This aerial photo taken with a drone show what has been a source of lengthy discussion at recent meetings of the Limestone County Commission — a Rogers Group rock quarry near the intersection of Gray and Newby roads. Residents have expressed concern about blasting done at the site, while others are upset by heavy truck traffic on Newby and Gray roads.

One of the most vocal opponents to a rock quarry operating in Huntsville-annexed Limestone County plans to ask the County Commission Monday what can be done to restrict heavy truck traffic on adjacent roads.

Danny Barksdale is opposed to blasting operations at the Rogers Group quarry near the intersection of Newby and Gray roads. He’s also opposed to tri-axle trucks using those roads as opposed to entering and exiting from Huntsville-Browns Ferry Road, which is due south of the quarry.

Barksdale and other residents have expressed concern that continued heavy truck traffic will lead to damage on Newby and Gray. He said Huntsville-Browns Ferry Road is a much better road and would better accommodate the large trucks. There is an unpaved farm road leading from the quarry south to Huntsville-Browns Ferry that Barksdale believes could be improved to allow truck traffic.

Barksdale, who lives about 2 miles from the quarry, has been to previous meetings to ask about weight-restricting Newby and Gray roads, though part of Gray Road lies within the city limits of Huntsville. District 2 Commissioner Steve Turner, who represents Barksdale and others opposed to the quarry, has previously said weight-restricting the roads would restrict free trade and unfairly target Rogers Group.

Turner did not have a comment on the issue Friday.

Barksdale said he’s aware the commission would not be able to stop the blasting, but plans to address the concern at a future Huntsville City Council meeting. He’s also surprised the city of Madison isn’t interested in the quarry operation, given that a new upscale development — Villages of Oakland Springs — is under construction just a few miles from the blast site.

Though he doesn’t live near the quarry, Barksdale said he’s taken up the cause because he doesn’t feel Turner is “representing his citizens.” He also believes Turner and his fellow commissioners have not given proper consideration to the issue of weight-restricting the roads.

“I’ve never heard of any county or city government that supported a rock quarry over its citizens,” Barksdale said Friday. “It just does not pass the smell test.”

The Limestone County Commission meets at 10 a.m. Monday at the Clinton Street annex.

Questions answered

At the April 3 meeting, resident Holly Denenny presented Turner with a list of questions she wanted answered about the quarry operation. County attorney Mark Maclin answered the questions, and Denenny provided the answers to her neighbors and shared a copy with The News Courier.

Those questions and answers are as follows:

• In 2011 blasting was not necessary. What has changed? Why is blasting necessary now?

Answer: “We do not specifically know why blasting was not necessary in 2011 and is being done now. This would be determined by how the owner and/or Rogers Group are making use of the property. We also believe any such use would have been subject to any applicable ordinances of Huntsville.”

• When you were at the blast site two weeks ago, were you wearing ear protection? Were you standing on the road or inside your truck?

Answer: “When Commissioner Turner was at the blast site two weeks ago he was not wearing ear protection and was standing on the road approximately 2,500 feet from the location of the blast.” (Note: Commissioners Turner and Jason Black previously described the sound of a blast at the quarry as “thunder in the distance.”)

• Can you guarantee the blasting will not damage my home, my foundation?

Answer: “Neither Commissioner Turner nor the Limestone County Commission can guarantee that any blasting by Rogers Group will not damage your home or foundation, nor would they be in a position to make any such guarantee. … Any claims of personal injury or property damage specific to you is something I believe you, or any other individual, would need to seek your own legal advice on as far as any recourse for those claims personal to you.”

• How do you address health concerns regarding blasting in this area? (Note: Denenny told commissioners on April 3 that she was suffering headaches as a result of the blasting, either from changes to air pressure or stress over the situation.)

Answer: “As for health issues … personal to you regarding stress over the situation and possibly headaches resulting from same, as mentioned above, if you believe you have claims of either personal injury or property damage flowing from the activities of Rogers Group these are things I believe you would need to obtain your own legal advice for as to any recourse you might have.

As for any health concerns related to the general and surrounding public, it is my understanding that neither Commissioner Turner nor the County Commission have been presented with any evidence that any of the activities on the property are causing health problems to the general, surrounding public. If, or when, any such evidence or further information concerning a public health risk is presented to the County Commission we will continue to review same with them and advise them accordingly, including forwarding same to the attention of Rogers Group.”

(Note: Maclin answered Denenny’s final three questions collectively. Specifically, she asked why trucks could not exit onto Huntsville-Browns Ferry Road and if commissioners were ignoring their civil liability to ensure safe roads as outlined in page nine of the handbook for Alabama County Commissioners. Lastly, she asked about weight restrictions on Newby and Gray roads, which was enacted in 2011 but then abolished to ease cleanup operations after the April 27, 2011, tornadoes.)

The following is a summary of Maclin’s lengthy answer regarding her three questions:

“Neither Commissioner Turner nor the County Commission is ignoring any such duties or civil liabilities addressed in the Handbook or otherwise. Rather, I believe they are actually performing their duty in that even though the property would be subject to regulation by the City of Huntsville by being in its corporate limits, and possibly subject to regulation by other state and federal agencies, they are listening to and taking into consideration the concerns of you and other County residents regarding the location and operations of the quarry, and regarding any potential damage or harm those operations might have upon surrounding County roads.

(The) county can set weight limits with exemptions and can possibly look to establish “truck routes”, but these are decisions that call upon their discretion and judgment after assessing what damage has occurred or will likely occur, and what can be done to address these issues within their authority to do so.

Commissioner Turner and the Commission also have to look at other relevant factors such as the volume and types of traffic on the roads in question, any possible impact limits and restrictions might have on any other business, agricultural or residential use of the roads, and that half of Gray Road may be within Huntsville’s corporate limits and subject to their control. There could also be other factors arise during this process that they will need to consider, but the foregoing are primary factors already before them.”