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I I i 1 <br /> all of this area is currently designated and zoned Rural Buffer and <br /> University Lake Watershed in the Joint Planning Area Land Use Plan. <br /> Historical Perspective <br /> Currently there are three existing land uses relevant to this <br /> proposal: <br /> 1. The former American Stone Quarry (1969-1978) located on <br /> property 6.28. .9E. This quarry is now an OWASA reservoir. <br /> 2. The current American Stone Quarry on property 6.28. .9B, which <br /> began operation in 1979. <br /> 3. An existing asphalt plant operated by Nello L. Teer Company, <br /> on property 6.28. .9E. <br /> The original (former) American Stone quarry came into existence in <br /> 1969, prior to the existence of zoning in Bingham Township. This <br /> quarry was in operation until 1978. In 1979, OWASA obtained the <br /> former quarry as a backup water supply reservoir, for which it is <br /> currently used. <br /> American Stone began operation at the current-quarry site in 1977. <br /> Orange County public hearing minutes from October 6, 1981 indicate <br /> that the quarry complied with state and federal regulations in <br /> place at the time for new quarrying operations. The enaction of <br /> zoning for Bingham Township on September 2, 1981 required the <br /> approval of a Special Use Permit for all quarrying operations. <br /> Around the time of adoption of zoning, American Stone applied for <br /> a Special Use Permit in order to make the quarry use consistent <br /> with adopted zoning. Company representatives indicated on October <br /> 6, 1981 that they had only become aware of the proposed Zoning <br /> Ordinance for Bingham in 1979, two years after beginning operation <br /> at the current site. The Special Use Permit for the current quarry <br /> was approved by the Board of Commissioners on October 23, 1981. <br /> On May 10, 1990, a four-party agreement between the three <br /> petitioners and Nello L. Teer was signed that will transfer <br /> ownership of the current quarry to OWASA when anticipated quarrying <br /> r <br /> ends by the yea2030. OWASA plans to utilize the current quarry as <br /> a supplementary reservoir in conjunction with the existing stone <br /> quarry reservoir. The expanded quarry reservoir will have a <br /> capacity of three billion gallons to be filled by a combination of <br /> runoff and pumped raw water from Cane Creek reservoir. <br /> Three other activities are planned as an overall project through <br /> the 1990 agreement. First, OWASA will acquire an additional 100- <br /> acre buffer area around the proposed reservoir. In addition, <br /> Bethel-Hickory Grove Church Road would be relocated east of the <br /> 3 <br />