Planners hear proposal to expand Rankin sand-and-gravel mine; public hearing only

The Florence Planning and Zoning Commission on a public-hearing night heard a proposal to amend the town’s 2022 General Plan to allow expansion of the Rankin sand-and-gravel mine from about 60 acres to roughly 250 acres. The hearing, held during the commission’s regular meeting, was informational only; the commission did not vote on the amendment. For the record, Andy Jochims, planning consultant for Gilbert Blythe, presented on behalf of the Rankin family and said the application would add the industry district place type and expand the aggregate-resources overlay to support the larger mining footprint. “We are proposing a major general plan amendment to expand the existing sand and…