Marble quarry approved
Friday, April 6, 2007
During Thursday’s action session, Lyon County commissioners approved a rock quarry on land owned by a commissioner at Road 80 and Road D.
The application for the rock quarry was made by Pyramid Stone, represented by Lyon County Commissioner Bob Davis. Davis discovered high-quality marble on his property.
The Lyon County Planning and Appeals Board recommended approval of the application during March’s meeting on a 3-0 vote. Lyon County commissioners approved the quarry on a 2-0 vote with Commissioner Scott Briggs making the motion and Commission Chairman Marshall Miller seconding the motion. Davis excused himself because of his involvement with the project.
The approval comes with certain conditions. There will be no blasting, grinding or crushing of the marble. The marble will be hauled out in slabs. Two million dollars of liability insurance will be required and certain haul roads have been designated by the Lyon County Engineer.
The quarry will not be a year-round operation. The area can’t be quarried in the wintertime when there are freezing temperatures. Rock quarrying is expected to go on for two to five years.
Steve Samuelson, Lyon County zoning administrator and flood plain manager, said there were no objections to the quarry by either the public or the planning board. There was little discussion by county commissioners during Thursday’s meeting.
“No one has objected to this operation,” Samuelson said.
Also during Thursday’s meeting commissioners:
• Approved the appointment of Gary Watts as a new member to the Law Enforcement Consolidation Task Force.
• Authorized Chip Woods, county engineer, to direct BG Consultants to begin engineering design work for resurfacing Road U and Road 200 relating to Westar’s Emporia Energy Center.
• Authorized copy machine replacement in Department of Aging Services for $5,000.
• Authorized using up to $8,175 from Diversion Fund to purchase FullCase software maintenance and support contract in County Attorney’s office.
• Authorized the purchase of up to $1,700 from Diversion fund to purchase 2007 Kansas Criminal Code and 2007 Kansas Traffic Code pocket-sized books for all law enforcement in Lyon County.