Quarry clears final hurdle

U.S. Aggregates will be expanding its quarry operation.

Portland Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously Wednesday to grant the company a special exception to allow mining on its about 108 acres of property that sits between county road 100 South and Tyson Road, east of county road 200 West. The special exception was the final step for the company in what has been a process that involved about seven months worth of public meetings.

“It feels very good,” said U.S. Aggregates president John Schmidt. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. So I’m anxious to get moving but very pleased that we were able to come to agreement …”

He said the company can now move forward with getting other permits in place. He noted that a sewer line will also need to be moved, adding that he’s hopeful the company can begin work clearing dirt at the new site within the next month or so.

After rezoning the property to allow the expansion of the quarry — its current site is at 2228 W. 125 South — faced vocal opposition from neighbors, Wednesday’s board of zoning appeals meeting was fairly quiet.

Schmidt reiterated that U.S. Aggregates is regulated by various state and federal agencies, including Indiana Department of Environmental Management, the Mine Safety and Health Administration and Indiana Department of Natural Resources. He also noted the various commitments the company agreed to with Portland City Council, including compensation for homeowners who are unable to sell their properties for at least 115% of the 2021 assessed value, setting hours of operation and constructing a berm at least 20 feet high.

Travis Richards, executive director of Jay County Development Corporation, spoke in favor of the special exception request, noting the economic impact of U.S. Aggregates for its employees and other businesses in the area.

No one spoke against the request at the meeting, though the board received two letters from neighbors who have been opponents of the quarry expansion.

Lee Newman, a member of the board of zoning appeals, asked several questions regarding the company’s commitments, including details about the hours of operation, berms and dust control. He also raised a question about enforcement of the commitments. Portland city attorney Bill Hinkle assured him that they are binding and can be enforced by the city.

Fellow board member Larry Petro clarified that the home value guarantee is valid for a seven-year period.

Board members Kyle Cook, Susie Schutz, Aaron Loy, Newman and Petro voted in favor of granting the special exception.

Expansion of the quarry has been discussed in various public meetings since February, with Portland Plan Commission first giving a negative recommendation in April and then, after modifications, recommending approval of the request in July. The request then moved to Portland City Council, which approved the rezoning last month.

U.S. Aggregates estimates that it has just a few years worth of material left at its current site. The new site is projected to extend the life of the quarry by about 30 years.