10/3/13
The Board of Supervisors voted to continue a public hearing on appeals to the Halvorsen Quarry Reclamation Plan until Dec. 10.
At Tuesday’s afternoon session, county counsel and planning commission staff told the board that at least two weeks would be needed to review recently submitted information from the North Coast Regional Water Control Board.
“We found out 20 or 25 minutes ago that this was going to happen,” 1st District Supervisor Rex Bohn said at the meeting. “I would like to register my displeasure on this being postponed again.”
The board established a deadline of Oct. 18 for county staff to finish reviewing the most recent material and a cut off date of Oct. 31 for parties to finish submitting documentation to the county.
Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass also expressed frustration that the hearing was being delayed.
“As much time and effort as we put in over the weekend, I can only imagine how frustrating this is for the applicant who is trying to move a project forward,” Bass said. “I think, for me, the most frustrating part is when does the cycle of information end.”
Bohn said this is the third time he has seen this item brought before the board without a decision being made.
The Halvorsen Quarry is located along Rocky Creek Road near Bayside. According to the proposed plan, future phases for mining included stripping topsoil, drilling exposed rock, and blasting.
A county report states that all surface water is diverted to a series of settlement ponds to capture sediment and debris run-off from upstream activities, including quarrying.
Humboldt Baykeeper and California Trout have appealed the county Planning Commission’s 6-1 vote of approval and requested that the proposed plan include a complete erosion and sediment strategy, documentation of appropriated water permits, revisions to the mitigation declaration, publicly available independent water testing in Rocky Creek, and specified protections for bald eagles.
