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770 Steamboat Valley Road P.O. Box 994 Lyons, CO 80540 May ] 4, ] 999 Chris Toebe Boulder County Land Use Dept. P.O. Box 471 Boulder, CO 80306 Dear Mr. Toebe: This document and the associated maps address issues regarding the proposed expansion of the Sprague Red Lyons Quazry, current Pemnit No. M-81-057. These opinions are mine and unless otherwise stated, do not represent the views of any lazger group. The Spragues wish to expand their operation, presently at 9.9 acres, to include their entire 60 acre property. [feel that some expansion in the quarried area is warranted. Certainly portions of the property have a legacy of quartying and demand for the Lyons flagstone is high. On the other hand, I have several areas of concern which are outlined below. Regional Setting The "Regional Map" shows the approximate location of the Sprague Property in context with its surroundings. Steamboat Mountain to the west has been designated as a Natural Landmazk in the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan. Eagle Canyon snakes through the western portion of the property and is an important seasonal water source for wildhfe. Virtually the entire property drains into Eagle Canyon. The property lies within Steamboat Valley which is bounded on the east by Eagle Ridge. The Town of Lyons lies approximately one mile south of the property. Local Features The "Sprague Property" map shows the approximate property boundary in detail with important geographic features named and existing and proposed home sites labeled. The air photo shows the current and historical mining legacy of the property. These quarries are roughly aligned in a north-south swath through the center of the properly. The east and west sides of the property show little evidence of previous quany activity. The map also demonsaates the increasingly residential nature of the area. Slope Issues The "Slope Map" shows the estimated slope steepness for the property and surrounding areas based on the USGS ] 0 meter resolution digiud elevation model (DEM) for the Lyons Quadrangle. The map illustrates the steep drop-0ff into Eagle Canyon on the west, as well as the steepening flank of Eagle Ridge on the eastern side. Quarrying the steep slopes could lead to increased run-off due to removal of existing vegetation. Also, in areas when; the the soil overburden has not been removed, increased erosion (and downstream sedimentation) may occur. Compliance Issue - Is the Cure Worse than the Disease? A letter from the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology and included in the expansion submittal, details a disturbance area outside; of the permitted area that was cited as a violation to the current permit. The subsequent Reclamation Pliin (Exhibit E Page 2 of the submittal) developed to bring the operation into compliance will cause more problems than it will solve. The plan would certainly be a financial burden to the applicant, causing them to dirveR time and resources away from their quarrying operation. Furthermore, creating a road into Eagle Canyon in order to remove larger stones would be excessively