MMRB Minutes

MEETING
CITY OF WALKER
MINERAL MINING REVIEW BOARD
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
3:30 p.m.

The meeting of the Mineral Mining Review Board was called to order by Steve Versluis, Chairman at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall 4243 Remembrance Rd., N.W., Walker, Michigan.

Members present: Steve Versluis, Chairman; Frank Wash; Mark Koning; Scott Conners; and Gary Voogt. Also present: Jeff Nelson, Building Official; Dick Denney, Building Dept.; Bonnie Broadwater, Engineering Dept; and Bonnie Antcliff, Secretary.

Cordes Trenching has requested approval for a new mineral mining license.

Property located at 2605 Bristol Ave., also known on the tax rolls as 41-13-10-201-003.

Applicant & Cordes Trenching, Inc.

Mining Cont: 7305 Baumhoff, NW

Grand Rapids, Mi. 49544

Owners: Same

Steve Versluis, Acting Chairman reviewed the application submitted.

Brad Meyers, Meyers, Bueche & Nies stated that he is the Engineer for this site. He went on to say that this will be a 3 phase operation. Some of the main concerns here are ingress and egress to the site. 3 Mile was decided to be used rather than coming out onto Bristol, which is a residential area. The first phase is taken off of 3 Mile and cutting through the bank, a steep cut. We are trying to keep storm water and sedimentation controls to a minimum. By running the road the way we have it, it collects in the middle of the site. Everything will be contained within the the site with the 1^st, 2^nd, and most of the 3^rd phase of the project. There are some dramatic cuts as far as the middle of the site is concerned. We are lowering it to the levels of the adjacent properties.

There is an existing 12 in. sanitary sewer on the site and we are staying to the east of that to stay away from it at this point in time. There is a big buffer between the sanitary and drainage course that runs through there, to the west of the existing sanitary sewer. We decided to leave that buffer there for any storm water issues. To the east toward Bristol, we are grading down and leveling to the current conditions of Bristol, maintaining the buffers that the City requires. Berming will be used if needed. Right now we are hollowing out the whole site. It is going to be sometime before we get up to the Bristol area.

The main entrance is proposed off of 3 Mile. It will be paved back to meet the City ordinance, there will be curb and gutter M type opening onto 3 Mile. We have some grading where we are matching contours to the south in the southerly parcel. Other than that, everything will be contained within this parcel with the buffers along the property lines.

Jeff Nelson stated that we had a question about the 30 ft. buffer line and we have not received a $25,000 bond or letter of credit from the applicant.

Frank Wash asked if they had a plan for the end use of this property?

Mr. Meyers replied that at this time they did not know. A lot will be the zoning and what is happening in the neighborhood. He went on to say that right now they are trying to lay this out so that it will match the existing ground adjacent to the property.

Frank Wash asked if they were planning to undercut this mine and then filling to get back to the reclamation contours?

Mr. Meyers replied that they may cut down a few feet if there is material that they could get brought into the site. This is set up for existing grades now and we will cut to that level.

If there is a need for material to come in, we will do that but we will try to balance what we take out and what we bring in.

Scott Conners asked if they would have a problem with the Board allowing only a 5 ft. maximum undercut?

Mr. Wisniewski does not want to be held to that. He went on to say that they are not trying to dig a big pit but if soil goes back in, it would be compacted and suitable for building.

Scott Conners replied that we want to discourage undercutting because we have had some instances in the past where people are going to turn the property over at a later date and we know that they have undercut 15 or 20 ft. and we are not out there everyday watching the fill going in. You could very well turn this over to a residential builder and walk away.

We have an obligation to the public to keep an eye on this. That may be a condition.

Mr. Meyers stated that if we see a need for a lot of material coming out of here, then we would come back with another plan showing what will be coming out. Right now we have set it up for 5 ft. undercut.

Mr. Meyers stated we will use suitable fill if we need it.

Gary Voogt asked if this is dry sand or is there a water table here?

Mr. Meyers replied it is dry and any water is way down.

Gary Voogt asked if this is good sand?

Mr. Meyers replied that we have not had it tested but it appears to be good. He went on to say that we have set up this plan to meet the standards of the City which is a one on five slope. Both the sand and the property end use have been taken into consideration.

Scott Conners stated that at the south end of the driveway, there is no buffer between the Dean Boiler or Joseph Molner property.

Mr. Meyers replied that we are treating that as an ingress, egress drive to get into the site.

Scott Conners replied that we may want to get a determination on this from the City attorney because he felt it is the heart of the mining operation. If both parties were to sign off there would be no problem.

Frank Wash said the ordinance states that the Mining Board has the ability to alter those standards if they feel there is not a negative impact on adjacent properties. He would like to hear from the adjacent property owners that it would be OK.

Mr. Meyers stated that there have been talks between Mr. Wisnewski and the gentleman that owns Dean Boiler. There is a berm between the two properties and that will probably be eliminated. There will be a significant grade change that will also act as a buffer.

Scott Conners replied that we have worked hard over the years to make sure there is actual distance there and it takes into account vegetation, and dust control. Unless our attorney says something else, he would like to see a 30 ft. strip there. We encourage you to look at this seriously.

Mr. Meyers stated that they felt that it would be better to come out of the site onto 3 Mile rather than Bristol. Coming out onto Bristol is a heavy residential area and they have tried to stay away from that.

Steve Versluis stated that this is across from a charter school and traffic moves along quickly here.

Mr. Meyers replied that the normal operation of a mine is not all year long and most will take place after school is out for the summer.

Gary Voogt replied that when you are on 3 Mile you are in a valley and you can see a long way in both directions. Anytime you can exit in a valley would be a good thing.

Scott Conners felt that the Board should ask the engineer to provide a site distance calculation for us. He was concerned about this type of vehicle having enough time to get out onto 3 Mile Rd.

Steve Versluis stated that he was concerned about traffic, noise, and dust on this site because it has a big impact on a location like this.

Scott Conners stated that we are going to have to get a soil erosion plan for this. He went on to say that they should think about the dust issue. They will have to show sedimentation traps and perhaps a straw blanket.

Mr. Meyers replied that we have tried to have everything as far as run off to be contained on site. Dust has to be watered to control it.

Scott Conners stated that with the soil erosion plan, you should take a look at structural type things like wind or snow fences.

Steve Versluis asked at what point do we need to talk about an end use for the property?

Frank Wash replied that the property is currently zoned for low density residential, master plan for medium density residential. With that in mind, we should limit potential undercutting because we do not want to have a huge hole in the ground that makes any future use difficult. We almost require the valley cross section with the one on five side slopes. This reclamation plan looks pretty stabile.

Gary Voogt asked if the soil erosion permit has a wind plan?

Scott Conners replied that we have to take the wind into account but typically we react to that. We are not proactively looking at that. He felt that this needed to be taken into account on this site now.

Gary Voogt stated that we may need some temporary quick vegetation or some cross trenches here.

Mr. Meyers stated that we have this set up for 3 phases. When we get done with a phase, it will get top soiled and seeded. The whole site will not be stripped and blowing, that is not going to happen. This will be a 6 year operation and hopefully sooner.

Frank Wash stated that he felt that one of the conditions we should be looking at is that Phase 1 would be completely finished before Phase 2 could begin. We don’t want to have new ground opened up before reclaiming.

Scott Conners moved and Frank Wash supported the motion to open the public hearing.

Motion carried 5 to 0.

Mike Taylor 2540 Walker Woods Ct. stated that he felt this was going to cut through his backyard and he went on to say that right now, when he looks out his backdoor, all he sees is forest. Is this all going to be one big sand pit?

Frank Wash stated that is why we are talking about a phased plan. They would not be allowed to open the whole site at once. They have 3 phases shown on their plan. There is a no disturb buffer that is required of no grading and no clearing and that in the ordinance is 30 ft. around the perimeter of the site. From the 30 ft. in they have to establish a gentle slope down to the floor.

Mr. Wisniewski stated that if this gentleman can look out his backdoor and see woods, that is not the part of the property that we will be working on. There is corn on that ground now and will continue so. We are keeping ground cover as much as we can and this will be a clean operation.

Dave Hoffstra, Michigan Family Resources asked how far the west property line is from Walker Ave?

Mr. Cordes replied it is about a half a mile.

Tyler Korfhage, Mol Industries, Waldorf Ct. asked about the future use of this property. He would like to see the property rezoned to Light Industrial as a lot of the property around it is Light Industrial. When you mix Light Industrial with Residential you

run into problems. Like Walker Woods Ct. which butts up to our property. We were there first as a company and we get complaints about noise and the third shift etc. He does not

want to see more Residential in this area. There is a large hill behind our property. He asked are they required to leave that?

Mr. Meyers stated that at this point in time it will remain. The owners will deal directly with the neighbors in regard to grading easements and come to an agreement with the City and the neighbors.

Frank Wash stated that the area to the north of Mol Industries is Master Planned for office, it could probably be Light Industrial. Right now it is undetermined.

Frank Wash moved and Gary Voogt supported the motion to close the public hearing.

Motion carried 5 to 0.

Frank Wash asked if this sand was spoken for or is it a proposed market resource?

Mr. Meyers stated that it is open to the market.

Scott Conners stated that this looks like a good plan for a mining site.

Gary Voogt stated that 750,000 yards is a lot of dirt to move in 6 years so he did not feel this will be finished in 6 years.

Mark Koning stated that he felt that the truck routing should be to Walker Ave. and be restricted so that there is no movement to the east.

Scott Conners moved and Gary Voogt supported the motion to approve the mineral mining license at 2605 Bristol until February 28, 2006.

The Board imposed the following conditions:

A $25,000 bond be posted.

A 30 ft. no disturb on entrance/exit to 3 Mile Rd. or letters from the neighbors voiding the need.

5 ft. undercut maximum.

A phased soil erosion control plan with wind erosion plan and soil erosion permit.

Variance on driveway cut on 3 Mile.

Stormwater permit with culvert details, sedimentation, drainage under haul road at station 28+00.

Site distance calculations for egress.

Phased reclamation with Phase 1 totally reclaimed before Phase 2 permit is granted.

Sign at entrance stating hours of operation & truck route to the west only.

Motion carried 5 to 0.

Scott Conners moved and Mark Koning supported the motion to adjourn the Mineral Mining Board of Review at 4:45 p.m.

Motion carried 5 to 0.

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