Several residents of Prince William County crossed jurisdictional boundaries Monday to speak out at the Loudoun County Planning Commission work session against the proposed expansion of the Luck Stone Bull Run Quarry. In fact, the application drew enough attention that the public spilled into the hall unable to find a seat in the 37-person-capacity conference room.
For more than 20 minutes the commissioners listened to residents, mostly from Prince William, object to the application that would ultimately allow the quarry to enlarge the pit an additional 142 acres from its existing 55 acres. In all, there were three applications before the commission: a rezoning application to allow for the expansion of the operation; a special exception, which permits the quarry operation; and a rezoning application, initiated by the county Board of Supervisors, to expand the quarry notification overlay district. The quarry rezoning also includes the relocation of Route 659, which currently runs through the proposed expansion area.
All three applications passed 6-3, with commissioners Nancy Hsu (Blue Ridge), Christeen Tolle (At large) and John Herbert (Catoctin) opposed.
"If this is done, it would [decrease my property value] and cause damage, which is already being done," said Jennifer Katebini, who lives adjacent to the quarry expansion area.
Katebini said the blasting causes the glassware in her brick home to rattle now and expects an expansion to cause structural damage to her 3-year-old home.
THE EXPANDED QUARRY SITE, according to the staff report is located on both sides of Gum Springs Road (Route 659), approximately five miles south of John S. Mosby Highway (Route 50), from just south of Katebini Lane to the Prince William County line at Bull Run in the Dulles district. The expanded notification overlay district includes properties or portions of properties within 3,000 feet of the quarry expansion area.
The relocation of about 1-mile of Route 659 would take place in about 10-15 years, when the quarry begins operation in the expansion area, said staff planner Lou Mosurak. He said staff has been reviewing the application for little over a year.
In addition, Mosurak said the Western Fairfax Citizen's Association, which also borders the quarry's boundaries, has supported the expansion application. Loudoun staff, he said did not receive any written comments from their counterparts in Prince William County about the application. However, Prince William Supervisor John Stirrup, who represents the Gainesville District, which borders the portion of Loudoun County where the quarry is located, traveled to the work session with a resolution, approved by his board, requesting another public hearing on the applications. A public hearing had been held in November and drew 10 speakers, all opposed, according to Loudoun County planning documents.
ULTIMATELY, the commissioners did not feel another hearing was necessary and were satisfied, albeit not unanimously, that the quarry owners have resolved all staff concerns regarding the applications.
Hsu said she was disappointed the proffers did not go far enough in addressing neighbors’ concerns by spelling out what methods the quarry would take to mitigate its impact on the surrounding communities.
"Residents surrounding the property are concerned with blasting damaging their properties, fugitive dust and even rocks landing in their yards," Hsu said. "What is the applicant planning to do to mitigate those concerns?"
Joe Andrews, vice president of the Luck Stone Corp., said they were willing to include a copy of the quarry's operating standards in the proffer. However, Hsu did not think that was sufficient to calm residents' fears, saying residents want to know specifically what the quarry will do if their property is damaged and what the residents’ recourse may be.
"If you are doing what you say [going beyond county standards], then you shouldn't object to developing a set of criteria," Hsu said.
ART SMITH, with the county Office of Transportation Services, said the quarry generates a minimal amount of the traffic on surrounding roads and does not expect the expansion to change the numbers significantly.
"Luck Stone will be making about $6 million worth of road improvements and its trucks are only about 6 percent of the traffic," Smith said, using Virginia Department of Transportation figures. "I felt the traffic study of the applicant overstated the impact a little. ... Basically, I really think the situation is acceptable."
If approved by the Board of Supervisors, Andrews said the actual expansion into the newly approved pit area would take place over the next 10 years and would first go northward from the existing pit area. Prince William County is located to the west. Andrews also hinted there may be room to improve the application even further before it reaches the supervisors.
"Based on what you heard tonight, do you think there is room for improvement?" asked Tolle.
"Yes, ma'am," Andrews said.