The Scandia Planning Commission met tonight to conclude its consideration of Tiller Corp.’s proposal to mine gravel next to the St. Croix River.
The controversial issue has been the subject of lengthy environmental review and several public hearings, including two held by the Planning Commission in December.
The Commission’s vote tonight was on a recommendation to the City Council, which will ultimately decide whether or not to grant Tiller a Conditional Use Permit. The council now has until Feb. 20 to make its decision.
Read some tweets from tonight’s meeting to learn how things went, and stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of this issue.
Proposed gravel mine next to the St. Croix River in Scandia is up for a vote tonight. I’m heading to the meeting, will tweet at @stcroix360.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) January 7, 2013
Two resolutions on table. One recommends approving permit (w/ substanial conditions) and one to deny the permit (w/ substantial whereases).
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Two previous hearings mostly concerned reasons to approve permit. Tonight the commission will spend time looking at reasons to deny.
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Big question first: use old comprehensive plan (allows mining, was in effect when application first received) or new plan (no mining)?
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Mining company was told application would be considered under old plan. Is that promise legally binding? Debatable. Debated.
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Krinke moves to recommend using 2030 plan. Chair Maefsky seconds. Phillipi worries it means commission “loses its voice.”
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Motion passes 4-1.
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Conflicting conclusions of groundwatere experts. Seems largely because there wasn’t enough data collected for either to be firm.
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Relevant points coming up regarding noise and the river. twitter.com/stcroix360/sta…
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Debating if city can even legally consider National Park Service noise standard since it’s more stringent than state standards.
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Commissioner Schwarz asks what happens if city denies permit,Tiller sues, court overturns? Could mining be allowed without any conditions?
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Final throes of debate. Motion to deny on the table. Voting…
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Motion to deny passes, 4 voting yes, 1 to abstain.
— St. Croix 360 (@stcroix360) January 8, 2013
Scandia Planning Commission has voted to recommend the city council DENY a permit for a gravel mine next to the St. Croix River.
— Greg Seitz (@gregseitz) January 8, 2013
