County considers approval of gravel pit near Speargrass
By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A new gravel pit is being proposed near the Speargrass Golf Course Community that, if approved, could see up to 40 trucks pass the residential community per day.
Wheatland County council passed the first reading of a bylaw on June 2 to amend its land use bylaws to re-designate the land from agricultural general district to natural resource extraction district.
The move comes in response to an application made by Lafarge Canada to develop this land as a pit for sand and gravel extraction.
Should the bylaw pass, the company will be pursuing a development permit to develop the pit, which the company projects will operate for 25 years. Once the pit has been completed, the company will reclaim the land back to agricultural use.
Operations at the proposed pit include soil savage, excavation, hauling of sand and gravel, and reclamation activities. The gravel harvested from the pit is planned to be transported to the Lafarge Carseland wash plant for processing.
To get from the gravel pit to the wash plant, trucks will need to exit the property on Township Road 221, turn south onto Highway 817, and then turn south again onto Highway 24. This latter intersection, between Highways 817 and 24, is also the main entrance to the Speargrass Golf Course Community.
Hauling would occur on a seasonal basis, typically from spring to fall. No pit activity is planned for Sundays or statutory holidays, but up to 40 trucks a day are expected to be hauling the gravel on active days. According to Lafarge, all loads would be properly tarped and loose gravel would be removed from hitches, bumpers, sideboards and tailgates prior to leaving the pit.
A community consultation plan was completed to determine how area residents felt about the proposed development. Concerns were raised by at least two residents that the development could result in increased traffic, noise, pavement deterioration and altered drainage, according to letters published as anonymous by county administration. The Speargrass Community Association declined to comment on resident concerns about the potential impacts of the project.
The company is proposing several mitigation measures to lessen or prevent the impact of the project on the surrounding area. These include conducting activities in accordance with noise level regulations, using strobe lights instead of back up beeper alarms during hours of darkness, prohibiting the use of engine retarder brakes, controlling dust, and ensuring reclaimed areas and stockpiles are vegetated to prevent erosion and weed establishment. Measures to mitigate potential nuisances such as unsightliness, noise, dust or stormwater runoff will be considered at the development permit stage, according to county administration. Lafarge stated it is also planning to use a progressive mining technique, so the maximum footprint of disturbance on the site at any time will be limited to approximately five hectares.
A public hearing for the bylaw is scheduled for August 18 at 9 a.m. in Wheatland County council chambers. If the county office is still closed due to COVID-19, the public hearing will be held by conference call.