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<br />In a meeting on August 9, 1994 with Mazk Sprague, Zoning Inspector, Paul Blisk, Assistant Zoning <br />Administrator, Wayne Tatman of COM Inc., Gwen Fraser of COM Inc., and Tim Hartley of Durango <br />Metals Inc., it was stated that no one had received the Land Use Department's letter of April 28, 1992, <br />and that Swede Johnson did not work for COM Inc. at that time. <br />On August 22, 1994, the Land Use Department sent a letter to Gwen Fraser of COM Inc., restating and <br />further clarifying the Zoning Administrator's determination regarding the milling of ore. COM Inc, is <br />now appealing that determination. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Zonine Administrator's determination reeazdine millin <br />Article 3-101 (5) of the Boulder County Zoning Resolution states that subsurface mining is a use by right <br />in the Forestry District. It does not state that milling is a use by right. it is common, however, for uses <br />of property to involve ancillary activities and/or structures which may facilitate or otherwise enhance the <br />efficiency of the principal use. The Zoning Resolution permits such subordinate accessory uses to take <br />place on a property where that principal use occurs. <br />The definition of a mining operation found in Article 28-259 is intended to specify those activities which <br />are associated with mining, and those which are not. The fact that certain activities would be included <br />within the scope of a mining operation does not mean that they could be substituted for the act of mining <br />itself. The occurrence of one of these associated activities, exclusive of all others, does not become a <br />principal use by right because of its association with mining. If the purpose of the Zoning Resolution <br />were to allow them as principal uses by right, they would be specifically and explicitly listed under <br />Article 3-101, and not grouped under accessory uses. <br />In listing operations that are included in the term "mining operation", Article 2$-259 specifies their <br />occurrence on "affected lands." Affected lands are those lands that are affected by the execution of the <br />principal use on the property. The boundaries of such affected lands would be established by the limits <br />of the permitted use. <br />When Mark Steen approached the Land Use Departmen[ with his initial proposal, and later to expand, <br />he gave specific representation of the areas he intended to mine. The building permits and use permits <br />issued by the Land Use Department were subsequent to and based on letters submitted by Mr. Steen that <br />disclosed the spatial parameters of his intended activities. These documents are contained in the building <br />permit files. <br />The Land Use Department went further in establishing such limits when application was made for a <br />permit to "remodel" the 8400 square foot "storage building" and convert it to a mill. This permit, BP <br />94-1213, contained the stipulations "To Process minerals extracted from the property only" and "Milling <br />Accessory to underground mining on the same property only -- no custom milling using imported ore." <br />The term "custom milling" has been used both by the Land Use Department and by the State of Colorado <br />in their dealings with the Gold Hill Mill. It is impoRant to note that these agencies do not share the <br />same definition of this term. The use of the term by the Land Use Department refers to the milling of <br />ore that has been transported from outside affected lands. According to the State of Colorado Division <br />of Minerals and Geology, milling would not be considered custom milling unless the ore came from a <br />site that was not permitted in the name of the mill operator or an approved affiliate (see letter of October <br />7, 1992), There are essentially no geographical boundazies. <br />