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PAGE L 1HURSDAY. FEBRUARY 1, 2UUl
<br />This editorial does not mean that I
<br />am in favor or not in favor of gravel
<br />pits. It means that there are other sides
<br />to the issue. I find it interesting that no
<br />one has even deemed one issue impor-
<br />tant enough to mention.
<br />For some reason, people seem stuck
<br />on the idea that the economy here re-
<br />lies solely on tourists, and that gravel
<br />pits in the river corridor will affect that.
<br />What about the people (equipment op-
<br />erators, truck drivers, contractors, sub-
<br />contractors, their employees) whose
<br />livelihoods directly or indirectly de-
<br />pend on the gravel pits? Are these
<br />people not an important part of the com-
<br />munity, too?
<br />They live here yeaz round -they
<br />spend here, and pay taxes here. They
<br />rent, or have purchased homes, ve-
<br />hicles, clothing, and food, here. They
<br />send their children to school here. They,
<br />too, help in cleaning up the highways,
<br />and volunteer in the communities and
<br />schools here. They hope to retire here,
<br />too.
<br />It would definitely have an adverse
<br />affect on the economy if these people
<br />had to move out of the county to make
<br />a living. If my information is correct
<br />on the Line Camp gravel pit alone -
<br />that affects somewhere around 200
<br />families.
<br />I realize Iwon't be the most populaz
<br />person this-week, but here goes. I'm
<br />plain tired of all the backbiting concern-
<br />ing the gravel pits. Why not spend your
<br />energy working together, taking posi-
<br />five steps, instead of fighting?
<br />The Commissioners asked that the
<br />neighbors to Line Camp form a an im-
<br />partial advisory committee, to oversee
<br />the oir. it i.c ro he made un of one of rhP.
<br />neighbors, a person from the Dolores
<br />River Valley, and a person from the
<br />Town of Dolores. Where is this com-
<br />mittee?
<br />The "Scenic Byway" up the Dolores
<br />River Valley really isn't, because of all
<br />tite (aesthetically unpleasing) "no tres-
<br />passing", "keep out", "private prop-
<br />erty", and "private drive" signs now
<br />hanging on gates and fences the length
<br />cif the valley. There is very little wild-
<br />life, and very few pastures and mead-
<br />ows left; they aze being displaced by
<br />subdivisions and big houses, which
<br />don't blend in to the scenery any more
<br />titian gravel pits.
<br />The traffic and the speeding on
<br />county roads and highways have in-
<br />creased dramatically, due in lazge part
<br />to the increase in population.
<br />A major fact is being ignored: the
<br />Commissioners set a precedence with
<br />Line Camp. They require: an advisory
<br />committee; owners and operators to get
<br />ALL permits; put up a $10,000 bond to
<br />be used for noxious weed, dust, and
<br />noise control; pay for highway, wild-
<br />life, weed, and other surveys, and live
<br />up to their reclamation promises. Re-
<br />quirements also involve [he Length,
<br />times, and days of operation. If they
<br />don't entirely hold up to their end of
<br />the bargain, they don't get county per-
<br />mits, or they can lose the permits and
<br />their bond after operations begin.
<br />Picture it... a gravel pit on a scenic
<br />byway -abandoned halfway through
<br />operations.. .
<br />- sd
<br />THE RIGHT TO RETIRE
<br />Dear Editor: .
<br />John E. Akin has lived here all his
<br />r life, he is NOT a newcomer, in fact, he
<br />IC is third generation. If the commission-
<br />* ers were asked if a whorehouse or a
<br />y.: crack house could be approved, the
<br />:~. owner would NOT be able to do with
<br />~ his land as he wanted.
<br />V Akin lives next to the gravel pits on
<br />Q one side, and he did not protest when
<br />they were going for the permits. Now
<br />~ that he is getting ready to retire, build-
<br />0' ing a new home which he already has
<br />moved once because the pits were go-
<br />~ tng in front of the new house, he would
<br />1[ke to spend his retirement without the
<br />noise, pollution, dead trees and aitnoy-
<br />ing lights on all night long. There is
<br />nothing he can do to protect the ani-
<br />mals that he no longer sees in his al-
<br />falfa field, and he can't get away from
<br />the ugly views of the pits, but he does
<br />deserve to enjoy a quiet life on his
<br />ranch. And, he is entitled, after ranch-
<br />ing for 59 yeazs to be able to have peace
<br />and quiet,
<br />We invite you to come and spend a
<br />weekend with us, after feeding cows
<br />and sheep all week, we would love to
<br />truly enjoy a quiet relaxing Sunday.
<br />~ That is if we could, but for the last 4
<br />years we hear nothing but crushing,
<br />;smell nothing but dust and smoke, and
<br />tf we try and go to town, wcks speed-
<br />ing up and down a small country road,
<br />which we have to pull over and stop
<br />while they go by. Yes one already did
<br />hit my wck.
<br />If your statement was true, why did
<br />the commissioners not let the owner of
<br />the 160 acres, do his subdivision out in
<br />Yellow Jacket. The commissioners
<br />have choosen (sic) whom they want to
<br />"do with their land as they want". It is
<br />not fair to let one person do what they
<br />want, and another to be told they can't.
<br />We now have Landowners Initiated
<br />Zoning. The Line Camp paid taxes on
<br />agriculture, with 3 acres as a business.
<br />It was not zoned commercial or indus-
<br />trial. In fact, the owner choose (sic) not
<br />to zone at all. The commissioners do
<br />not have the right to zone as they please.
<br />Carol A. Steoe
<br />THURSDAY, FEBRUARY I, ZBOI
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<br />Dolores Star ~%
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