The township already has 15 gravel pits and residents are not happy.
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP -- Alan Baron purchased a quiet country home off North Star Road in Ironwood Township to escape the hustle and bustle of Orlando, Florida.
But a new gravel-crushing pit across the street may crush his retirement dreams.
“It’s going to be 6 days a week, there's going to be dust, there's going to be noise, the trucks are going to be pounding this road, they'll be coming out right in my front yard,” said Baron.
Snow Country contracting has applied for a conditional use permit for the 18.18 acres of property from the township board of planning, but the residents of North Star road are not having it.
“Our township government has said in their papers that they will not zone anything that is detrimental to the neighborhood or the area,” said Nancy Nemacheck, who owns a home near the site. “It has to be harmonious and our stand is there is no way this is harmonious and what could be more devastating short of a nuclear attack than a gravel pit right next to this beautiful country living.”
A public hearing with the township planning board was expected to address the issue on Wednesday night, but it was cancelled just hours before it was supposed to begin.
“The meeting was cancelled because in 2008, the state of Michigan changed some of the notification rules with public hearings,” said Brad Noren, the secretary for the township planning board. “It was just discovered today that those hearing times/notification times were not complied with.”
The board needs to wait 15 days after a permit application is submitted before holding a public hearing, which is now scheduled for September 9th. Until then, no decision will be made.
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