Prairie Grove Dirt Quarry Opens Up Discussion

OFFICIALS UNAWARE OF QUARRY UNTIL LAST SUMMER

PRAIRIE GROVE — A dirt mining quarry in the Prairie Grove city limits has prompted city officials to look into developing a new ordinance to regulate any future mining operations.

“This is one of the things that I feel we should be proactive about, instead of reactive,” said Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works. “It seems like we need to consider the protection for our residents, if nothing else.”

Oelrich brought up the subject at the Dec. 16 City Council meeting and asked aldermen if they wanted City Attorney Steven Parker to research what other cities are doing and come up with a proposal. Council members gave the go ahead.

The council placed an ordinance on first reading Monday evening called the 2014 Mining Ordinance. The proposal is patterned after regulations adopted by the city of Fayetteville.

The dirt mining quarry, located on Parks Street, is being used for the U.S. 62 Highway Bypass by APAC-Central, contractor for the project.

Oelrich said city officials did not know anything about the quarry until a woman came in last summer and asked, “Is there anything you can do about it?” Oelrich said he responded, “About what?”

The woman complained because she said dust was rolling into her house from the mining operation. Oelrich said he received complaints when the quarry was first established because of the dry, hot conditions but has not received complaints since then. The quarry, which is about two acres in size, is located across the street from the Coyles Enterprises office and several houses.

Jeff Stroud, district engineer with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, said Billy Joe Bartholomew of Prairie Grove owns the land and the agreement for the quarry is between APAC and Bartholomew. The highway department was not involved in the quarry, except to complete an environmental survey on the area to make sure it did not have any Native American or other historical artifacts. None was found, Stroud said.

He added that the highway department realized APAC would have to go off- site to get fill material for the bypass project.

“We knew there wasn’t enough dirt on the project,” Stroud said, noting that the project called for 56,000 cubic yards of fill dirt, with 38,000 cubic yards on site and the rest to come off-site.

Oelrich said the city is still researching whether the quarry should have applied for a permit issued by Prairie Grove. It’s possible that because the bypass is a state highway project, then the city did not have any jurisdiction, Oelrich said.

Regardless, Oelrich said, “It sure would have been nice if they had asked before they pursued it.”

Murry Cline, vice president of construction with APAC-Central in Fayetteville, said the company is buying the material from the property owner for the bypass project only and will not use the quarry when the bypass is finished.

Under the agreement for the quarry, the land basically will be returned to its original use as a pasture when the project is finished, according to Jeff Sorrells, engineer with APAC. He said the area will be stockpiled with topsoil and seeded.

In most cases, a permit for a quarry is required by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. However, Sorrells said the regulations for permits have stipulations for various uses and one stipulation is that a permit is not required for a quarry for a state highway project.

The proposed ordinance defines quarrying, mining and excavation activities as commercial activities carried out for profit.

It restricts quarrying, mining and excavation activities to areas zoned agriculture and limits work between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER This dirt quarry on Parks Street near the new Prairie Grove Highway 62 bypass has prompted city officials to discuss whether there is a need for a new ordinance to regulate mining within the city limits.