9/21/1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

F, Boox 96 pnf1 7 2. Traffic. Impacts from mining operation truck traffic include: traffic volume, the size and type of vehicles used, the slow- moving nature of loaded trucks during turning movements and when accelerating after stops, physical impact on road surfaces due to heavy loads, dust and debris generated from unpaved road surfaces, and spillage. Traffic volume impacts are addressed via the site plan traffic analysis review and project concurrency reviews. In addition, during the site plan process traffic engineering reviews the need for any off- site improvements (e.g. turn lanes, deceleration lanes, apron paving at intersections involving an unpaved road and a paved road) in light of the slow-moving characteristics of loaded trucks and their size. The current LDRs also address physical impacts on roadways by requiring: measures to protect pavement edges, paved driveway aprons, and posting of bonds to guarantee repair to unpaved roads used as haul routes. In regard to dust generated by spillage, current LDRs require the beds of loaded trucks to be covered. In addition, paved driveway apron requirements help eliminate jarring and resulting spillage that could occur when a truck enters a public road from a mining site. Furthermore, to reduce conflicts between trucks and' local residential traffic, the current LDRs restrict truck hauling routes to collector or arterial roads or local roads that serve non- residential uses. Even with these restrictions and regulations, traffic was a concern expressed by residents living in the general vicinity of the proposed Rebel Ranch mine. Even though the Rebel Ranch project proposed to access 82nd Avenue (an arterial that functions as a truck route) via a segment of 5th Street S.W. (a collector road that does not serve residences on the subject segment), concerns were expressed about truck traffic. In staff's opinion, the existing regulations which restrict haul routes to arterial and collector roadways or "non- residential" local roads is the only viable regulation that reduces potential traffic conflicts and still allows use of the county's major roadways for such truck traffic. 3. Groundwater Protection. Current regulations prohibit dewatering operations within 1,000' of a platted subdivision that is not serviced by public water. (Note: the Rebel Ranch proposal involved hydraulic dredging rather than dewatering.) Also, applicants for projects using dewatering are required to demonstrate that no saltwater intrusion or water quality or quantity problems will result from the proposed mining operation. In addition, no mining operation (whether or not dewatering is used) is to have significant adverse impacts on groundwater quality or water levels. Since county staff does not have expertise in groundwater hydrology, staff has relied on the St. Johns Water Management District (which has hydrologists) to ensure, through its permitting and monitoring process, that groundwater effects are properly addressed. County staff's understanding from St. John's staff is that hydraulic dredging operations have no significant adverse impacts on the groundwater quality or quantity of surrounding wells. Staff from St. Johns River Water Management District, including Rich Burklew of the groundwater division, have committed to attending the workshop to address questions from the Board and the public. In its survey of other counties, staff found that some jurisdictions require mining applicants to furnish a ____groundwater impact analysis from a hydrologist. Such reports SEPTEMBER 219 1995 8 r