Angelo Extends Sand Mine Moratorium

by Barbara Rice

The Angelo Town Board last night extended its sand mine moratorium four months, setting December 31, 2012, as the new deadline and requiring the Planning Committee to present its recommendations on November 1, 2012.   Town Board chairman Tom Leverich said both the Board and the public will receive copies of the report before it is presented at a yet-to-be scheduled public hearing.

Planning Committee member Jim Leverich said the mining portion of the report has been reviewed with Atty. Mike McAlpine.  The committee is now studying blasting use as outlined by Chippewa County's Town of Howard, the impact of loading operations involving rail and truck lines and establishing a fee schedule.

Little Falls Denies CUP to Mathy Sand Mine

by Barbara Rice

Seventy-five town of Little Falls residents crowded into the  town hall Wednesday night to hear the town board reject the request of Mathy Construction Company (Milestone Materials), La Crosse, for a conditional use permit to operate a hundred-acre sand mine in Little Falls.  Town Chair Don Herr and Supervisor Steve Mathews voted for denial.  Supervisor Bryan Olsen dissented.

A number of issues were listed as basis for recommending denial of a CUP to the Monroe County Sanitation, Planning & Zoning Committee.   Objections include potential environmental damage to groundwater and surface waters; undefined hours of mining operations and trucking; number of trucks in use; noise, dust and lighting control; use of Township roads, access to site and aesthetic concerns.   

The County Zoning Committee, the body which issues conditional use permits. will hold a public hearing at  6 p.m. on Monday, August 20, 2012, at the Rolling Hills Auditorium to consider the Mathy request.   At that meeting the Town Board will recommend that the County Committee deny a CUP for Mathy.

 La Crosse Atty. Thomas J. Kieffer, retained by the Board, said that should the Committee fail to accept its recommendation the Town will have an opportunity to challenge the County Zoning Committee decision.