Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 117, No. 24	June 17 , 2009

Magistrates seek motion to direct quarry rezoning

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

After listening to Battletown resident Brenda Brown for two consecutive meetings, members of the Meade County Fiscal Court sought to acquire some additional tax receipts.

The receipts would arrive if the operators of the Meade County Quarry could achieve the necessary rezoning to crush rock on-site. The current zoning only allows blasting.

Quarry officials sought a rezoning of the parcel, but withdrew the application before members of the Fiscal Court had a chance to decide it.

However, the motion to direct the rezoning failed in a 3-2 vote. Casting dissenting votes were Magistrates Tony Staples, Randall Hardesty and Mark Hubbard.

Magistrate Herbie Chism was absent from the June 9 meeting and county Judge Executive Harry Craycroft abstained on the ballot.

Magistrate Tom Goddard asked if the Court could suggest to the Planning and Zoning Commission they complete the rezoning.

County Attorney Margaret Matney said they could do so, but she didn’t know for certain what the vote would be.

Goddard moved to request the commission to rezone the land to the permissible use allowable for the crushing of rock. His motion was supported by Magistrate Steve Wardrip.

Goddard said if they gave them permission to do crushing, the county could reap the tax benefits from it.
Staples argued they needed to let the quarry take the next step, adding he hoped they would refile their application.

In the vote, all three magistrates cited the same reason as Staples in casting dissenting votes.
Brown asked magistrates what was happening with the Meade County Quarry as far as the rezoning process, and was told by Craycroft they can extract rock, but the zoning doesn’t allow crushing.
“There is nothing in the works (for the rezoning),” Craycroft said. “And we don’t have a request for them (for the rezoning).”

Craycroft said once an attorney was hired by the firm, all communicatons must be directed through the attorneys.

He said the only other person who could generate a rezoning would be the landowner.
Brown said the firm has posted the neccessary requirements and said they would hire local residents when the quarry becomes operational.

“They will hire from Meade County and they will use the (Ohio) river for transporting materials,” she said.

She added if the rock could be crushed on-site, the county could receive about $300,000 in severance taxes.

“I think you need to give them some incentive,” she said. “I am not aware of any other business that is even giving you five jobs right now.”

Matney reiterated nothing is pending with the quarry, adding they withdrew their application.
“They withdrew their application and all they need to do is refile it,” she said. “It has to start at the Planning and Zoning Commission and then go to Fiscal Court.”

“There are supporters (of the quarry) out there,” Brown said. “You need to stop and think about it. You need to think about what you’re voting on. That’s basically all I can ask you.”

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