Residents spell out quarry concerns
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman Herald Staff - Published: December 30, 2008
CHESTER — The District 2 Environmental Commission heard conflicting testimony recently from acoustical engineers about the impact of a proposed quarry upon surrounding neighbors.
Dennis Allard of Springfield plans to cut a pair of quarries on a 50-acre parcel of land he owns on the east side of Route 35 south of the village of Chester. His plans, which include removing as much as 7,500 tons of stone per year for as many as 20 years, have been approved by the town's Design Review Board and now Allard needs an Act 250 permit.
The hearing opened Sept. 1, when Allard's sound consultant, Kenneth Kaliski of Resource Systems Group, of White River Junction, presented a study stating the noise emanating from the quarry would be within acceptable levels for the nearest residence 2,500 feet away.
William Schaefer, owner of the residence, asked the panel to give him the chance to conduct his own sound studies. Schaefer said he uses all of his property and he wanted to know the sound levels at this property line, not just his house. The commission agreed, and at a recent hearing, Schaefer's sound engineer presented his findings.
Charles F. Wallace Jr., president of Resource Systems Engineering, said based upon his study of the data collected by Allard's sound engineer, the noise both at Schaefer's house and his property line would exceed acceptable levels.
Kaliski, however, told the commission his office had revised its study to include Schaefer's property boundary, not just his house, and the study found the noise level acceptable. RSG also studied the noise impact if all of Allard's equipment were operating simultaneously — including a drill, rock crusher and trucks being loaded with stone — and Kaliski said the sound was still within acceptable levels.
Commission Chairman Michael Bernhardt asked Allard if he would operate the drill and the rock crusher at the same time and Allard said he didn't think so. Bernhardt then asked Allard if he would have a problem with a prohibition on operating both at the same time and Allard said no.
Bernhardt also questioned the other abutter to the project, Paul Theophilopoulos of Danby, who owns about 40 acres abutting Allard's property. Theophilopoulos' property is within 183 feet of one of the proposed quarries.
Theophilopoulos said he moved from Massachusetts because he likes Vermont's nature and strict environmental laws. He said he hikes and snowshoes on the property and allows friends to hunt on it, and dreams of building a house there although he has no immediate plans to do so.
Theophilopoulos noted his property taxes increased five-fold this year, and when he asked the assessor why he was told the area was desirable, he questioned how the quarry might affect his property values.
"The duration of 20 years is what's unnerving to me," he said.
Other neighborhood residents also complained about the proposed quarry, not because of the noise from the quarry itself but from truck travel.
Siggy Wrobel, who lives on Route 35 north of the proposed site, called the existing traffic "disgusting" and complained a stop sign placed in front of her residence has ruined her bed-and-breakfast business. Under Allard's plan, the quarry will receive as many as 24 trucks per day.
"I'm not looking forward to being a prisoner in my own house," she said.
Jon Peters, who lives near Wrobel, also complained about the increased truck traffic.
"You're talking about sound studies for the abutters? How about a sound study for us?" Peters said.
Bernhardt told Wrobel and Peters they could not give formal testimony because they had missed the opening of the hearing Sept. 1.
Bernhardt gave Allard and Schaefer until Feb. 1 to submit final findings and conclusions to the commission.
Contact Josh O'Gorman at josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com.
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