Quarry: It’s All About Trucks, Sept. 2006

by Vesta Copestakes, Editor, West County Gazette 

The Power of the People was evident at the Forestville Planning Association town meeting on Sunday, September 10th. And it’s not just Forestvillians pressing gravel quarries — it’s gravel quarries bending to the needs of the town in what everyone hopes will result in a win/win as Bill Williams, general manager of BoDean Company/Blue Rock Quarry offered. 

In the realistic mind-set of compromise, the two sides came to the table, discussed the options and came up with a plan. Right from the start everyone involved in the decision agreed that the Board of Supervisors will approve BoDean’s request to increase their production limits from 150,000 cubic yards of aggregate a year to 400,000 over the next 20 years. Yes, it’s market-driven so it’s not like all of a sudden they’ll be mining to the limit. But with the Supervisor’s blessing, they could if they wanted or needed to. 

So having BoDean offer a compromise to the town was something they didn’t have to do. Bill Williams, in conjunction with Dean Soiland, co-owner of BoDean, offered what they hoped would be considered a win/win, and as many people stated, the only real win for the community is if Forestville had no quarries at all. 

Obviously that would result in a lose for the quarry but beyond all that — there’s no way the B. of S. would shut down an operating quarry when they need the aggregate. And in this case, it’s a quarry that has been established for decades, is now well-run, meeting modern environmental standards and the owners are willing to work with the community. 

OK. Surrender here, compromise there… what can we do to make this work as best we can for everyone? What successful relationship isn’t about compromise? The agreement that follows is one BoDean Company is willing to sign into a legal document that is mutually binding. 

The parties are BoDean Company on one side, the Forestville Citizens for Sensible Growth and the Forestville Planning Association on the other. BoDean agrees to do the following list and the two Forestville organizations agree not to sue BoDean in the future. Everyone behaves themselves and it all works. 

BoDean Company/Blue Rock Quarry agrees to:

• Phased-in increase in production expansion over the next 10 years
  • 0 to 2 years increase from 150,000 to 200,000 cu.yds/year
  • 2 to 4 years increase to 225,000 c.y./year
  • 4 to 6 years increase to 275,000 c.y./year
  • 6 to 10 years increase at 40,000 c.y./year up to the full 4000,000 or the bypass is built
• restore Tilton Creek, a tributary to Green Valley Creek, which was compromised by gravel mining run-off before BoDean Company purchased the quarry. This restoration will help with the Green Valley Creek restoration by increasing flows into G.V. Creek. (If I am correct, this restoration is part of the requirements that the Army Corps of Engineers is also demanding in order for Blue Rock to expand - OR this is in addition to their demand- I’m not sure)
• limit the south expansion to the current border to avoid negative impact on Giovanetti Vineyard
• create a visual screen along Scenic Hwy 116
• use bio-diesel fuel exclusively in rolling stock (trucks, front end loaders, etc.) on quarry property
• recommend drivers not use Martinelli Road
• discourage trucks from driving past Forestville School during prime drop-off and pick-up times (the real challenge would be recess!)
• no back-up whistles on machinery in the quarry when there are no obstacles behind the vehicle
• no operations on weekends with the exception of 10 Saturdays maximum for projects that need product for weekend construction
• donate 5¢ a ton to Forestville for town maintenance, etc. Forestville Planning Association would manage the funds that could amount to $15 to $20 thousand per year. (we informally discussed that a good use of these funds would be to purchase and set up air quality, noise and speed monitoring equipment at Forestville School and the Youth Park - who knows, maybe these funds could help us monitor and control three main objectives to the trucks.)

When the FPA took a vote of those present as to whether people would accept this agreement, 34 said yes, 11 said no and 8 abstained. From the numerous conversations I’ve had with people around town, this could at least go a long way toward feeling that Forestvillians at least have some influence — if not over the Board of Supervisors, at least over the company whose business impacts the quality of life in our town. 

On September 26th at 2:15 pm, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing where concerned citizens can get up and have their say. For those who attend, we’re hoping that enough people will take time from their day to show up, (wear green for Forestville?), and/or write to EACH supervisor with your opinion: 

Board of Supervisors
575 Administration Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Attn. Mike Kerns
Attn. Mike Reilly
Attn. Paul Kelley
Attn. Tim Smith
Attn. Valerie Brown 

And/or email:
mkerns@sonoma-county.org 
mreilly@sonoma-county.org 
pkelley@sonoma-county.org 
tsmith@sonoma-county.org 
vbrown@sonoma-county.org 

The hearing is held in the B. of S. Hearing Room at 575 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa. The building with the ice cream cone looking sculpture out front. 

And to those citizens who are still angry about:

• dust coming off the trucks — there is an environmental law that material cannot peak above 1 foot below the top of the truck to keep the dust down and if this isn’t good enough, we can encourage the quarries to water down the loads which would at least get them through town before the water dried off. This could probably be done in conjunction with the tire washer like they have at Canyon Rock Quarry. Other businesses require that debris/dust-carrying loads be covered. I’m not sure where the line is drawn.
• Air monitoring at Forestville School (I’d like to add the Youth Park) - perhaps the concept of purchasing monitoring equipment with the 5$ a ton from Blue Rock would solve this problem — want to look into how this can be accomplished and report back to the FPA?
• current truck traffic is too much — we’ve had people video the truck traffic, stand on the street and count the trucks, etc. etc. and until the world doesn’t use trucks to haul aggregate, we’re stuck with the trucks. Look at both quarry Environmental Impact Reports for complete counts of truck trips (counted coming and going as two trips).

And if you can come up with a realistic solution, then present it to the Powers That Be. Until then, complaining angrily does no good at all. We need solutions that can function in the real world. Sorry! If there’s one thing every parent knows for sure, it’s that nagging and complaining accomplish very little beyond the recipient turning a deaf ear to the complaint. Come up with realistic solutions and everyone is all ears. 

I’d like to commend every individual and group who participated in every stage of this discussion that has been going on for years now and is culminating in this agreement before the Board of Supervisors meets to make an official decision we all must live with for decades to come. 

Every home, whether it be a structure we sleep in at night or a community we share, requires diligent maintenance. Thank You everyone who takes the time to participate in taking care of our home. 

Please address your comments to: Vesta Copestakes.