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DEAR EDITOR~~ Pa~ a a saturday,, septernber .16,.2000. ;
<br />_ - The~choi~
<br />Dear Editor;
<br />The meeting of the Boazd of Commissioners
<br />concerning the proposed Line Camp gravel pit,
<br />was a.demonstration of the clear-cut choice sit-
<br />ting in the laps oC the commissioners.
<br />Despite the. attempt by the engineer repre-
<br />senting the gravel company to answer.the con-
<br />cerns, all lie could do was to show how [hey
<br />planned'to "mitigate" the many negative Impacts
<br />the prpJect will bring to the Dolores J2iver Valley:
<br />Wh11e he attempted to appease everyone with
<br />promises to reduce the visual, noise and traffic
<br />[mpacts to order to comply with state rt:gula-
<br />tions, we need look no further than tp the exist-
<br />ing gravel pits within a few miles of.the Line
<br />Camp tor. a demonstration of the inadeguaey of
<br />enforcement of those regulations. .
<br />We must depend on our county to protect us
<br />from additional damage to one of the most beau-
<br />tlful roads in America. All of us, nat Just those
<br />living adjacent to the proposed pit, tear the con-
<br />Commissioners •m
<br />ravel. it
<br />g.. .P.
<br />Dear Board of County Commissioners: ~ ~..' , .y :.
<br />If .you approve this high impact operation
<br />(Line Camp gravel pitj, you will b'e sanc~ioning
<br />60 additional huge gravel truck trips daily.,.I
<br />must assume this is a conservative figure,'stnee
<br />it was put forth by the representative for the
<br />applicant.. '
<br />Applying these conservative figures to the
<br />functipn of the existing gravel pits; less 'than
<br />three miles away, this means 170. heavy-duty
<br />trucks .would be traversing Highway 145 daily
<br />and makirrg Ingress and egress to their respec--
<br />tive'pitsr slowing to near stop and essentially'
<br />closing both traffic lanes on turns.
<br />Assuming a more than likely work day: of 10
<br />hours, that means, from just these two. gravel.
<br />pits, three miles apart, residents and.tourists
<br />would be sub)ect to the noise, slow downs, dan-.
<br />ger and pollution of a heavy truck Just about
<br />
<br />c.: s.. r .. .~ ~ "
<br />~e~:~s c ~ "~a~:~ 4',
<br />sequences of iriQreased traffic haza[da;and daur=.
<br />age to, the: peace, grid beauty along Highway 145;
<br />One after another, the opponents of the proJ-
<br />ect, both neighboring property owners and peo-
<br />ple who . aze currently. suffering.with eadsting
<br />gravel operations,' voiced their , coricerris' and '
<br />obJections. It was obvious the <vaSt maJbrlty
<br />opposes the granting of thts permit. '; ~ ~': ,
<br />The„existence.`of county I;IE leg[slation,gtoes
<br />the Board the= mandate to' act in favor of the
<br />ma)oiity and turn. dpwn the permit.. Allowing.the
<br />gravel pits on,the Lirie. Campproperty, to ughf of .
<br />the. tremendous opposition, is a clear violation.
<br />The comadssionerS are' dealing;wJth a can of
<br />worms.. If they ,grant' the permit, it tVlll deznpn-
<br />`strate;thatminority.speCt~l interesLs'aake prece-
<br />dence=over ttte'best iriterests^o( Chose who eleCt-
<br />ed them. Witt".'.eleCtion day approaching, the,yot=
<br />~,
<br />ers won'~need'aa to memo: t6Jeq they cast
<br />theik~ballots: ..,p.4:q't::i:"h{'Y`% ,.rr .-:^ ,
<br />' ' Joell{antor
<br />n w~ ~
<br />ust ~til~l~;;co~s~~er'-::
<br />t.,:..~1~:,,,1...:,t..-., . .
<br />
<br />eveiy tt}r~e mirYUtess'i t
<br />As'I 8tated.before;,this ts'probably a conserva-
<br />tive ~ 0gure. and does not even:'include, gravel
<br />trucks from the other, gravel pits along,145.and
<br />the Other normal` heavy'truek trarispo'rt. ": . '
<br />.Yours is a most serious decision. Is it fair to
<br />lmppse this amount of heavy, dangerbtis<anci~
<br />.ngisy traffic on'the orily roadw~y'avagable- to
<br />residents,' and.'tr~ addition, 'a' national .scenic
<br />byway itttltzed by.ttlurists7 .The proximity of
<br />these two gperatlon$ wou14. be'travesty on the
<br />rights and safety of both mentlgned groups..':
<br />You have ~petitlons signed by aver .100 resi-
<br />dents against .. this proposai'.. Clearly,' ..the
<br />I;aridovSner Initiated.Zoning aird your.senstblll-
<br />tles demand your refrisal of one man's appUca-
<br />tlon for a gravel complex.. .
<br />' Pat Kantor
<br />_~.
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