Hamptonville residents sit in shock after a 3-2 vote in favor of a rezoning software that may enable for an mixture mine to be constructed close to West Yadkin Elementary College.
Hamptonville residents left Monday evening’s Yadkin County Planning Board assembly in disappointment following a 3-2 vote in favor of a rezoning request that may enable for an mixture mine close to West Yadkin Elementary College. Monday’s assembly was the third by which the board heard data from representatives of the mining firm in favor of the applying in addition to feedback from group residents against the challenge.
The parcel of land in query is situated close to 3641 Hwy US 21 in Hamptonville and is at present zoned as Rural Agriculture. Three Oaks Quarry, owned by actual property developer Jack Mitchell, requested the 322 acre parcel be rezoned to Manufacturing Industrial (MI-1).
Three Oaks Quarry has submitted prolonged documentation to the county planning board concerning its procedures and mitigation efforts that may be in place to attenuate impression on the realm and neighboring properties. Neighboring property house owners and residents have spoken at planning board conferences and county board conferences voicing their strenuous objections to having a mine “within the coronary heart of the Hamptonville group.”
Following Monday’s advice from the planning board to approve the rezoning, the matter will now transfer to a public listening to earlier than the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners, more than likely to be scheduled for its subsequent assembly on July 18 at 7 p.m.
Having heard from each side at two earlier conferences, the planning board on Monday requested that audio system for and towards the rezoning request solely current new data. Planning board members additionally acquired a big pocket book from Three Oaks Quarry meant to deal with questions from the earlier assembly concerning water utilization, financial impression on surrounding properties and security information on different mines operated by the corporate.
In his opening feedback to the board, lawyer Tom Terrell who represents Three Oaks Quarry, famous the efforts being made by the corporate to deal with considerations from residents and the board.
“As you’ve got requested for extra situations to mitigate, this firm is stepping up and in each respect that they will work with you, they’re working with you in order that any considerations are mitigated,” Terrell stated.
Terrell additionally addressed the difficulty of licensure for engineers and geologists engaged on the challenge, preempting feedback from lawyer Daniel Johnson who represents group members against the mine.
“This concern of licensure has come up, it’s a pink herring,” stated Terrell.
In his feedback, Johnson argued that members of consulting companies engaged on behalf of Three Oaks Quarry weren’t licensed within the state of North Carolina for geological research or to carry out engineering work.
“There are, regardless of Mr. Terrell’s statements on the contrary, some severe issues with the licensing of the businesses which have been submitting data to you,” Johnson stated.
“You don’t must be a licensed engineer to speak to a county a few zoning software, that could be a made up rule that any person is exhibiting to you,” Terrell said. “Nevertheless, this examine is being performed by Mr. Brent Johnson, he has been concerned with this. Mr. Johnson is a licensed North Carolina skilled geologist. He’s the one designing, he’s the one who’s deciphering, he’s the one who’s overseeing all of the hydrogeological research.”
Johnson went on to say that there are “open investigations by each the licensing board for engineering and in addition the licensing board for geologists” in regard to documentation submitted to the county by companies representing Three Oaks Quarry.
In his feedback Johnson additionally reiterated the continued opposition from group residents.
“You possibly can see once more you’ve got a packed assembly room, and group opposition to this software is uniform. The one people who’re right here to talk in favor of the mining operation are the house owners of the corporate and varied specialists who aren’t from this space,” he stated.
Following extra feedback from each teams and dialogue from the board, the time for the movement to proceed to a vote got here ultimately. After a few twenty second pause, Planning Board Member Teresa Swain made a movement to approve the rezoning software.
There was a right away vocal response from Hamptonville residents with a number of gasps of, “Oh, no!” which resulted in a swift clack of the gavel by Chairman Dean Swaim.
“I ask you to respect the deliberations of this board,” he stated.
The movement was then seconded by Planning Board Member Resha Peregrino-Brimah.
Earlier than shifting to a vote by the board, Planning Board Member Steve Brown famous a piece of the county’s land use plan for the agricultural agriculture district which is supposed “to guard rural areas from the intrusion of non-agricultural land makes use of that would create a nuisance and detract from the standard of life.”
“I feel we ought to think about that,” Brown stated.
“I feel the plan is nice, actually. Should you’re going to have a quarry that’s the way in which I’d need it,” he stated. “However there some issues I can’t reconcile with the longer term land use plan.”
The ultimate vote by the board was 3-2 with members Jerry Hutchens, Resha Peregrino-Brimah and Teresa Swain in favor of rezoning and Dean Swaim and Steve Brown towards.
Kitsey Burns Harrison could also be reached at 336-258-4035 or observe her on Twitter and Instagram @news_shewrote.
