Gravel pits are scattered throughout La Plata County, and a glance through any of the permitting records for these operations show most have one thing in common – locals complain about them.
Noise, traffic and hours of operation are the usual grievances, but each gravel mine is required to meet certain conditions to mitigate those problems.
A small field separates houses and a gravel pit operated by Four Corners Materials on Buck Highway (County Road 521) in Bayfield. Recently, neighbors have complained about noise to the company, which has another operation off La Posta Road and other quarries spread throughout La Plata and Archuleta counties.
“We operate between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.,” said company environmental manager Matt Carnahan. “We did have a contractor come in probably a month ago to remove the buildup from the drum where the concrete is hauled, and he showed up late and operated until about 9:45 p.m.” But Carnahan said that was an atypical situation, and the company usually ends the day at 5 p.m.
A map of permitted mines in La Plata County from the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety shows 40 sand and gravel pits. Each requires a Class II land-use permit from the county and must agree to certain conditions of approval that regulate when and how they do business.
Noisy equipment, like crushers, have to be operating as far from neighboring residences as possible and often have shorter hours of operation.
Most hours of operation are Monday through Friday, or Monday through Saturday, and are seasonal. Most can’t operate on Sundays except in extraordinary circumstances, and then the managers must notify the neighbors. Typical starting hours are 6 or 7 a.m. Operations have to stop at 5 or 6 p.m.
“The variables depend on the existing conditions on the land, or if the pit is in close proximity to a residential area,” said County Planning Director Damian Peduto.
Most operating pits within the county are run by independent companies. But La Plata County government has direct involvement with two pits. One is the Crater Pit opposite Farmington Hill, which the county has owned for 30 years. The county also has an agreement to purchase gravel from and pay royalties to the Hubbs pit near Marvel.
“On occasion, we may purchase through others,” Public Works Director Jim Davis said. “But we try to get from just those two pits, and we hire an operator to crush it. We just use it in spring, summer and early fall. We maintain about 400 miles of gravel roads, so it’s economical to process our own gravel.”
The Hubbs pit is permitted to operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and the crater pit can operate 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the restriction that the gravel crusher cannot operate any later than 5 p.m.
If a company operates past hours or otherwise breaches the conditions of the land-use permit, code enforcement is responsible for bringing the business back into compliance.
But Renelle Stewart, who lives next to one of the gravel pits, is concerned about the long-term implications to her home, where she has lived for almost 10 years.
“What will happen to my real estate?” she wants to know.
The question is legitimate. In 2006, an Auburn University economics professor conducted a study on the impact of operational gravel pits on house values in an Ohio county. She found a statistical correlation between the property’s sale price and its proximity to a gravel pit. According to the analysis, there was a 30 percent reduction in sale prices for properties adjacent to the pit. Other studies similarly suggest the value reduction can be 25 percent or higher.
Local real estate agents have said gravel pits are a common deterrent for buyers and a worry for sellers.
“Over the years, development near operating gravel pits has been a concern for people buying or selling,” said Wells Group broker Don Ricedorff. “Because, of course, during the day there’s a fair amount of noise.”
jpace@durangoherald.com
