2009-06-29_REVISION - M2001023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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requirements in regard to slope changes, wildlife, agriculture, and water-based vegetation. He noted that the operation was a wet pit so probably would not affect air quality. He said that maintenance of the cottonwoods was not addressed by the Planning Commission but conditions from the original permit related to the water table and cut-off walls were included in the present recommended conditions of approval and were to apply as well to the expansion area. He stated that the Mine Plan had been changed to reduce the ;amount of flow to the cottonwoods in the mined area. In regard to the gas line that crossed the property, Mr. Easterling said that Xcel would negotiate an agreement after thE. amendment permit application had been approved. Mr. Vanderbloemen described the project using an aerial photograph of the mined and the proposed expansion areas. He indicated the two or three electrical poles that would have to be relocated or mined around and stated that the underground gas line easement was not negotiable until a permit had been approved; that significant measures had been taken to screen the pit from Milner residents; that the current permit ensured that no disturbance of existing cottonwoods would occur; that west of the existing mining area had good reserves of between 25-to-30 feet of gravel so part of the request was to expand the existing mining operations to that area to mine and move via conveyor belt gravel to the processing area; that the property encompassed approximately eighty acres, part of which was owned by the State of Colorado, and the remainder by Camilletti and Sons, and that a mineral lease was in effect with the State, which would receive some royalties if the amendment were approved; that part of the amendment was to modify the hours and days of operation to increase times and days that the crusher could operate and hauling could occur, and to increase the existing area's disturbed allowance from 25 acres to 35 acres to mine west of the existing area and use the existing mined area for stockpiling of the fifteen products produced) at the mine, for a processing area, and for enhancement of haul trucks' safety, and to add 25 acres of disturbance for the expansion area on the south side of Trout Creek, which would only be accessed by Precision's personnel, and the products from which would be conveyed to the current mining area; that the pit was not visible from Highway 40; that approval of the proposed expansion area would preserve other potential expansion sites that would endanger cottonwoods; that only a small grove of cottonwoods would be affected in the crescent area of the proposed expanded existing area so some exfiltration would occur but could be limited by restricting the face that could be exposed, by using the overburden from a newly-exposed wall area to cover the previously exposed wall area to function as a water retention device, and that leached water could be pumped up to water those trees; that the current permit required severe and expensive mitigation measures to preserve the cottonwoods but the quality, number, and value of the trees did not warrant the inclusion of such extreme measures in the amendment; that setbacks would be fifty feet from any cottonwoods; that the Planning Commissioners who went on the site visit had seen the habitat areas preserved, the existing screening, and the lack of visual impacts of the proposal, all of which was perhaps why the Planning Commission had been quick to recommend approval of the amendment without the imposition of severe mitigation measures; that some of the proposed area was in the flood fringe but none was in the floodway and that fuel tanks were encased In concrete walls and located out of the floodplain; that in seven years of mining, the Camillettis had experienced little movement in the banks of Trout Creek; that water levels had not been affected by the Page 2009-293 May 26, 2009 Routt County Board of County Commissioners' Minutes