After strong community opposition and a recommendation for denial by the Jackson County planning commission on Oct. 24, the proposed Vulcan Materials Company roughly 900-acre quarry will go in front of the board of commissioners on Monday.
The meeting will be held at the Jackson County Courthouse at 6 p.m.
Randy Durham is a member of Stop the South Jackson Rock Quarry and lives just a few miles from the proposed site. He offered his response to the proposed quarry before the planning commission meeting.
“Mostly it’s anger,” Durham said. “Because they want to come in and destroy our rural way of life.”
A primary concern is the potential noise, air quality, water quality, and property value impact the proposed quarry could have.
Laura Hall, the conservation director for the Oconee River Land Trust, said they are opposing the quarry due to their protected properties that border the proposed area.
“We are opposing it because of the impacts we feel like it will have on the protected properties that will be next door to the proposed quarry site,” Hall said.
Hall went on to say her group holds the conservation easements for almost 200-acres of property by the quarry.
“Please don't put this quarry on the river in the middle of a lot of conservation land,” Hall said. “I’m just feeling hopeful that Jackson County commissioners will see what an amazing place this is.”
The eight parcels in question at Monday’s meeting are in the process of being purchased by Vulcan, pending a “yes” vote from the Jackson County Commission. Five of those parcels currently have homes on them.
“The proposed mining site is located next to this character area, which could negatively impact the area’s environmental quality due to dust, noise, and runoff,” the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission’s (NEGRC) final developments of regional impact report reads.
Jack Bonnikson, Vulcan’s director of communications, said that they have operated in Jackson County for over two years without issue and that he hopes for a continued investment.
“We want to make sure wherever we operate, it’s in the best interest of the county,” Bonnikson said. “We’re really proud of the investment and the thought that has gone into this.”
So who will be voting at Monday night’s meeting?
Currently, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners consists of Tom Crow, who is currently the chairman until his term expires at the end of the year.
He announced that he would step down earlier in the year, with Marty Clark and Chad Bingham stepping down from their district three and five posts, respectively.
A special election was held for district three on Nov. 5, with Ty Clack winning. He will be sworn in at the start of the meeting. Cole Elrod won district five in March and has been serving since then.
District one’s commissioner is Jim Hix and district two is represented by Chas Hardy.
The commissioner who represents the proposed quarry site, Marty Seagraves of district four, will also be present.
The meeting will all but decide the fate of the proposed quarry with many residents expected to be in attendance.
