Granite Falls appeals gravel mine expansion

Published 12:01 am Friday, January 14, 2011

GRANITE FALLS — The city is trying to stop a local gravel company from almost tripling the size of its mining operation.

Too much truck traffic will be added to the intersection of Alder Avenue and Pioneer Street, the city said in its Jan. 3 hearing brief detailing an appeal to Snohomis

h County, which has final approval on the project.

Menzel Lake Gravel is located on county land near Swartz Lake about a mile outside of town. To expand, the company is seeking permission for up to 200 truck trips per day. Right now, the limit is 68.

Owner Rob Hild applied to the county to expand his 51-acre business north, west and south to 283 acres.

The city worries that the nearest intersection being used by the trucks will not be big enough to handle so many trips, according to city engineer Warren Perkins, who was quoted in the city’s brief. Big gravel trucks that turn east, and those that turn north, take up room in the oncoming traffic lane on Alder Avenue, or cut across private property on the northwest corner of the intersection.

“This is an unsafe situation now, which will be exacerbated with increased traffic from the quarry,” Perkins said. Neither Mayor Haroon Saleem nor City Attorney Paul McMurray returned a reporter’s phone calls this week.

After the city filed an earlier appeal, Snohomish County Public Works staff evaluated the intersection and determined that it is able to handle an increase in truck traffic, according to Clay White, director of Snohomish County Planning and Development Services.

“The road should be able to handle the increased traffic without any significant adverse effects,” he said. “Planning and Development Services and Public Works have determined that the road does not need further improvements at this time.”

Menzel Lake Gravel’s attorney, Duana Kolouskova, noted that the expansion calls for about half the land to be environmentally protected. Of the 232 additional acres, 91 acres will be for expanded mining and the rest preserved.

“That detail’s critical,” Kolouskova said. “We’re planning to protect 141 acres. The way its been oriented is to keep the expansion outside buffers and critical areas, to protect those permanently.”

The county is requiring a 50-foot mining setback to obscure views and buffer noise. Other recommendations to limit noise include restricting gravel pit operations from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with sales only occurring on Saturdays. The county also will require that $50,764 in mitigation fees be paid to Granite Falls for the additional traffic, White said.

Honey Spencer, who lives in the Pilchuck East neighborhood off Menzel Lake Road, doesn’t want to see more trucks in her neighborhood.

“It’s not a big enough intersection for them to maneuver their trucks through,” she said.

Spencer said she’s seen trucks coming to and from the gravel pit that have to use two lanes when turning. She and her teenage daughter also have had to back down roads to give trucks more room when they are trying to make the turn.

Truck traffic affects everyone who lives by the quarry and within city limits, Spencer added. Her family is used to the traffic near their home but she doesn’t want to see more.

“(Truck traffic has) just always been a part of everything,” she said. “We’ve adjusted to what’s there. I’d just like to see it stay where it’s at and not increase.”

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.