Linn County approves Mulberry Limestone quarry permit, adds traffic‑study requirement

Linn County commissioners on July 28 approved a conditional use permit for Mulberry Limestone to operate a rock quarry on about 122.7 acres near the intersection of 2400 Road and Valley Road, voting 2–1 after lengthy public comment and presentations by staff, industry representatives and residents.

The permit was approved with a set of conditions recommended by county planning staff and the planning and zoning commission — including hours of operation, setbacks, berming and vegetation, pre‑blast surveys, dust control and a requirement that the conditional use be reviewed and renewed five years after approval. Commissioners also adopted an amendment requiring Mulberry Limestone to pay for a traffic study of the intersection used by quarry trucks.

The planning and zoning director, Ben Souda, told commissioners the application met staff findings: the land is zoned agricultural and quarries are allowed by conditional use, the property has been used for agriculture, and nearby zoning and land uses generally are agricultural. Staff recommended approval subject to conditions including keeping state and federal permits on file with the county, operating hours limited to 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday, a 460‑foot setback from the road and adjacent property lines, seeded berms and evergreen screening on the west berm, dust control, no storage of explosives, and a required road management plan developed with the public works director.

Opponents who spoke at the public hearing argued the permit conflicts with the county comprehensive plan and would harm property values and the rural character. Resident Stephanie Walker, who lives on Valley Road, said the proposal ran counter to multiple goals in the comprehensive plan, including “Protect the natural beauty and open spaces that make our county special.” Other residents cited academic studies and local realtor input and urged commissioners to reject the permit or add stronger protections.

Industry representatives and the applicant’s attorney countered that technical controls and setbacks would limit impacts. Dean Manuel of Austin Powder Company (contractor) described the pre‑blast survey process and the state vibration and air‑blast limits quarry blasts must meet, saying third‑party surveys document conditions before blasting. Patrick Hughes of Adams Jones law firm, representing Mulberry Limestone, told the commission the site contains a high‑quality rock resource that requires relatively little overburden and that berming, setbacks and vegetation will reduce visibility and sound. Company representative Matt Blesson said the applicant plans to seed berms, plant trees and work with neighbors: “I’m gonna make the area nice. That’s what we wanna do.”

Commissioners debated the permit’s consistency with the county plan, neighbor proximity and cumulative impacts. One commissioner moved to table the item to a later date to obtain outside counsel and additional review; that motion failed for lack of a second. A subsequent motion to approve the permit and accept the planning commission’s 6–0 recommendation carried after commissioners added the traffic‑study amendment requiring the applicant to fund a traffic study at the 2400/Valley intersection. The final vote on the permit was 2–1 in favor.

Under the approved conditions, the county will require the applicant to comply with all local, state and federal regulations, keep permits on file with the county planning office, limit operation hours, maintain vegetative buffers, and follow a road management plan developed with the public works director. The conditional use will be subject to a five‑year review.

The county attorney and planning staff are to finalize the written permit conditions and file them in the planning office; the traffic study will be coordinated with the public works director as required by the amendment.

Why it matters: The decision allows a new industrial operation near existing residences, raising questions residents flagged about property values, truck traffic and long‑term land use. Commissioners imposed specific operational controls and a traffic‑study requirement to address road safety and community concerns; the permit will return for formal review in five years.