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Planning commission approves 5-year renewal and slope modification for Parker 10 Mile Ranch reclamation plan
Summary
The Mendocino County Planning Commission unanimously adopted a negative declaration and granted a five-year renewal and modification of the Parker 10 Mile Ranch reclamation plan (REC20240003), allowing use of wetland overburden as fill for final quarry slopes and continuing SMARA inspection and financial-assurance requirements.
The Mendocino County Planning Commission on a unanimous vote adopted a negative declaration and approved a five-year renewal and modification of the Parker 10 Mile Ranch reclamation plan (REC20240003), staff said. The action allows the operator to receive overburden from a wetland restoration project and place it on the quarry site to finish final contouring.
Staff said the project site is about 8 miles north of Fort Bragg on a private 622-acre parcel, with roughly 15 acres used for the quarry and associated processing. Project planner Dirk Larson told the commission that the operator has been reclaiming portions of the site and that the requested modification would create a gentler final slope and include storm structures and a retention pond to control erosion.
"Reclamation is a combined process by which adverse environmental effects of surface mining are minimized and returned to a beneficial end use," Larson said, noting that final steps typically include topsoil replacement and revegetation with species suitable to the area.
The staff report said the operation has vested rights under county code, is subject to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) annual inspections, and must maintain financial assurance mechanisms reviewed by the State Department of Conservation's Division of Mine Reclamation. Staff concluded the proposed modification and five-year extension would not cause significant environmental effects and recommended adoption of a negative declaration with mitigation measures and approval pursuant to Mendocino County Code section 20.532.
Jordan Main, a land-use consultant for Geo Aggregates, represented the applicant and answered commissioner questions. Commissioners asked about the potential for further extraction; staff replied that vested rights allow future extraction without a use permit but the operator currently intends to complete reclamation. Staff also explained the modification is linked to a Nature Conservancy project to remove overburden from the South Fork of the 10 Mile River and deposit that material at the quarry, reducing transport and using private haul routes.
Commissioners moved and seconded the resolution to adopt the negative declaration and grant the reclamation plan renewal and modification. The roll call vote recorded Chair Babini, Commissioner Jones, Commissioner Pollan and Commissioner Richards voting yes; the motion passed unanimously.
Staff said the county will continue SMARA inspections, require updated financial-assurance cost estimates and a financial-assurance mechanism from the operator, and monitor revegetation success for a multi-year period as specified in the approved reclamation plan.
