Williams County approves Ramsey Hill frac sand conditional-use permit with bond, buffer conditions

Williams County commissioners on March 20 approved a conditional-use permit for Ramsey Hill Exploration to construct and operate a frac sand processing facility and phased mining operation in Houghland Township, contingent on county staff conditions, a reclamation bond and a buffer requirement should mining move south of 50 Second Street Northwest.

The permit covers work on roughly 1,109 acres of property, of which the applicant anticipates using about 593 acres; the applicant plans to mine in four phases and excavate to depths of about 20 to 50 feet. The processing facility would sit in the north phase, accessed from 110th Avenue Northwest; the applicant said the plant site is about three-quarters of a mile north of County 17 (50 Second Street Northwest).

The board’s decision followed a public hearing in which Ramsey Hill representatives described changes they’ve made after earlier public comment. Mike China, representing Ramsey Hill, said the company increased the residential buffer north of lakeshore homes "to a quarter mile to the north of the property lines of all those houses among the the lake there." Owner Chris Kuzlick said the company met repeatedly with landowners and that "I felt like the meeting went…