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county <br />sued <br />over - <br />gravel <br />mine <br />BY .TI11~ hIIhDAGA <br />JOURNAL STAFF WRITER <br />The Montezuma County <br />commissioners are being sued <br />for their unanimous approval <br />in September of a controversial <br />gravel pit in the Dolores River <br />Valley. <br />Cazol Stepe and Jack Akin <br />c Hied a summons and complaint <br />~. o against the commission, claim- <br />-~ ing that the approval of the <br />aNi lazge gravel-mine operation by <br />o Four States ~,gregate violates <br />~ U language in the county land- <br />(, L use code. <br />~!- Over the objections of a <br />number of valley residents, the <br />commissioners approved a <br />high-impact permit for the <br />project, which would take <br />approximately 130,000 to <br />150,000 tons of gravel per yeaz <br />from the 19-acre site over the <br />next flue years. <br />the' courity'`commissioners oti '.land at 4He 'lane <br />Rather than deny the permit <br />outright, the commissioners, <br />put restrictions on the .permif <br />destgned_to mitigate. its nega- <br />tive effects, such as noise,'dust <br />and truck traffic. They limited <br />its hours ofi operation and <br />required a $1tl,000 peiiorm- <br />arice bond for reclamation after <br />the'five yeazs are up. <br />upon receiVii%g ,.the com~ <br />plaint, .,filed in- distiict court <br />Nov. ]6,• the commissioners <br />said. they would be `meeting <br />with county; .attorney::•Bob <br />Slough'to form their resporise <br />within the allotted,;20-day .time <br />period.:.Co>nmisaioners Gene <br />Story, Kent T;indsay'and Kelly <br />Willson are named: as; defer= <br />dants.: .... , ... ~ , <br />Plalritiffs 'Siege and ;Akin; <br />See SITED o11 Page 6A <br />Sued Con <br />who reside ne.~ct door <br />approved gravel mine, <br />resented by attorn <br />Tuthill. They aze asl <br />court to invalida <br />approved high-impact <br />because Stepe and A <br />be substantially affecte <br />noise of the gravel of <br />pollution, and dust pa <br />.The complaint cites <br />lowing as other rea <br />'overthrow the Conti <br />.high-impact permit: <br />• The land-use code <br />language that indica <br />purpose of the code <br />tect(ing) the rural cha <br />the county" through <br />bons "appropriate f. <br />areas." <br />According .to the c <br />complaint states, tho <br />dazds are designed to <br />that develdpmen[ d <br />cause significant <br />impacts" on netghbori <br />ernes in a way that i <br />"risk to health, safety <br />fare of citizens," <br />advefsely reduces nei <br />-:property values. <br />• Stepe and Akin po <br />alleged proceduralfac <br />application process fni <br />Va] Truelson, the la <br />leasing land to Fou <br />I Aggregate Cor the pu <br />mining gravel. ACcordi <br />complaint, Truelson ~ <br />application for a `le <br />mit," a simple notlce~f <br />tthe county that under <br />signifies either proc <br />• <br />C~ <br />