The Pullman Planning Commission voted Wednesday for the Pullman City Council to deny the rezoning of a proposed rock quarry location near Kamiak Elementary School.
Mader Development run by Steve Mader is planning to re-zone a rock quarry of 9.3 acres less than 1,000 feet from Kamiak Elementary School located in a residential neighborhood, according to norockpit.org, the website put into place by those opposing the rezoning.
Mader is an owner and manager of Steve and Kevin Mader GP, a fifth-generation family farm in Whitman County.
The reason for re-zoning would be to avoid heavy traffic and to create affordable housing because of the construction, Mader said at the meeting.
Over 100 people have sent letters to Pullman City Council advocating against the rock quarry.
At the public hearing held Wednesday night more than 25 people, including children of the elementary school, their parents, residents near the proposed rock quarry zone , citizens of Pullman and a representative of the Pullman School District, voiced their opinion on re-zone.
The Pullman School District would not have planned on building Kamiak Elementary in the location it is if they had known a rock quarry was going to be located nearby, Joe Thorton, director of operations for the Pullman School District, said at the meeting.
Many residents expressed public health concerns for children going to Kamiak Elementary School and residents that live in the neighborhood, in their letters to the city council, at the meeting and in public protests.
Lani Cordova, a resident near the projected quarry site who has children going to the elementary school, fears for her children’s health and safety due to the noise pollution and fly rock that can be caused from blasting at the quarry.
“The future Pullman of my nightmare is one in which an apparent money developer runs a rough shot over people who work hard, save to buy a home, want to nurture their families and strive to be good neighbors,” Pamela Lee, a resident of Pullman, said at the meeting.
The existing rock will be used for construction for the surrounding area, said Scott Sumner, the project manager for Mader.
The existing ground of the quarry is 4 to 5 feet below the elementary school and as the rock is removed the quarry will get lower in elevation to where kids will not be able to see or hear it.
The opponents for the rezone plan to reuse the area once the project is finished, Sumner said at the meeting.
However, residents were not appeased by this offer.
Supporting promises of reduced traffic and creating a park did not make residents feel any better about the offer, Rebecca Solen, a resident living near the projected quarry said at the meeting.
Mader has a project similar to this one in Lewiston currently happening and they have not received any complaints about noise or fly rock.
Mader has credibility and is upfront and honest, Planning Commissioner Brent Carper said at the meeting. However, there is a concern for the residential area about turning a residential area into an industrial zone.
With the planning commission’s vote the next step will be for the Pullman City Council to vote on the whether or not the re-zone will or will not go through.
