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Following two days of public hearings, the Polk County Environmental Service Committee (ESC) decided to postpone a decision for a conditional use permit (CUP) that would establish a trap rock quarry in the Town of Osceola. A public hearing to consider the CUP has been postponed for one year.

“After reviewing the file, listening to the applicant’s presentation and public comments, staff believes that application does not adequately address the standards listed in Section 42-149(c) of Polk County Code of Ordinances in order to grant this application,” said Jason Kjeseth, Polk County Zoning Administrator. “The section provides applicable standards for conditional use. The committee makes the determination to grant or deny the application based on meeting the criteria. The same section allows the committee to secure facts and information to develop its determination. It is the applicant’s duty to provide substantial evidence to the committee.”

According to Kjeseth, “Operational specific plans need to be updated in order to provide enough substantial evidence to the committee so they can make reasonable conditions that would be deemed reasonable by a reasonable person,” he said. “The committee can determine the application is incomplete because that information has not been provided or this could be postponed in order for facts and information that would create substantial evidence for proposed use. Staff recommends denying or postponing the application until the following facts and information can be clarified and/or provided to ensure the standards listed have been met based on substantial evidence.”

The committee would like the applicants to provide additional information on 12 specific areas that include: access to County Road MM and F, access plan and use of railroad, an updated traffic study of proposed truck routes and level of service, reclamation plans and updated reclamation cost, scale drawings of the mine and processing area, an updated vibration and sound study and an updated biological study.

Polk County ESC held the first public hearing June 1 at the Justice Center Community room in Balsam Lake. Due to the amount of information presented and number of public testimonies, a second public hearing was held June 29. Seventeen people either spoke or submitted statements in favor of or opposed to the quarry. 

The CUP application was submitted to Polk County by landowners Glyn and Cindy Thorman, James and Jeanne Rochford and Mike and Laura Loescher on behalf of the Blue Rock Quarry.

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