Residents Pack Zoning Meeting to Oppose Mining Project

A plan to mine a quarry packed the Dec. 1 Upper Milford Zoning meeting, which lasted more than three hours.

The zoning board held the discussion over until its Jan. 26 meeting, which will be scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to accommodate the quantity of information both sides plan to present. 

What has been a six-year battle was again presented this month to the zoning commission by attorneys for Geryville Materials Inc., the company proposing to mine a quarry in Lower Milford Township.

The quarry, which would provide PennDOT with stone to make asphalt and would include a concrete batch plant, has been the center of a heated battle between Geryville Materials and the Lower Milford Township and Resident's Association.

Dozens of residents turned out . The majority do not want mining in their community.

"We're opposed to it," said Lori Sickenburger, who along with her husband Bill run the website www.crushthequarry.org. "The jobs (for Lower Milford Residents) are minimal, and the effects on our environment, roads, and air quality would be devastating. We don't want a quarry in Lower Milford."

Council for the defense, however, presented amendments to the original plan that would minimize the environmental impact of the quarry.

"We've removed parcels that were deemed environmentally sensitive, and have amended the original plan to reflect those changes," said John Ross, witness for the Geryville Materials.

The Zoning Board held the discussion over till the Jan. 26 meeting, which will be scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to accommodate the quantity of information both sides plan to present. A curative meeting will be held Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

A stop-work order based on alleged zoning violations made up the second half of the zoning meeting.

On May 1, John and Kimberly Stagg received a stop work order on an addition to their house. The property, which is at 7343 Lay St. in Coopersburg, was issued a stop work order on an addition when a tip sent Lower Saucon Zoning Officer Richard Kinsey to investigate allegations that the home may be a multiple family dwelling instead of the single-family dwelling shown in the plans submitted for the building permit.

"The basement level had what I can only describe as atrium doors leading into a living room area," said Kinsey during testimony. "At least a portion of the basement had been finished."

Attorneys for the defense submitted the original building permit and certificate of occupancy, asserting that the company who built the original dwelling, Saucon Valley Holding Company, was at fault for submitting misleading plans. The issue was held over to the meeting on January 26, but John and Kimberly Stagg aren't giving up hope.

"We built the suite for my father in law," said John Stagg. "He's been (in the house) since we moved. I would never have moved in otherwise.