For the last several weeks, Limestone County Commissioner Steve Turner has received a barrage of criticism over his response — or lack thereof — to Rogers Group’s quarry operation in a Huntsville-annexed portion of the county.

Some have asked Turner to hold a public hearing on the issue during evening hours so residents who work during the day could come and voice their concerns and hear from their county representative. When asked if he would be willing to hold a town hall-type meeting at a location in the district, Turner said he would “be hesitant to have a meeting” with residents, citing safety concerns.

He said angry residents have taken their opposition to the quarry to new heights. He said he has been threatened by one resident and a county employee was also threatened after turning around in someone’s driveway.

While some have threatened to vote Turner out of office over the issue, he said there are some residents who live near the quarry who still support him.

“I understand why they’re concerned and I hate it for them,” he said, adding he wouldn’t want a quarry next to his home either.

He explained each district within the county has its differences, and his district would be considered metropolitan compared to other more rural parts of the county. While it may seem like “city living,” rules and regulations that apply in Huntsville, Madison or Athens don’t apply in unincorporated Limestone County.

“(Homeowners) wanted the benefits of lower taxes so they gave up (regulations),” he said.

Benefits

Some residents have argued the county is benefiting from the quarry, and Turner conceded there are some benefits. Limestone County receives the 10-cents-per-ton severance tax from Rogers Group, which is a state law. He said what money the county receives from the tax is used to purchase equipment to maintain the roads.

The county also purchases crushed limestone from Rogers Group for road projects. Turner said having a quarry so close to his district means he won’t have to send trucks to quarries in Elkmont or Tanner to pick up rock.

The road issue

Some have seemingly accepted the commission would have no legal authority to stop blasting at the quarry, so they have asked the county to put weight restrictions on Newby and Gray roads. Truck traffic in and out of the quarry use the roads because there is no entrance or exit to Huntsville-Brownsferry Road to the immediate south.

Turner said recent traffic surveys don’t support the need for weight-limiting the roads but revealed several other issues. The county conducted a survey on Newby and Gray roads earlier this month and released an assessment taken over a 48-hour period on April 4-5.

The survey revealed out of 2,319 vehicles traveling north on Newby during that period, only 12.1 percent was classified as “truck traffic,” which would be anything from a dually-type pickup truck to a tractor-trailer. On Gray Road, there were 2,195 vehicles traveling south, and 6.3 percent of those were trucks.

Turner said the few number of trucks traveling the roads might surprise some residents clamoring for weight reductions, but he added the quarry operation is not in production mode as of yet. He was told by Rogers Group officials operations should ramp up to full capacity in about two weeks.

Once the quarry is going strong, Turner said, the county would likely conduct another traffic survey on the roads to determine if there is enough heavy truck traffic to damage the roads.

Turner has offered to reduce the speed limit of the roads, which are now set at 45 mph. He explained, however, that residents have not been in favor of that proposal.

The same traffic survey found a few instances of excessive speed in the area. Two percent of those driving west on Newby exceeded 55 mph, while 34 percent maintained the speed limit. On Gray Road, 20 percent of drivers exceed 55 mph during the 48-hour period.

On Newby Road West, there were spikes of 69 mph and 88.7 mph. On Gray Road, there was a spike of 84.7 mph. All told, there were 391 vehicles to exceed 55 mph over the course of the traffic study.

“These people claim to be all about safety, but when I offered to change the speed limit, they don’t want it changed,” Turner said.

Some have asked the county to put a 20-ton weight limit on the roads, but Limestone County doesn’t maintain all of Gray Road. About half is in the city limits of Huntsville.

Turner said if the county puts a weight-limit sign on Newby Road or attempts to restrict truck traffic to local deliveries only, there would be no way to ensure drivers would follow the rules.

Misinformation

Following Monday’s County Commission meeting, Turner said there is misinformation being spread about the county’s role in the quarry and what commissioners are legally able to do.

Assertions were made during the meeting that some on the commission received campaign donations from the city of Huntsville, Rogers Group and Ray Mahaffey, the owner of the quarry property. Turner said he has received no funds from any of those groups and added that he bankrolled his last campaign, though he had no opposition.

“To say I’m taking money from anybody is absurd,” he said.

Turner has also been criticized by saying weight-limiting the roads would unfairly target Rogers Group, which didn’t ask for a dime from the County Commission. He said that comment was more in response to other businesses and industries who commonly ask local governments for abatements and infrastructure improvements. He explained Rogers Group has never asked for any of those.

Residents have also chastised Turner’s description of a blast from the quarry site as being akin to distant thunder. He said while standing outside, that is what a blast from the quarry sounded like to him. He’s also been inside a home during a blast and was next to a china cabinet filled with glassware. Turner explained he heard nothing vibrate. He said he would like to be in more homes when the blasts occur so he can experience what homeowners say they are experiencing.

He also takes issue with the assertion the quarry is having negative impacts on home values in the area. Turner said he knows of one home that recently sold in the area for the asking price.

Turner said one of his most ardent critics isn’t affected by the blasts at all and lives in Athens on Cambridge Lane, about three and a half miles from the quarry.

“There are some people who are only in it for purely personal reasons,” Turner said.