PORT LUDLOW — A proposed 142-acre basalt quarry near here is getting a public airing.
A spokesman for Pope Resources said his company and Iron Mountain Quarry LLC are working to get more information out to the public on the project.
“We’re working on improving communications,” said John Shea, spokesman for Pope Resources.
“In the beginning, there wasn’t very good dialogue, but now that is going to get better.”
Pope Resources is planning a public meeting at 3 p.m. March 4 at the Port Ludlow Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Place, Port Ludlow.
“There have been some misunderstandings regarding the quarry operations and where the location may be exactly,” Shea said.
“In order to get better information out, we’re going to have a public meeting.”
Shea said Iron Mountain Quarry has began an advertising campaign to explain some of the specifics of the proposed quarry operation — which is now called the New Shine Quarry.
Full-page advertisements from Iron Mountain appeared in the past two Sunday editions of the Peninsula Daily News.
Iron Mountain Quarry LLC — based in Granite Falls, north of Seattle — has proposed the basalt rock quarry about two miles southeast of Port Ludlow.
It would be developed on land it leases from Pope Resources — the same company that developed Port Ludlow into a resort.
Several telephone messages requesting comment from Iron Mountain Quarry President Jim Burnett were unreturned as of Friday.
Residents’ concerns
Port Ludlow residents — worried about the potential for noise, dust and pollution — have opposed the plan.
Bill Brown, spokesman for the Port Ludlow Village Council, said the council is willing to listen to what Pope Resources has to say at the March 4 meeting.
“The council has gotten together with Pope and talked about the lack of information, and [Pope] said they will visit with us,” Brown said.
“They have said they are sorry we were out of the loop, and they want to amend that.
“The council is willing to listen to them and then respond to them.”
Brown said there is no formal litigation against Pope Resources on behalf of the council at this point.
“The concerns continue, but the next step is to talk,” he said.
“We will share our concerns and we will hear their responses.
Petition adjudged
The council filed a petition last year questioning the rights of Iron Mountain quarry to develop in the area.
In November, Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser ruled that the county hearing examiner was correct in giving the quarry permission to mine the land.
The hearing examiner’s ruling approved the request under the doctrine of diminishing assets, agreeing with Pope Resources that it always intended to mine the land — even before new Jefferson County land use codes were put into law.
Because Pope established prior intent, Verser ruled that Iron Mountain will not need to establish a mineral resource land designation, which would require an amendment to the county comprehensive plan.
However, the ruling doesn’t mean Iron Mountain can begin digging.
Permits needed
Stormwater permits must still be issued, a State Environmental Policy Act review must take place, conditional use permits must be issued for the noise and dust, sand and gravel surveys must be completed by the state Department of Ecology, and the state Department of Natural Resources must clear the land’s use.
The next step in the process is a conditional use permit hearing at 1:30 p.m. March 13 in Jefferson County Superior Court, 1820 Jefferson St., Port Townsend.
Pope is arguing it does not need to follow a county requirement and obtain a conditional use permit for the operation.
Al Scalf, county community development director, said the hearing will determine if Pope Resources needs to apply for the permit.
If it does, then the permitting process begins. If not, then Pope will begin the stormwater permitting process.
“There are still a number of agencies and regulations they must go through,” Scalf said.
________
Jefferson County reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
