Friday, May 05, 2000Underground limestone mine moving closer for Boone County
Panel recommends zoning change
By Kristina Goetz
The Cincinnati EnquirerBURLINGTON — The wheels are in motion to bring Boone County its first underground limestone mine.
Three members of the zone-change committee voted Thursday to recommend approval of the proposal submitted by Hilltop Basic Resources Inc. Two committee members were absent.
“We're very pleased that they sought to recommend approval of the mine plan,” said John Steele Jr., president of Hilltop.
“We've got a challenge ahead of us having everything underground. We're going to go all out to be a very positive part of the community.”
Although this is the first step in the process, the vote is significant because it is the first time any committee has recommended approval of an underground mining proposal in Boone County.
After a two-and-a-half hour discussion and agreement by Hilltop officials to nearly 20 conditions, the members voted. The three had discussed at the beginning of the meeting whether to wait until the other members of the committee could be present.
“We were a quorum and I thought we needed to move this thing forward,” said committee member David Zimmer. “I felt that this proposal stood on its own as a viable, good option for the county.”
It is the second proposal to come before the planning commission in the last year although mining has been a topic in Boone County for years.
Residents oppose
Residents have fought hard to keep mines out of Boone County since Martin Marietta Material Inc. first stirred up the issue. The company's inquiries about subsurface mining began as early as 1993, when the county had no zone for it.The company sued, and in the fall of 1997 a judge ruled the county could not prohibit underground limestone mining. The ruling mandated that the county create a zone that would provide reasonable regulation for the industry.
The county created a zone, but never designated one.
Boone Fiscal Court denied Martin Marietta's mining proposal in October, saying it did not fit with the county's comprehensive plan, a document that guides land use. The company had agreed to more than 20 conditions. The appeals process for that case is not complete.
“Martin Marietta didn't prove to me that it fit the comprehensive plan,” Mr. Zimmer said, adding that he thought Hilltop "eloquently and succinctly' proved that its proposal did.
Hilltop plans to use barges to remove the limestone, rather than trucks, as Martin Marietta proposed. Company officials also say the 1,600-ton-capacity barges it would use would replace 119 trucks.
In addition, Hilltop said, all limestone crushing and screening would take place underground, which the company maintained would eliminate dust and noise.
Jim Dressman, attorney for Martin Marietta, said he could not comment because of the pending appeal.
Apprehensive
Residents, though, said they are apprehensive about the committee's decision.“I was surprised that they voted so quickly,” said Carol Kirkwood, who owns property in the county. “I think Hilltop is a good company but I'm concerned that it will set a precedent and allow Martin Marietta to come in.
“I'm afraid we're constantly going to have this monkey on our back.”
The zone-change committee's recommendation will go before the full Boone County Planning Commission on May 17. The fiscal court will make the final decision.
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Underground limestone mine moving closer for Boone County
