SCOPE OF MINING STUDY:

Certain portions of Lee County contain a high quality limestone that can produce aggregate products that meet state and national specifications for cement, concrete, concrete products, and asphalt. These are the materials that build the roads, schools, homes, hospitals, and offices that are an important part of the local development industry.

Residential development east of Interstate I-75 and the expansion and intensification of mining activities in that area have created conflicts and compatibility issues. In addition, the State’ s regulations that exempt local control of blasting in association with construction materials mining operations have exacerbated the problem. The Board of County Commissioners requested its staff to evaluate these issues and bring back recommendations to resolve the problems. Staff researched the issues and drafted a report in the Fall of 2002. That report, titled Strategic Minirtg, A Report on Mining in Lee County, in part attempted to identify areas that were appropriate for additional mining activities. This report provides some historic background for the study.

The study should include a comprehensive evaluation of these issues. The goal of this evaluation is to determine suitable areas for commercial mining and to resolve the inherent conflicts between mining operations and residential development.

COMPONENTS OF THE STUDY:
The study should include the following components:

Phase I

1. An evaluation of the current capacity of approved mining activities.
2. An evaluation of the future need for mining materials.
3. Identification of the location and quality of lime rock resources.

Phase II
Identification of the location of existing and potential residential uses.

4. An evaluation of mining induced traffic.
5. An evaluation of the existing roadway capacities.
6. Development of alternatives or options to mitigate truck traffic impacts.
7. An evaluation of alternatives for balancing conflicting uses.
8. Identitication of existing water quality and quantity.
9. An evaluation of the impacts of mining activities to environmental resources such as: water quality and quantity; endangered species habitat; and, natural plant communities.
10. An evaluation of ways to identify and pay for repair to property damaged by mining activity.
11. Determine appropriate setbacks and buffers from residential use.
12. Evaluate options to eliminate current compatibility conflicts, such as a buyout program
13. Evaluate reclamation strategies.
14. An evaluation of Alternative Development Practices to utilize limerock resources at individual development sites.

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