Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Glocester Council schedules Oct. 16 hearing on text amendment to allow "earth processing" in Highway Commercial zone
Summary
The council agreed to set an Oct. 16 public hearing on a proposed text amendment, requested by Kalucha Organization LLC, to permit earth processing (sorting/grading/processing imported soil/materials) in the Highway Commercial zone and directed staff and the planning board to consider licensing and mitigation measures.
The Glocester Town Council on Sept. 4 set a public hearing for Oct. 16 to consider a text amendment that would add "earth processing" as an allowed use in the Highway Commercial (B-2) zone. The applicant is Kalucha Organization LLC (640 Putnam Pike, AP 17, Lot 107).
Town Planner Karen Scott explained the amendment is a text change (not a map rezoning) that, if approved, would apply townwide to all properties in the Highway Commercial zone. She described the proposed activity as bringing material to a site and processing it with machines to size it for sale or removal, not mining or earth removal at the source. "They're not taking they're not digging up the earth on the actual lot, but they are involved in a... earth processing activity that has a lot of the same issues, dust, noise, and heavy equipment traffic," Scott said.
Councilors discussed whether the use should be permitted only with an annual license so the town could monitor dust, noise and truck traffic and require operating conditions. Several councilors and staff recommended the planning board consider licensing as part of its advisory review. The town also noted the applicant's request comes from a single property owner but that a text amendment would allow any Highway Commercial property to pursue the same use unless the council limits it by condition or licensing.
The council voted to set an Oct. 16 public hearing and to refer the proposal to the planning board for review and recommendations, including whether a licensing requirement should accompany any allowance for earth processing.
Next steps: planning-board advisory opinion, public hearing Oct. 16 and potential ordinance language that could include licensing, operating standards, hours, dust control and truck limits.
