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54 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, May 7, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 4, 2005 A 40-foot wall of gravel looms over loading equipment working at the bottom of a gravel pit at Crater Sand and Gravel north of Central Point. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Rock and roads In a quarrel over quarries, pit operators say new sites are needed, while neighbors fight the latest applications By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Neighbors might object to proposals for new quarry operations, but gravel pit owners point out that even those neighbors can’t live without rock. "Whether you want that gravel pit for a neighbor or not, we all drive on roads," said Mary Savage, who owns Crater Sand and Gravel Inc. north of Central Point with her husband, Don. "Some of these pits are getting to the end of their rock." Savage supports three proposals before Jackson County for new aggregate mines to keep up with demand, but all have received strenuous opposition from neighbors and their lawyers. Copeland Sand and Gravel of Murphy has met heavy resistance to a proposed operation in the Applegate River. About 100 residents along Dead Indian Memorial Road have sent letters opposing landowner Joe Dauenhauer’s proposed quarry operation. Advertisement Neighbors north of Eagle Point have fought a proposal by David Freel and Lawrence McKenzie to build a rock quarry off Highway 62 just north of the Butte Falls Highway. "We always get a tremendous amount of opposition to this kind of permitting process," said county planner Mike Mattson. Neighbors complain about dust, noise, truck traffic and conflict with wildlife habitat. They also cite the impact of some aggregate plants on rivers and floodplains. The hours of operation of these quarries also don’t appeal to neighbors, said Mattson. Aggregate pits typically are allowed to operate from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, but the hours can be extended if they are supplying material for a public works project. Curt Weaver, a consultant for LTM Inc. and Rogue Aggregates, said the demand for rock has increased about threefold over the past 10 years, with 2.75 million to 3 million tons of aggregate now mined annually. "It has exceeded everyone’s expectations," he said. One of the biggest consumers is the Oregon Department of Transportation, which is repairing bridges and roads throughout the county, he said. Weaver said the biggest producers of rock include three quarries on Highway 140, one on Kirtland Road and one on Dead Indian Memorial. He said another pit that was formerly a major producer on Linn Road in Eagle Point is nearing the end of its 40-year life. Also, a pit outside of Jacksonville isn’t producing as much as it used to and doesn’t produce the kind of high- quality rock needed for road projects. All rock isn’t created equally, said Weaver. Some granite tends to crumble, while ODOT requires a certain type of aggregate for road projects to stand the test of time. "The government requires a little better rock than they did 20 years ago," he said. Weaver said there generally has been enough rock locally for projects, and he doesn’t think there is any imminent danger of running out. "Eventually they’re going to have to start approving some of these," he said, referring to proposed rock quarry operations. "I don’t think there’s an emergency yet." Medford attorney Dan O’Connor, who represents Copeland Sand and Gravel, said, "People complain about the price of rock when they need it, but if it (an operation) is anywhere near them they don’t want to have anything to do with it." O’Connor, who also represents the McKenzie-Freel property owners, said it often takes five or six years before a project can get approved by the various government agencies. In the case of the McKenzie-Freel property, which has been turned down by the county before, he said, "They started back in 1995." The Savages say having a consistent, high-quality rock supply is important for the economic health of the valley and for its safety. With many of the valley’s bridges cracking, it will be important to supply the concrete for these repair projects, Mary Savage said. Aggregate is also used for asphalt and concrete roads, housing projects and providing a base for pipe projects. But getting a good source of aggregate will become more difficult as the valley grows. "We must develop it before people encroach too closely with their homes," said Mary Savage. Her husband agreed. "Where you have people you have problems," he said. Public hearing A public hearing to discuss a proposed aggregate operation north of the Butte Falls Highway off Highway 62 will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at 10 S. Oakdale Ave.,Medford. The project, proposed by Lawrence McKenzie and Dave Freel, has been opposed by neighbors, including actor Patrick Duffy, because of noise, truck traffic and fear it would ruin their views. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. 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