A Wright County Planning Commission hearing on a permit for a gravel pit southwest of Annandale will be postponed this week, administrator Tom Salkowski said. The planning board opened the hearing March 18 in Buffalo on an application by Annandale Rock Products and continued it to Thursday, April 29. But Salkowski said late last week the board will delay resuming the hearing to allow ARP to develop more extensive and more detailed plans for the mining operation. The board will set the case over to Thursday, May 20, or May 27, at the Wright County Courthouse Annex in Buffalo, he said. The planning commission has asked ARP for more detailed plans on dust and noise measures, berms around the pit and defining the borders of wetlands. It needs better plans in order to act one way or another on the request for a conditional use permit, Salkowski said. ARP wants to mine gravel and operate a crusher and wash plant on 38.5 acres east of County Road 3 and south of 67th Street NW in Southside Township. Lawyer hired Area landowner Jim Hudson has hired a lawyer to persuade the board to turn down the permit request. He has said all adjacent landowners are upset about the proposal. ARP officials Tim and Jon Ferrell have said the company’s plans won’t have a large impact on the neighboring properties. Area resident Kevin Geisinger, meanwhile, said he plans to submit a petition to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency requesting that it ask the planning commission to require ARP to do an Environmental Assessment Worksheet on the proposed gravel operation. If required, the applicant would fill out the EAW, and the MPCA would ask for comment by government departments and individuals during a 30-day period. At least 25 signatures are needed, but Geisinger said he hopes to get all opponents to sign the petition.
