Item 1: PH on Ordinance Amending Metro Plan (Delta Sand and Gravel)

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Debra Higby, Sierra Club, 1281 Dalton Drive, said the expansion of Delta was not acceptable. 'She said to allow an open pit mine next to an established neighborhood with the associated 'noise, dust, loss of soils, flooding, and ground water contamination' was inappropriate development. She surmised that Delta had not used good scientific methodology to analyze noise levels on the west side of the site. She speculated that neighbors would be 'bombarded' by noise from the site. She said the neighbors had been unaware of the expansion plans of the quarry when they purc4ased theirhomes. ' Regarding dust, Ms. Higby said Delta had admitted that dust from the site could cause a potential conflict.with nearby land uses by creating a nuisance condition. Ms. Higby said application materials referred to nuisance and annoying throughout the report. She said the word choice shifted attention that Delta's mining practices were potentially damaging to people and could cause respiratory problems to the very young and old. Regarding wind, Ms. Higby urged the commissions to rely on experts and scientific information. She submitted written material into the record. James Nepler, 49 Salty Way, commented that Dr. Kimberly's statements showed that people who worked around quarries had a variety of serious health problems due to dust and those effects would extend to properties beyond the Delta Site. He cited the air pollution report from Camille S~s had stated that Delta's air quality conclusions were unsupported. He said her report had concluded that properties to the west of the site would be impacted with inhaleable particulate matter 60 percent'ofthe time during dry months and 50 percent of the time during the rest of the year. He acknowledged that these statements did not match the Wind Rose . Chart testimony submitted by Dick Ruth but urged the commissions to consider the fact that there were homes to the north and south of the Delta site which would make up forthe discrepancy in the stated percentages.. He added that Ms. Sears had stated Delta did not use air dispersion monitoring. Mr. Nepler noted that he had children with asthma and said dust and diesel fumes had a horrifying effect on people with that condition~ He remarked that it would be like watching his children drown on dry land. He urged the commissions to carefully consider the reports of the opposition and use a healthy measure of skepticism when reviewing the reports generated by Delta Sand and Gravel. Joel Narva,2830 Echo Lane, said his property abutted the proposed expansion. He said the sound analysis provided by Delta were grossly understated. He noted that he could already hear the noise from the quarry. He surmised that the noise would become worse but acknowledged that it was difficult to tell how much worse. Regarding water issues, Mr. Narva said the City of Eugene had a responsibility to the new residences in the Silver Meadows subdivision. He said there was much more urban storin water runoff from that subdivision and remarked . that this would add to flooding problems created by the proposed low permeability barrier. He said decisions that the City had already' made were impacting the nearby wetland and drainage ways. Jeff Wisner, 423 Gerold Avenue, raised concern over the low permeability dam and surmised that water would fill stomi drains and possibly cause flooding. He raised concern that the barrier would .bring up the flood elevation from one to three feet. Mr. Wisner said natural resources and wetlands were of great. concern to the neighborhood organization and raised concern that the proposed expansion would negatively impact those wetlands. MINUTES-Lane County Planning Commission . Eugene Planning Commission January'I7,2006 16