Planning board recommends approval of special‑use permit for concrete batch and truss plants at NC Ranch site; conditions include noise controls and review

The City of Newberry Planning & Zoning Board on May 5 recommended approval of a special‑use permit that would allow a concrete batch plant and a truss‑manufacturing facility on roughly 53.62 acres adjoining the NC Ranch master plan community and the CSX rail line.

Staff member Masuma (Planning) told the board the petition has completed prior land‑use and rezoning steps: a small‑scale future land use amendment and rezoning to industrial for the 50‑acre portion. The applicant, represented by Patrice Boyes, said the location was chosen to use rail access for raw materials and to limit truck traffic on public roads by routing materials internally and delivering into NC Ranch where feasible.

NV5 planner Margo Maurer, AICP, presented the special‑use permit materials and testified that the site’s topography would provide natural screening for noise and visibility. An acoustical study prepared for the project concluded proposed operations could meet the city’s loud‑noise limits at the parcel boundary, and staff included conditions that require the owner to comply with that study and to provide an electronic copy within 24 hours on request by the city manager or designee.

Conditions adopted in the board’s recommendation (as read into the record) include: maintaining visual screening and a berm along access where needed; operating hours limited to 4 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; a coordinated fire services and emergency plan submitted to the Newberry Fire Department prior to operation; use of dark‑sky friendly lighting; forwarding notices of any regulatory violations from other agencies to the city within 10 days with a plan to resolve; a required FDOT traffic study and dedication of right‑of‑way for site ingress/egress prior to site‑plan approval; landscape and overlay requirements per Section 4.22 of the zoning code; and a wildlife protection/relocation study prior to operation if required by species presence.

Applicant Tripp Norfleet explained the truss building would be a modest metal structure (approximately 50 by 60 feet) with two truss tables and estimated production capacity of roughly 3–8 houses’ worth of trusses per day. For concrete, Norfleet estimated typical pours might require 5–7 trucks, and that the on‑site batch plant would likely use a small mixing trailer and storage bunkers; he estimated the operation would generate fewer off‑site truck trips over time than hauling material from distant suppliers.

Board members asked about proximity to existing residences and an RV park. Engineers and the applicant said the closest distance from Avalon (a nearby residential area) to an existing industrial plant (SRM) is about 571 feet; from the proposed batch plant location to the closest part of Avalon is about 2,631 feet. The board recorded that a similar industrial operation across the road (SRM and Argos presence were discussed in public comment) has not produced the type of nuisance complaints expected, and staff emphasized the special‑use conditions and the noise study will be enforced by code enforcement if exceedances occur.

A motion to recommend approval with the conditions as drafted (omitting a previously considered vegetation requirement that staff said is not needed given the berm and topography) was moved and seconded. The board voted in favor of the recommendation; staff said the matter will proceed to the City Commission for final action. Staff also noted the special‑use permit will expire in 20 years unless amended.