Committee hears comments on mine expansion recommendations
By Pam Reinig
Register Editor
A study committee that’s been looking at a zoning request that could expand mining activities in Clayton County presented a draft report of their recommendations Thursday night, July 7, at a public meeting in Elkader.
About 60 people packed a meeting room in the Clayton County Office Building. Attending in near equal numbers were members of a citizens' group who believe the request should be denied at this time, as well as employees of Pattison Sand, the company that wants to rezone nearly 750 acres of land for future mining work.
Several of those present gave verbal responses to the committee’s recommendations and study topics. Initially, speakers were given two minutes to address the committee’s work. Study committee chair Mike Finnegan reviewed ground rules for the public meeting, reminding participants to restrict their comments to the recommendations and not their opinions on the zoning request. That stipulation likely contributed to the meeting’s mostly cordial tone.
Since the initial round did not use the time allocated for the meeting, a second round of responses was allowed.
The assurance that all mining activities would take place underground was mentioned in comments made by several attendees. Brenda Tackman of Garnavillo voiced support of a recommendation barring above-ground entrances and exits in the rezoned area, which she believes will greatly reduce truck traffic. Like many others, she was also concerned about maintaining the aesthetics of the Great River Road. The study committee has drafted a recommendation (#14) that says, “sand mined from the rezone area shall not be stored in open piles that are visible from the Great River Road.” The wording isn’t strong enough for Tackman. “I don’t want them above-ground at all,” she said.
Tom Erger, Clayton, echoed Tackman’s concern: “There’s already an ordinance to address sand piles and views,” he said. “If that’s not being enforced now, how will (this recommendation) change things?”
Dean Schultz, Clayton, also expressed concern about keeping mining activities underground, adding that since Pattison has taken over the mine the operation has “become a scar on the river bluff.”
Several members of “Say No for Now,” a local citizens’ group that advocates for a delay in zoning, spoke at the meeting. Like many members of the group, Vic and Kay Vifian, Garnavillo support the committee’s work but believe some restrictions need strengthening, such as a recommendation on blasting hours and a procedure to minimize the dispersion of sand particles leaking from trucks.
Larry Stone, Elkader, who is also a member of “Say No for Now,” listed several recommendations that he feels need to be reviewed and possibly reworked. “Say Now for Now has made a good case to delay (the zoning request),” he said.
Acknowledging that the zoning request is a complicated subject, Kevin Hanson, Volga, supports “Say No for Now,” adding that more work needs to be done on subjects like protecting threatened and endangered species, preserving archeological features, and reclamation work. Several people spoke of the need for stronger wording on the reclamation recommendation.
Guttenberg Mayor Russ Loven addressed the potential impact to tourism and homeowner Lisa Ogden, Clayton, expressed her concern over home values.
“We moved here because we want (to retire to) a safer, more environmentally friendly community,” she said. “I don’t want to see this in my backyard.”
Not everyone present spoke against the rezoning effort. Tim Adkins, Guttenberg, director of health and safety for Pattison, advocated for an opportunity for his employer to thoroughly address all of the committee’s recommendations. Another employee spoke highly of Pattison’s workers and owners. Jeff Dolan, Guttenberg, whose educational background is in geology and computer science, noted that federal regulations cover many of the concerns expressed in the study. “Putting more obstacles in the path of development in this county will hurt us,” he said.
The study committee will meet once more before presenting their report to the Clayton County Planning and Zoning Commission. That group will send its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors who will have the final say in the zoning request.
The draft report from the study committee is available online on the county’s website. Complete minutes from Thursday’s meeting, including summaries of all comments, will also be available online in the near future.
