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EDEN, Weber County — A Weber County planning commission voted unanimously Tuesday night against a Minnesota company’s proposal to rezone a 14 acre plot of land near a junior high school for a gravel pit amid public outcry.
However, it doesn’t mean the proposal is officially nixed.
Hundreds of residents and business owners attended the meeting at Snowcrest Junior High School about a proposal by Minnesota-based Levanta’s to use the 14 acre plot, located not far from the school and the North Fork Ogden River, for a gravel pit.
In its request, the company told the Ogden Valley Planning Commission it wanted to rezone the area for a quarry that would help cut down the cost of construction within the valley. The company added it would mean shorter drives, which would reduce wear on public roads and pollution levels.
It was clear many in the public were against the plan during Tuesday’s meeting. One person even held a sign that read, “NO! Gravel Pit!”
Kallie MacKenzie, an Eden resident who lives near the the land where the proposed pit would be, told KSL TV she was afraid the plan would jeopardize the wildlife and serenity that exists in the area.
“It’s stressful to think that something like this could come in and create a big hole in that little slice of the mountain,” she said. “There’s just a lot around here that this could affect.”
Ashley Cross, who co-owns New World Distillery, which is also near the proposed site, said the quarry could affect the quality of the products she makes since the company uses a nearby aquifer. She added she worries it could also change the feel of the small, picturesque town that’s tucked in the mountains east of the Wasatch Front and located just north of Pineview Reservoir.
"At first I just thought it was audacious and horrible, and maybe a weird joke," Cross said. "A business like this doesn’t seem to fit this valley."
While the Ogden Valley Planning Commission voted against the proposal, its recommendation is only one portion of the rezoning process. The recommendation now goes to the Weber County Commission for the final decision on the proposal, explained Charlie Ewert, principal planner in the Weber County Planning Division.
He said he believes that decision could be made by the end of July.
Contributing: Mike Anderson, KSL TV
