Proposed quarry divides Noble Township

NOBLE TOWNSHIP — Opponents of a proposed stone quarry urged the Noble Township Zoning Commission on Wednesday to reject an application to rezone 142 acres of farmland, where contractor Weber Materials plans to build the open-pit mine.

Residents crowded into the Noble Township Community Center in search of answers to why the mine is needed when the Auglaize County township, population 1,700, has an existing quarry with a second quarry located in nearby Buckland.

“I don’t want a big hole in my backyard,” said resident Al Solomon, one of 15 people who addressed the commission Wednesday.

Weber Materials submitted the application to rezone 142 acres of farmland for industrial use so it can mine limestone for building materials.

The company is contracted with the existing quarry, owned by the Hirschfeld family, but that contract expires in six years.

Weber Materials President Kevin Weber said the Hirschfelds plan to sell the mine once the contract ends. The quarry will have “about 10.4 years left” of mineable stone by then, Weber said.

Siblings John and Teri Hirschfeld disputed those claims: “Someday it’ll be sold, but I plan on being around a while longer,” John Hirschfeld said, adding: “It’s good rock.”

One of the few residents who spoke in support of the petition was Robert Broerman, owner of Al Broerman Trucking, who said the price of building materials could rise if the Hirschfelds sell their quarry.

“I don’t know if I’d want a quarry in my backyard or not, but you can’t just randomly dig a hole and start producing limestone out of the ground,” he said. “You follow wherever God put it, and they are following wherever God put the limestone.”

The zoning commission voted 3-1 to recommend the rezoning application to the Noble Township trustees, who have 30 days to hold a public hearing before they can vote on the request.

Wednesday’s decision only concerns the rezoning application, the first step in the process to establish the quarry.

If the trustees approve the request, Weber Materials will need to submit a conditional use permit before it can mine the land.

The township board of appeals can adopt special conditions for such a permit to address concerns like who should pay for road construction and maintenance, according to Edwin Pierce, legal counsel for the township.

Rezoning the land would permit Weber Materials to use the property for any approved industrial purpose even if the company chooses not to quarry, Pierce said.

Residents can also initiate a referendum to block the zoning change if it’s approved by the trustees.

Former zoning commission member Vickie Nedderman, whose property abuts the proposed quarry, submitted an 11-page petition to the zoning commission Wednesday with signatures from residents who object to the project.

Her home suffered “manageable damage” from the existing quarry, but Nedderman worries more extensive damage awaits if the new quarry is built because it will be closer to her home.

“We’re concerned about more serious damage, truck traffic, road damage, noise and dirt,” Nedderman said.