Minutes - 11-27-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Environmental Engineering. He is President of a consulting firm called SONDI, which is Seismology and Downhole Instrumentation. American Stone Company asked SONDI to conduct two studies of vibration and quarry blast noise at the facility. He analyzed 632 blast data over the course of the last 10 years to establish the levels of vibration typical to the quarry operation. In the 632 monitored blasts, none of the blasts have exceeded any of the limits set by the permit. The statistics also show that there is a very small likelihood that random factors that are beyond the control of the quarry operators might result in exceeding the permit. SONDI sees no reason why the velocity ar air blast permit levels would be exceeded at the current level of operation of the quarry. Vic Knight, a resident of Orange County, has been doing appraisal work primarily in Orange County for sixteen years. The report he distributed has to do with the potential impact of the American Stone Company expansion on the properties in the surrounding neighborhood. The information shows the immediate surrounding properties that would have access onto either NC 54 or onto Bethel Hickory Grove Church Road. The report concludes that the appreciation value of the immediate surrounding neighborhood is significantly larger than the ones in the control subdivisions -The Trails and Wildwood. This is due to the amount of new construction in the area. The report concludes that there would be no negative impact from the proposed expansion of this quarry on the surrounding neighborhood. William Lyke is a Hydrogeologist with Skelly and Loy in Raleigh. He is a licensed engineer and a licensed geologist in North Carolina. Skelly and Loy was asked to prepare a hydrogeologic study for the quarry. He emphasized that the water table in the area was analyzed to see if they could determine the distance from the quarry operation that is impacted by the quarry. Based on the monitoring data, it appears that there could be up to a 500-foot distance from the quarry wall where the water table could be lowered. At a distance of 400 to 500 feet from the wall, there is a change in the water table of 10 feet or less. There is no documented evidence of a greater incidence of reported well failure related to water quantity or quality issues in the area around the quarry than there is across the entire County. John Richards, President of Air Control Techniques, said that his company specializes in air pollution control and air testing. He was retained to discuss the ambient air impact of the American Stone Company facility. According to the report, the emissions of the facility are quite low and have a very small community impact. They also conducted a number of ambient crystalline silica tests to evaluate the upwind and downwind impact of stone crushing plants and other types of plants, and they found that the ambient crystalline silica levels are very similar to levels found in any part of the country. Paxton Badham is an attorney who has worked with American Stone Company in their application. He made reference to the document, "Findings of the Orange County Planning Department", page 11, and talked about the location of the "other information." Public Comment and Questions Melvin Parrish said that he awns property, which adjoins the stone quarry. He is very much against the stone quarry. He asked how old the standards were and said that maybe they needed to be rewritten. He questioned the operating hours and said that it would affect the quality of life of the neighbors because the operation continues until 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. He also questioned the final plan on the new road entering onto NC 54. He would like to know how the new road would affect the neighbors. He asked who would get the royalties that came out of Bethel Hickory Grove Church Road. He asked why a quarry was needed in this area. He said that OWASA was basing it all on the water. He resents the fact that OWASA is trying to build up the water supply but refuses to run water into his community because it is too expensive. He said that the quarry has already polluted the land and he asked when that was going to be cleaned up. He said that this has turned out to be a show from people that do not even live in Orange County. He asked the Commissioners to reject the special use permit.