Addison Independent
August 28, 2009

J.P. Carrara alters gravel pit plan with neighbors' aid

By John Flowers

MIDDLEBURY -- The Middlebury Development Review Board (DRB) on Sept. 14 will revisit an expansion plan for the J.P. Carrara & Sons gravel pit off School House Hill Road that is significantly smaller than the proposal the company originally floated two years ago.

It was during the summer of 2007 that Carrara announced plans to phase out gravel extraction at its current 23.4-acre pit, located to the immediate east of School House Hill Road  At the same time, the company proposed to extend extraction operations on 15.3 acres to the east of its existing pit, and another 5 acres to the west of School House Hill road.  Plans also called for upwards of 90 truck trips per day from the gravel pit, for a total of up to 4,500 per year.

Those plans drew opposition from many East Middlebury residents who feared the plan would add truck traffic, noise, exhaust fumes and safety concerns to an already busy East Main Street, School House Hill Road and Route 116.

Carrara officials were granted a recess in the review process in order to revisit their application and try to address neighbors' concerns.  What ensued was a two-year process through which neighborhood and Carrara representatives commissioned experts to weigh in on potential issues associated with the project -- such as traffic, air quality and pedestrian safety.  What emerged from this was a revised gravel pit application submitted to the DRB on Aug. 21 that calls, for among other things:
-A reduced expansion area for gravel extraction.  The company is proposing to confine its expansion to 8.6 acres on the east side of the current pit (to the east of School House Hill Road).  Off the table is the proposed expansion of 4.5 acres on the west side of School House Hill Road.
- Up to 75 truck trips per day at the gravel pit, for a maximum of 3,500 per year -- around 1,000 less than had been most recently proposed.

Carrara and neighborhood representatives have also agreed, among other things, that:
-All trucks and equipment operating at the pit will be inspected daily for fuel leaks.  In addition, loaded trucks would be covered leaving or entering the pit.
- The first 500 feet of the pit access road off of School House Hill road would be paved.  The company had previously proposed less paving of that access road.
- A six-foot-high geo-textile fence would installed at the top of the slope around all active extraction areas to help capture dust.
- Noise -- including backup signals -- from trucks would be muted to the greatest extent possible.  No engine brakes would be used unless required for safety.
- Tree clearing operations would be limited between Nov. 1 and April 1 each year in order to not interfere with possible roosting of Indiana bats.
- A four-foot-high ornamental fence would be erected around the eastern and northern perimeter of the community playground off School House Hill Road to maximize safety for the children who play there.
- The state of Vermont would be encouraged to install additional crosswalks across East Main Street (Route 125) and Route 116.
- The community would receive e-mail updates on planned activities at the gravel pit, along with an annual Carrara/neighborhood gathering.

Neighborhood representatives said they were very pleased with how Carrara has been willing to modify its application to meet local concerns.

"I would like to thank J.P. Carrara & Sons for truly embracing this process with us," Susan Shashok, the neighborhoods' main spokesperson, said in a letter to the community.  "I also want to thank all the interested parties who contributed over 1,200 participation hours to this project and the many others who gave such great support from the sidelines.  Regardless of the outcome, we are the beneficiaries of a very unique community experience that directly addresses East Middlebury concerns while still respecting JPC's business."

Shashok was unavailable for comment as the Addison Independent went to press on Wednesday.

East Middlebury residents Ruth Hardy and Jason Mittell were also actively involved in the talks with Carrara -- particularly on issues related to pedestrian and child safety.

"I've been extremely impressed with the process over the past two years," Hardy said on Tuesday.  "This (process) could be a model for how neighborhoods and companies could work together ... I think Carrara has been very open to listening to concerns and very open to addressing those concerns."

The Rev. Steve Jewett, an East Middlebury resident and former chairman of the community's Prudential Committee, gave great credit to Shashok and J.P. Carrara & Sons spokesman Bill Townsend for working through the many difficult issues.

"We really tried to maximize public participation," said Jewett, who was very active in the early stages of the community's reaction to the pit application.

"We are very grateful to the group of East Middlebury residents that have given their time and consideration to this process," Townsend said.  "We received a lot of valuable input from both the community and the expert consultants that worked with us, and I hope our amended application fairly represents a balance that allows us to continue our operations in a way that minimizes any impacts to the community."

COLLABORATION
The past two years of talks figures to reduce the extent of community criticism about the project, though people with any comments will be able to weigh in on the revised Carrara pit application beginning at the Sept. 14 meeting set for 7 p.m. in the Ilsley Library meeting room.

Middlebury Town Planner Fred Dunnington said he's pleased the developer and neighborhood have apparently been able to resolve many of their differences.

"What is unusual here is that the applicant has taken quite an extended time to work with residents and interested persons on their concerns," Dunnington said.  Particularly unusual is that they decided to hire consultants jointly.  This collaborative process would seem to be easier for all involved than a contested process, where you can have opposing experts."