A sign questioning the Painted Rock Mine proposal along Johnson Lane.
The response to a proposed gravel pit at the top of Johnson Lane was overwhelmingly negative on Monday as a dozen residents opposed agreement scheduled to be heard by county commissioners on Thursday.
Ten residents posted opposition on the county’s agenda web site and The Record-Courier was included in two letters sent by residents to commissioners.
Toni Court resident Wendi Yankoskie said she has commuted down Johnson Lane since the turn of the century and is concerned about the additional truck traffic.
“As … someone who commuted daily on Johnson Lane, I am keenly familiar with bus traffic, high school drivers, and students waiting in the early morning hours for their bus to arrive and safely transport them to school,” she said in a letter to county commissioners. “More often than not, the five-mile drive on Johnson Lane was the most challenging and dangerous portion of my daily commute. The dangers and challenges with the addition of numerous 18-wheel haul trucks starting in the early morning hours, and without any mitigation efforts in place prior to the implementation of haul truck traffic only amplifies my concerns.”
She is urging commissioners to deny the agreement and move forward with the ordinance and protest of the findings.
Johnson Lane resident John Hefner said he was concerned that there is no enforcement clause in the proposed agreement.
“Knox should be required to post a bond of perhaps $25 million to insure they will have a consequence if they back out of the agreement or if their operation causes more harm to Johnson Lane than was expected,” he said. “It is to easy for them to just walk away from it without any pain.”
Negotiations began after commissioners agreed on Aug. 15 to delay approval of an ordinance banning truck traffic on the road and filed a protest of a finding of no significant impact.
Hefner said he appreciated that the county sat down with Knox.
“While I appreciate the county’s efforts to find a middle ground I believe there are still potholes in this agreement,” he said in a letter to the board. “We still do not know why they will not negotiate with current landowners to gain an easement for a road to Stockyard or to Airport Road. This should be considered the solution and the long-term goal of the county.”
Under the agreement, trucks and equipment would have to be parked at the mine site.
The maximum annual average number of trips would be limited to 60 per day. Under the agreement, the county would withdraw its protest and not adopt the truck ban ordinance.
Both the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management found no significant impact from the proposed mine on July 17.
