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Proposed quarry location (Sarah Myers/The Oglethorpe Echo)
The Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners postponed a vote on a rezone request for land along Lexington-Carlton Road to develop a quarry to mine dimension stone and granite.
After listening to numerous county residents, as well as a geologist during the monthly meeting on Monday night, the BOC decided to revisit the issue at its next meeting on Monday, June 3.
The meeting room was packed.
Some residents had to rely on standing outside the doors to listen, while concerned individuals who live on Lexington-Carlton Road or in nearby areas waited in line to address the commissioners.
Jesse Stone, who lives on Lexington-Carlton Road, said he has prior experience living near a quarry, and he doesn’t want another quarry near his home.
“You can’t rest with all that noise,” Stone said. “I know. I grew up around these quarries.”
Darlene Nash, a retiree who lives on Lexington-Carlton Road, asked the BOC not to approve the quarry.
“I choose to live here and retire and enjoy my retirement, but it is horrible,” Nash said. “It’s not safe on that road, and it’s not fair to us. I have 14 grandchildren, and we bought this land to put it in a trust for them to enjoy later on.”
Residents cited dust, traffic, noise, health and environmental issues, as well as other factors.
“It’s just too much, there’s too many quarries around here, and it’s not benefiting the community,” Nash added. “Our windows were brown, and every two days I could write my name in the dust. I mean we go through a box of tissues every two days at our house.”
Ben Black, a geologist and engineer who came up with the site plan, shared information on the environmental aspects and ways the quarry could lessen the impact on nearby residents.
“I know it’s a hard pill to swallow for me to tell you that it’s not going to affect you,” Black said. “I’m not saying it’s not going to affect you. What I’m saying is that there’s methods in place to help minimize that particular matter.”
Although the zoning board unanimously approved the rezoning last month, the BOC said it will take time to discuss the concerns and the factors shared by Black.
In other news, the commissioners:
- Unanimously approved Rebekkah Byrd’s request for a rezone from general agriculture to single-family residential in order to subdivide. They approved the request after the zoning board approved with the condition that it can no longer be subdivided.
- Unanimously approved Sherrie Hines’ application for a temporary use application for MOAS’ Bark and Wine event on May 18 at Historic Smithonia Farm.
- Unanimously approved an application from P. Victor Boutier and Boutier Winery & Inn for a special event malt beverage and wine sale permit for the same event.
- Unanimously approved a contract with Stryker to purchase emergency medical equipment.
- Discussed the landfill expansion and shared a public notice regarding the expansion.
- Listened to public comment from a member of the regional library committee about the book “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” Educators and individuals expressed concerns about banning the book, while others spoke in support of the commissioners’ action. The regional library committee is deciding whether to move the book from the young adult section to the adult section in the library. No final decision has been made, although Commissioner David Clark and the board urged the committee to speed up the process.