing three conditional use permits for gravel pits in Mower County.

Commissioners approved a conditional use permit and the renewal of another for Tim Koch but tabled their decision on Ed Bunne’s permit.

Koch was requesting renewal of his permit for a quarry operation on section 36 in LeRoy Township.

The planning commission recommended approval of the permit.

Beverly Weness, who lives a half-mile from the gravel operation, told the board that she objected to the hours of operation.

She said that the excess noise from gravel trucks shifting down or accelerating uphill made it difficult to sleep. Trucks go by as early as 6 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Weness recommended that the board restrict hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Koch said his other gravel operation, in a more populated area, had restricted hours and that "We need a pit we can use on weekends to get fill or rock because of washouts."

Commissioner Dave Hillier said it was a difficult conflict because road and construction crews try to get as much done as possible during the construction season and sometimes work sunup to sundown.

After much discussion, the board decided to renew the permit restricting hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. However, it also restricts the gravel trucks’ routes on Sundays to the south so as not to pass by the Weness residence.

The board approved amending Koch’s conditional use permit for Section 35 in LeRoy township, moving the gravel pit operation from the northwest to the southeast corner of the property.

Ed Bunne will have to wait a week for the board to make its decision on his gravel pit located in Section 28 of LeRoy Township.

The board was concerned about plans to dewater the site after mention was made of dewatering into a sinkhole near the property. Residents near the property expressed their concern about blasting and the site’s proximity to their property.

The board tabled its decision until it can get information from the Department of Natural Resources on dewatering and how it should be stated on the permit.

In other business:

The board approved the appointment of chief sheriff’s deputy Terese Amazi as county’s emergency management director. She will receive training for the position over the next 10 months.

Koch said his other gravel operation, in a more populated area, had restricted hours and that "We need a pit we can use on weekends to get fill or rock because of washouts."

Commissioner Dave Hillier said it was a difficult conflict because road and construction crews try to get as much done as possible during the construction season and sometimes work sunup to sundown.

After much discussion, the board decided to renew the permit restricting hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. However, it also restricts the gravel trucks’ routes on Sundays to the south so as not to pass by the Weness residence.

The board approved amending Koch’s conditional use permit for Section 35 in LeRoy township, moving the gravel pit operation from the northwest to the southeast corner of the property.

Ed Bunne will have to wait a week for the board to make its decision on his gravel pit located in Section 28 of LeRoy Township.

The board was concerned about plans to dewater the site after mention was made of dewatering into a sinkhole near the property. Residents near the property expressed their concern about blasting and the site’s proximity to their property.

The board tabled its decision until it can get information from the Department of Natural Resources on dewatering and how it should be stated on the permit.

In other business:

The board approved the appointment of chief sheriff’s deputy Terese Amazi as county’s emergency management director. She will receive training for the position over the next 10 months.

Call Ailene Dawson at 434-2235 or e-mail her at ailene.dawson@austindailyherald.com