|
|
|
Scandia continues hearings for 3 mining operations |
|
|
|
Wednesday, 12 March 2008 |
Fred Heinonen
Scandia Area Reporter
On March 5, the Scandia Planning Commission and City Council held a public hearing on three applications for conditional use permits for sand and gravel mining operationns (including into ground water) and an asphalt processing operation as follows:
Bracht Brothers annually mines about 15,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel from 40 acres, north of 185th Street and west of Old Marine Trail. This mining started before county permitting started in 1991.
They use a portable crusher and their wash plant uses a site well. Their maximum planned excavation elevation level of 920 feet above sea level is expected to be 10 or more feet above the ground water. Their mine life expectancy is estimated to be 10-15 years.
Dresel Contracting annually mines up to 100,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel from 57 acres, south of 218th Street and west of Lofton Avenue. This mining started in the 1960s.
Their activities include: crushing, washing, screening, stockpiling, and recycling concrete and asphalt products from mid-April to mid-November. Their maximum planned excavation elevation level of 920 feet is only one foot above the 919 foot ground water level at the north end of their pit. The property is partly within the city’s German Lake Shoreland Overlay District, where mining is not allowed.
Tiller Corporation annually mines 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel from 395 acres, in the area of 225th Street and 218th Street between Manning Trail N. and Lofton Avenue. This mining started in 1966.
Their activities include: mining and processing of aggregate, crushing, washing, screening, stockpiling of sand and gravel, the production of hot-mix asphalt, and the recycling of concrete and asphalt products from mid-April to mid-November. Their maximum planned excavation elevation level of 870 feet is 50 feet below the 920 foot ground water level.
This will be Tiller’s first excursion into the ground water. Their reclamation plan creates a 50-acre lake in the center of the site with slope stabilization, seeding and mulching. Their mine life expectancy is estimated to be 20-30 years, depending on demand.
General public complaints about the mining operations were excess traffic, speeding trucks, road wear and tear, dust, noise, dirty roads, and risk of ground water contamination. Tiller got additional complaints about the noxious smell of their asphalt operations, operations after the 7 p.m. curfew, and high volume of traffic (10 truckloads per hour = 20 extra trucks per hour = one truck every three minutes).
The evaluation
The city must now evaluate each of the three CUP requests as follows:
•Establish the depth of excavations that will be allowed
•Agree on ground water well monitoring plans, including well numbers, locations, and test procedures
•Comply with local watershed districts surface water management plan requirements
•Establish concurrent and proportional reclamation plans to leave the sites suitable for future use
•Guarantee protection of the Shoreland Overlay District near German Lake
•Approve planned operating conditions that protect the health, safety and welfare of the community
A full review of one or more of the permit applications might be available for the April 1 planning commission meeting. The public hearing on these CUPs is being continued.
Marine plan
The council received and reviewed Marine on St. Croix’s new comprehensive plan. Neighboring cities must review each others plan.
The main item that will be commented on in Scandia’s response is the mention of Marine wanting to reroute TH-95 traffic to an alternative highway corridor west of their city. They suggested using Manning Trail and Olinda Trail. They will pursue traffic reduction on TH-95 with future transportation planning with Washington County and Mn/DOT.
Scandia’s response will suggest traffic pattern changes would affect Scandia, so Scandia will also monitor any planning by the county and Mn/DOT concerning this issue.
Willowbrook Church
The planning commission and city council reviewed the status of the application of the Willowbrook Community Church for a conditional use permit to build their church north of TH-97 and east of Manning Trail.
Willowbrook did not bring all plans discussed at the Feb. 12 special meeting because they wanted to get the city’s exact requirements that will ensure acceptance of the CUP when they meet all requirements and conditions set forth by the city council. Both parties focused on the end game with no more changes.
The council adopted a resolution, presented by Mayor Dennis Seefeldt, summarizing the position on the application by Willowbrook Church for a conditional use permit summarized in part as follows:
“BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if Willowbrook Church submits a complete, revised site plan consistent with the following criteria it is the intent of the City of Scandia to issue a Conditional Use Permit to Willowbrook Church for a place of worship on the proposed site:
The building and parking lot shall be moved 50 feet north ....
A screening and landscape plan shall be submitted, meeting all requirements ....
Additional planting islands, native species, rural vegetation patterns, natural screening, try to avoid fencing, native prairie restoration
A lighting plan shall be submitted, meeting all requirements ......
AND FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED, that the plans described above shall be submitted to the city prior to, and not as a condition of, approval of a Conditional Use Permit.”
Willowbrook must also rework their plan to satisfy MnDOT for access to TH-97. MnDOT requires a right turn lane and recommends that the city of Scandia require the developer to construct a left turn lane for the proposed access.
Other topics
The city council will interview applicants for the park and recreation committee at a special meeting they 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 18, which is prior to the regular council meeting.
The planning commission selected Chris Ness as chairperson and Christine Maefsky as vice-chairperson for 2008 and the city council approved.
Next meeting
The next city council meeting will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 18.
|
|
|
