Note: The following is not a verbatim transcript of the Zoning Hearing Board meeting; it is simply one person’s summary of the major points made by those involved in the hearing process.  For that reason, quotation marks are not used unless a direct quote was recorded.  For information about obtaining an official ZHB transcript, contact the New Hanover Township office.

What is GR 2?

The meeting began with attorney Mr. Lawrence Sager, (representing Louis Farrell of Atomic International) cross-examining Mr. Douglas Rudenko, PG,, presented by Gibraltar Rock as an expert in vibration and blasting.

Sager asked Rudenko if there were any regulations to protect surrounding neighbors. He said there were. Sager asked him if there was an office within 50 feet of the property line between Atomic Industries and the quarry if the blasting plan would change. Rudenko said it would, that the blasting plan depends on the distance.

While Sager was trying to understand the blasting criteria and whether there would be impacts on different types of structures, Rudenko minimized the impact of blasting on different types of structures.  Finally, after saying that blasting would not impact structures he added, ‘if you build an igloo there might be some problems with blasting.’ 

Sager asked him about the potential development of land surrounding the proposed quarry and whether or not he took that into consideration.  He said that there is an area 300 feet from adjacent properties that might be affected by blasting, but that he did no analysis, nor did he receive any information from Gibraltar Rock management about potential development in this area. He said that no one checked land use of the adjacent properties.

Sager asked him about the blasting charges and he was unable to tell the board the weight of the charges, nor how many blasts per day they anticipate.  Sager asked if he could tell the board how often Rt. 73 or Hoffmansville Rd. will need to be closed because of blasting and he was unable to do so.

The next GR 2 meeting is October 21, 2004 at the New Hanover Township Building, 7:00 PM.