The Fremont County Commissioners finalized a list of conditions for a conditional use permit for a gypsum quarry at Coaldale at Tuesday's regular meeting. The Commissioners had approved the permit for the Holcim cement company at the August 14th meeting but postponed adoption of the set of conditions. Holcim contested a handful of the conditions proposed by the Commissioners. In the end the conditions in dispute were settled by Holcim agreeing to the following conditions:
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Hours of operation will be limited from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Truck traffic will be limited to 20 round trips daily or ten truckloads hauling out.
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Paving of County Road #6 from the mine site entrance to Highway 50 specifying a three inch asphalt overlay to be completed by September 1, 2010. The project work is to be coordinated with the County Road and Bridge Department.
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Holcim will be responsible for any traffic signs on County Roads 6 & 45 as required by the road foreman.
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Holcim must apply an acceptable chemical dust suppressant on the access road from County Road #6 to the mine site and on other portions of the site as needed.
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Holcim must install wind monitoring and recording equipment.
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Holcim is limited to ten blasting operations per year and must develop a plan which provides a location where a notice is to be posted with the date and time blasting will occur.
The Commissioners approved the conditions on a 2 to 1 vote with Commissioner Mike Stiehl dissenting. Stiehl said although the mine used to operate 17 years ago he believes that with the area now primarily residential it is no longer compatible for a mining operation. Commissioner Larry Lasha said he believes the operation can be compatible with the conditions imposed by the Commissioners.
The Commissioners Tuesday also reappointed Keith McNew of Coaldale to another three year term on the Fremont County Planning Commission. The Commissioners said they had four very well qualified applicants who were interviewed for the vacancy. The Commissioners said they typically have tried to appoint a western Fremont County resident to that seat on the Planning Commission.
The Board also made a formal presentation of a $350,000 Community Development Block Grant to Executive Director Roger Jensen of Starpoint. Starpoint used the grant to relocate their administrative offices and adult day services to the former St. Thomas More physical therapy center on South 8th Street in Canon City.