Douglas County commissioners unanimously deny quarry permit

The Douglas County Commission unanimously voted Wednesday night to deny a conditional use permit for a quarry just outside city limits.

Commissioners previously voted to defer the decision back to planning commissioners in January.

The final decision comes after two joint meetings with the Lawrence-Douglas County and Eudora Planning Commissions, which recommended the denial of the quarry twice, and months of discussion.

The final decision comes after Mid-States Materials madeadjustments to its original use permit in an attempt to alleviate concerns raised about the quarry. 

Mid-States offered to fund more than $3.5 in improvements to East 2300 Road, changing the trucks’ original route through Church Street, install a 20-foot treeline to minimize visual and noise pollution, reduce the permit length from 30 to 20 years and increase the buffer zone in residential areas from 500 to 750 feet.

During the Douglas County Commission meeting, Mid-States representative Rich Eckert argued the best use of the proposed site would be a quarry because of the quality and quantity of the rock, which he said would also lead to reduced prices from Hamm’s. He also said the aggregate from the proposed quarry could inject nearly $419 million into the local economy.

“If we have control of the aggregate, the sand and our trucking, then we are better suited to provide low bids,” Eckert said.

But Mid-States’ offers weren’t enough to convince residents of Hesper Heights and Eudora that another quarry is necessary even if large amounts of aggregate are needed to support the city’s projected growth plans.

Of the 16 people who provided public comment, four expressed support for the proposed quarry. 

Many opposed to the quarry asked commissioners to consider environmental concerns, decreased property values, the possibility of property damage, the proximity to Eudora’s projected growth with the arrival of Panasonic and the community’s continued dedication to opposing the quarry even after months of discussion.

Many people who provided public comment at Wednesday’s meeting had shown up in opposition since the quarry’s initial meeting with the planning commissions in November.

Hesper Heights resident Keith Turnbaugh emphasized to Douglas County commissioners that the quarry has already been struck down twice and is opposed by many of Eudora’s public figures who represent constituents.

“Do you trust the mayor and city council of Eudora?” Turnbaugh said. “Do you trust Eudora’s School Board? Do you trust the advice of the Eudora and Douglas County Planning Commissions? And, lastly, do you trust the citizens of Eudora and Douglas County, who are most affected by this project?”

Eudora resident and farmer John Franke said greenlighting another quarry in the area would ruin everything he moved to Douglas County for because it would go against the area’s rural character.

Eudora resident Rochelle Beatty said residents of Eudora and Hesper Heights are likely to bring in more money through taxes — especially if property values stay high in the absence of the quarry — than the $419 million Eckert said the quarry would make. 

“We have more than a 20-year life,” she said. “I’ve been paying taxes for years now, and I plan to pay for another 50 because my family lives that long. Don’t sell us out for $419 million.”

Eudora resident Logan Foster objected to Mid-States’ argument that Eudora would not have enough aggregate to support itsprojects, claiming he contacted multiple quarries close to the area who said they are willing to transport rock.

 

He added that the primary issue with the quarry is its proximity to Eudora’s projected growth.

“This is a location issue,” Foster said. “It’s too close to where we live and want to expand.”

Proponents of the quarry argued the quality of rock paired with the competition Mid-States would create for Hamm’s quarry would prove beneficial to Eudora.

Nick Rockhold said another quarry would yield cheaper houses and cheaper projects, which would make residents’ tax dollars go further. 

Rockhold also emphasized the quarry would be only temporary while the rock it would produce, which proponents said is of great quality, would help the city.

“The rock is there now,” he said. “Once the city moves in, the rock is gone and we can never get it back.” 

Eckert said that while there is rock in other parts of the state, it would not be feasible to haul it from places like Wichita and De Soto. He also emphasized the company has never been sued for damaging any property.

Though Douglas County Commissioner Karen Willey voted to deny the conditional use permit, she was concerned that if they denied this quarry then there may never be acceptable circumstances where another quarry could be approved in Douglas County.

But Douglas County Commissioner Shannon Reid said redundant denials from Eudora and Douglas County’s governmental bodies, private citizens and other organizations had a big impact on her decision to vote against the quarry.

“This is not the right project in the right place at the right time,” she said.

Reach reporter Jenna Barackman at [email protected]