Willson land use change considered

The Hot Springs County Land Use Planning Commission heard a request for a land use change from Howard and Belenda Willson at their meeting on Wed., Dec. 19, asking for a 15-acre parcel of their property be changed from agricultural to industrial.

Presented as the “Willson Third Land Use Change,” the acreage in question has been industrial previously, then changed back to agricultural, making this the third requested change for the same plot.

In 2014, the Willsons were granted a 10-acre land use change from agricultural to industrial to create a gravel pit just west and north of their home at 810 Sprowl Road.

The couple was unable to market the pit due to not having a hot-mix plant in place and in 2016, after never opening the pit, requested it be returned to agricultural.

They came back to the commission asking to change the original 10-acres back to industrial along with an additional five acres.

The general uses of the surrounding properties is a mix of rural residential, agricultural and some mining activity. A small feed lot is also in the proximity.

Big Horn Redi-Mix has a gravel pit near by, the Wyo-Ben bentonite mining operation is just a mile away and their Lucerne plant on Black Mountain Road is less than a mile from the proposed pit.

In 2009 there was another gravel pit, the Pearce Gravel Pit, just over a half-mile to the southeast. That pit was reclaimed in 2013 and reverted back to agricultural use.

Hot Springs County Planner, Bo Bowman, found there would be some visual impacts to other properties as the pit is on a ridge and could be visible to several nearby residences. As for noise levels, those could impact nearby residences dependent upon the pit’s hours of operation.

Dust, of course, would probably be an issue, especially on windy days, however, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations address dust abatement for mining, crushing and hot mix operations.

Sprowl Road is privately owned and maintained and the amount of traffic that would be on it at any given time is unknown, but there will be some heavy truck traffic and a small amount of personal traffic. That traffic would access the highway via one intersection, but Bowman said at this time the sight distance appears to be quite good.

There were some conditions of approval to move the request on to the County Commissioners for final approval, including the presentation of an exterior lighting plan should one be used. That plan should have any lighting shielded or downcast and the illumination minimized in intensity for off-site viewing.

They also have to produce a weed management plan, solid waste removal plan and resurface the gravel on Sprowl Road from the Willson’s driveway to the highway and install to turnouts to accommodate opposing traffic. A stop sign will also be installed, subject to WYDOT approval, at the intersection with the highway.

All operations at the pit will terminate within five years of approval and the land reclaimed in accordance with DEQ regulations. Operations will only be from 8 a.m. til 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

In addition, an agreement must be reached with the Lucerne Pumping Plant concerning improvments to two irrigation ditch crossings before mining starts.