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Supervisors OK quarry rezoning
By HEATHER RORER/Altavista Journal Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 5:13 PM EDT
Rustburg High School auditorium was brimming with emotion Tuesday night as Campbell County supervisors were booed and yelled at after they approved the Boxley rock quarry in Evington.
The Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 to rezone 353 acres from residential to industrial- heavy.
Seneca District Supervisor Hugh Rosser and Altavista District Supervisor Stan Goldsmith both voted against the request.
Concord District Supervisor Eddie Gunter offered the motion to approve the rezoning.
Rosser offered a substitute motion to deny the request for the general welfare of the community.
"I want to thank all of the people for coming here tonight. There was a lot of effort and time spent to bring the facts and a lot of money," said Rosser.
"I vote that we leave the community the way that it is," said Rosser.
Goldsmith was applauded by many in the audience as he suggested that the board look further into the situation before voting Tuesday night.
"I am impressed with the willingness of Boxley to try to meet the needs of the people," said Goldsmith. "They will be neighbors with these people if this is approved, and they went further than I probably expected them to."
"I think the board needs to take some time before deliberating tonight and be sure all conditions are met for the needs that the people are really concerned about," said Goldsmith.
"I think it deserves more time on the part of the board," Goldsmith added. "I know everyone is anxious to resolve this issue, but I think we need to take the time."
Supervisors voting in favor of the request expressed their reasoning as well.
"I recognize that the people of Evington have concerns, but the truth is it does not matter where this quarry goes, it is still going to be close to someone's church and next door to someone's property," said Timberlake District Supervisor Charles Falwell.
Brookneal District Supervisor J.D. Puckett, Rustburg District Supervisor Hugh Pendleton and Sunburst District Supervisor Steve Shockley also voted for the rezoning.
Supervisors heard 89 opinions over two nights, some in favor and some opposed to the rezoning request submitted by Boxley Materials Company for the quarry in the Flat Creek area.
After the July 28 public hearing with the Campbell County Planning Commission and listening to the concerns of the citizens, Boxley made some significant changes to its original application, which the commission recommended against in a 4-2 vote.
Boxley President Ed Boxley started the hearing off Monday night with a PowerPoint presentation outlining the major concerns that the company heard at the commission meeting, which pertained to traffic, wells and water, heavy industry coming into the area and the preservation of Evington's natural beauty and history. After taking that into consideration, Boxley presented changes to the original application that they hoped would help ease citizen worries.
"We have heard our neighbor's concerns loud and clear," said Boxley.
"This facility will be whatever you want it to be," said Boxley to the nearly 600 in attendance Monday night. "
The original application was to rezone 488 acres to industrial heavy. Boxley reduced that acreage to 353, which includes leaving 135 acres zoned residential on the east side of the proposed site.
The company also stated that mining and processing operations would be conducted on 243 acres, leaving 547 of the total 900-acre Flat Creek site as a natural buffer.
Boxley has proffered a total of 110 acres around the entire site as natural buffer. This includes 55 acres of the Flat Creek Riparian Preserve, which is along the Flat Creek on the western boundary.
Boxley has also proffered that no asphalt or concrete company plants be allowed on the site and that no commercial entrances be created on Blackwater Road.
Even with these changes, traffic continues to be a main concern.
"There will be 275-300 gravel trucks added to the daily traffic on Route 24 - six schools use that road to pick up students at bus stops," said June Beaver, Student Safety Association. "There are 19 stops on that road that picks up 28 students.
Beaver, along with others, expressed concern for the safety of students at morning bus stops and teenage drivers.
Others don't feel that that increased flow in traffic will be problematic.
"As a parent myself, we should and will always have a problem with our children and public transportation," said Teresa West, Browns Mill Road.
In an effort to find a solution to the citizen's concerns with wells and water, Boxley also proposed to establish a three-person water protection plan team, which will be made up of an independent hydrologist, an Evington community leader and a Boxley team member, to investigate any complaints on wells and water. This group, not Boxley, will decide whether or not the company was responsible for any complications.
An independent escrow account will be set up with $150,000 when and if the quarry opens in 15 years. This account will increase by $50,000 every five years to cover any well repair or water issue.
If found to be at fault, Boxley proffers to drill the resident a new well or hook them up to county water where available.
"I don't feel that he application adequately address the three main issues: loss of groundwater recharge, what the water may be carrying with it and hydrological pollution," said Ed Foster, concerned citizen.
Geologists and hydrologists that had done well studies offered different points of view that the blasting would not harm water or wells.
Boxley met with the Campbell County Parks and Recreation Department two weeks ago to discuss its proposal for the 135-acre residential parcel. The company will commit to a master plan for a park complex with hiking trails, baseball, t-ball and softball fields, soccer and football fields and other amenities.
County Administrator David Laurrell told citizens Monday night that the offers put forth by Boxley on the park and comprehensive ground water protection plan could not be accepted by the county. Since the offers were cash proffers, they are prohibited by the Campbell County Code.
Roy Griggs, Lawyer's Road, who represented the Clear Air Associates, educated the audience on the health effects and hazards of air pollutants such as Tremolite and Asbestos, associated with quarries.
"Please protect our environment and our health," said Griggs as many stood in support of his speech.
Those speaking in favor of the request sited Boxley's friendliness and will to work in the community.
"We held our annual meeting on Sept. 27 and voted to support Boxley for the use of the land," said Carter Elliott with the Campbell County Farm Bureau. "Gravel is essential to farm operations."
Many shared different views on noise, blasting and the overall effects of the quarry.
""We purchased a house about 300 yards from the Blue Ridge quarry in Montvale," said Janice Moody. "Dishes rattle in the cabinets and there are cracks in the walls - we have dealt with it for 15 years."
Moody did say however, that Boxley paid for the repairs.
"We have been close neighbors of the quarry for 28 years and our property value has increased five times," said Charlie Volts, Amherst County. "You folks should vote for this proposal, Boxley is a good neighbor."
Others still have a different opinion.
"Boxley is not a good neighbor, they can paint you a pretty picture, but they do not do what they say they are going to do," said Gail Riley, Fieldale.
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