Delta's plans to expand gravel mine met with concerns
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EUGENE, Ore. -- Delta Sand and Gravel's plan to expand their mine is 7 years in the making.
Delta’s president Stan Pickett said that everything they produce stays within Lane County.
“We can build more roads more bike paths, more buildings and it's a lot less expensive,” Pickett said.
While the product stays close, it’s how far noise travels that has neighbors in Santa Clara like Brandon Albin worried.
"I was just talking to my neighbor and she was just bragging about how quiet it is,” Albin said.
Lane County Planning Director Matt Laird said he is also concerned with the planned expansion. However his interests lay with the land itself.
“They've applied for a conditional use permit to mine in an exclusive farm use zone,” said Laird.
Delta Sand and Gravel wants to expand their existing site using working orders for the property.
Picket said there are significant rock resources in the proposed area.
The county said Delta used outdated map that don’t reflect current land use designations. Currently the surrounding property is designated as farmland.
Picket said the 68-acre proposed expansion site contains sand and gravel they need, and will not disturb the nearest neighbors.
“We own these properties and they're our rentals,” Picket said.
Delta created a buffer zone with 90 trees between their property and neighbors who have complained about noise in the past. Picket said that they have decided to stop mining there at all.
“All our noise that we make from our crushing of the rock and all that is gonna stay exactly where it is. The traffic pattern is gonna stay that way,” said Pickett
The public hearing on the expansion will be held at the Lane County Public Service building Friday, March 8th at 9 am.
Does anyone know if Delta recovers the Au out of there material? Just curious. Ive found some in a few local driveways that Egge paved. There quarry was a historic producer of gold right out of town, the Golden Star mine on the butte accros from Armitage Park.
Crush some of that wasted concrete at 2727 Leo Harris Pkwy.
Don't screw this one up too Lane County. You have a long standing business that has worked to give back to the community trying to survive in a time of budgets and cutbacks. Denying the expansion may not only prevent more hirings, but could result in layoffs if the current pits resources can't justify the personnel. I've personally lived in Santa Clara within a couple miles of Delta and had to deal with more noise coming from the volunteer fire department. "The county said Delta used outdated map that donât reflect current land use designations. Currently the surrounding property is designated as farmland." That has to be the lamest excuse I've heard as a reason to deny expansion. "Land use designations" are changed at the stroke of a pen. If sand and gravel were there 5-10 years ago, it likely hasn't migrated far. Unless there is a real danger from allowing an expansion, Lane county should grant the permit and be glad that this company hasn't chosen to find greener pastures.