I.V. site added to aggregate inventory
From our weekly issue dated May 7, 2008
The Josephine County Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 on Wednesday, April 30 to include an Illinois Valley site on the county’s Significant Aggregate Resource list.
The decision to include I.V. Ranch on Holland Loop came after four days of continued hearings in Anne G. Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass.
Unlike previous hearings on the matter, Commissioner Jim Raffenburg was present, which was a matter of some concern for opponents of the application. It also was disclosed that Barlow Sand & Gravel Inc. representative Bill Petersen had contacted Raffenburg by email encouraging him to review materials from past hearings and be present to “allow a decision to be rendered.”
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The email also was sent to commissioners Dwight Ellis and Dave Toler.
Speaking for the opposition, Merlin resident Holger Sommer questioned if Raffenburg was qualified to render a decision in the matter as he’d not been present during previous meetings. Toler, who is board chairman, expressed concern about the public perception that the integrity of the process be ensured.
Raffenburg affirmed his familiarity with the evidence that had been presented. He said that he did not feel that his position would be swayed by the contact by Peterson. With that, Toler stated that the hearing would proceed.
“We have no particular rules to prevent him,” said Toler. “Given that he has prepared for this hearing, it is certainly Commissioner Raffenburg’s right to sit in,” Toler said.
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Although opponents supplied opinions from state officials stating that the proposed mining activity, including bar scraping, would not likely be permitted, county planning director Michael Snider reiterated that those are among many questions to be addressed in the conditional-use permitting process that were not among criteria necessary to consider during the determination of significance.
Toler, expressing concern about minimizing the damage or loss of farm soils, said “So the question becomes, ‘What is the mining area?’ ”
He expressed doubts about the feasibility of the mining plan.
Ellis expressed confidence that the criteria was met, and that the many “rabbit trails” brought up during the course of the significant resource hearings would be addressed during the conditional-use process. He moved to amend the county comprehensive plan to add a portion of the given tax lot to the list of significant resource sites.
The motion, seconded by Raffenburg, passed 2-1.
