The Fremont County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an amendment to a conditional use permit for a quarry at Parkdale that primarily changes the reclamation plan. Front Range Aggregate sought expansion of the sand and gravel mining area from 54.8 acres to 100 acres at their Parkdale operation and proposes to mine to a depth 60 feet below the ground elevation. Front Range Aggregate's primary change in the reclamation plan is to turn the mined out gravel pit into a large water storage area instead of reclaiming it as dry land.
Front Range President Michael Sheahan said once the gravel is mined out in about twelve years they would like to sell the land to perhaps a municipality that has water storage rights. A question remains whether such a lake facility could be made available for recreational uses in another fifteen years. Among the contingencies approved by the Commissioners with the amendment is a requirement that Front Range develop a mitigation plan should the excavation and water storage plan have any detrimental effect on domestic water wells within a 1 1/2 mile radius of the gravel pit.
Commissioner Ed Norden commended the work Front Range has done in maintaining communication with neighbors in the area. Norden said he believed the reason no citizens showed up to testify at the public hearing was directly attributable to the public relations efforts Front Range has accomplished with the neighbors. Commissioner Mike Stiehl also commended Front Range's application saying he appreciated their efforts to mitigate any water well impacts and efforts to perhaps swap some property with the B.L.M. to avoid the future negative visual impact from the granite quarry being mined so high up the mountainside.
The Commissioners also approved an extension of a conditional use permit for Fremont Paving and Redi-Mix to allow completion of reclamation of a gravel pit just north of Florence along the east side of Highway 67. Reclamation was already underway but Fremont Paving had failed to renew the permit. It will now run through June of 2010.
In other business the Commissioners:
Front Range President Michael Sheahan said once the gravel is mined out in about twelve years they would like to sell the land to perhaps a municipality that has water storage rights. A question remains whether such a lake facility could be made available for recreational uses in another fifteen years. Among the contingencies approved by the Commissioners with the amendment is a requirement that Front Range develop a mitigation plan should the excavation and water storage plan have any detrimental effect on domestic water wells within a 1 1/2 mile radius of the gravel pit.
Commissioner Ed Norden commended the work Front Range has done in maintaining communication with neighbors in the area. Norden said he believed the reason no citizens showed up to testify at the public hearing was directly attributable to the public relations efforts Front Range has accomplished with the neighbors. Commissioner Mike Stiehl also commended Front Range's application saying he appreciated their efforts to mitigate any water well impacts and efforts to perhaps swap some property with the B.L.M. to avoid the future negative visual impact from the granite quarry being mined so high up the mountainside.
The Commissioners also approved an extension of a conditional use permit for Fremont Paving and Redi-Mix to allow completion of reclamation of a gravel pit just north of Florence along the east side of Highway 67. Reclamation was already underway but Fremont Paving had failed to renew the permit. It will now run through June of 2010.
In other business the Commissioners:
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Granted a six month extension for Charles Lohnes to finalize submission of Preliminary Plan contingencies and Final Plat deficiencies for the Lands of Lohnes three lot subdivision along Illinois Avenue north of Canon City;
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Reappointed Glen Smith and John Marietta to the Fremont County Airport Industrial Park Advisory Board;
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Reappointed Danny DeGeorge to the Fremont County Tourism Council;
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Approved a resolution proclaiming March 4th as Fremont County Non-Profit Day. The program theme for this year's event is "Building Bridges for Fremont County" and is set for the afternoon of March 4th at the Holy Cross Abbey.