Rankin County OKs conditional‑use permit for 4‑acre exempt mine on Stump Ridge after contested hearing

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors on April 15 approved a conditional‑use permit allowing a 4‑acre mining operation on Stump Ridge Road, the board said, despite sustained public opposition over truck traffic, dust and road damage.

The board’s approval applies only to the specific 4‑acre area that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) granted as an exempt mining site; the permit requires the operator to stake and clearly flag the four acres and to follow a haul route and other conditions the board set. The board’s vote was recorded as four in favor and one abstention.

County planning staff and the applicant said the operation would be limited to the 4 acres approved by MDEQ and that any additional mining on the same larger parcel would require a separate DEQ review and another county permit. Staff recommended standard conditions including daytime hours, on‑site dust control and daily road cleaning.

Applicant and permit details

The application was filed by landowner Seth Bilborough for two adjoining parcels (recorded in the meeting as parcel L‑13‑20 and L‑13‑21, a combined 160 acres). County staff said MDEQ had approved a notice of exempt mining for a 4‑acre pit. The county planner explained the permit would be limited to the DEQ‑exempt footprint.

County staff described typical conditions the board often requires for exempt mines: a water truck for dust control, posting “trucks entering highway” signs, daily sweeping to keep public roads clear of debris, staking the exempt 4‑acre area, and protection of the public right‑of‑way at the pit entrance. The planner cited the board’s authority under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 65‑7‑4 to require a bond or other collateral to protect county roads if heavy hauling will damage them.

Public comments and concerns

More than a dozen residents spoke at the public hearing, raising similar concerns about traffic, speed, dust, noise, and erosion on narrow county roads.

Shane Shibe, who lives adjacent to the property, said he would prefer a lake to continuous trucking but asked that the operation be managed: “I support having a nice property back there with the lake, but I also believe that comes with responsibilities and parameters around it.”

Sadie Watson, who identified herself as living three lots down from the proposed entrance, said runoff and erosion are already a problem and that her family spent money to correct drainage last year: “My biggest issues are directly related to me and my family and our property. We had terrible runoff, erosion, flooding towards the back of our property.”

Andy Thomas, who said he commutes early and has documented truck movements, told supervisors he sees cleanup and enforcement as inconsistent: “The dust is constant right there… I’m surprised somebody hadn’t been killed yet by these trucks.”

Several speakers asked for a defined haul route on the record rather than allowing truck drivers to choose streets. Many urged the board to require a bond and stronger enforcement.

Support and applicant response

People who said they support the permit or the applicant said pits are common in the area and argued the operator could be held accountable to conditions. One supporter, who identified himself as Justin, said the applicant maintains a track record of responding to complaints: “I think you can hold him accountable. I think he'll do what is required of the job.”

Board action and conditions

After public comment and staff recommendations, the board approved the conditional‑use permit and attached conditions that county staff read into the record. Key conditions recorded by staff and reflected in the board’s action:

- Limit operations to the MDEQ‑exempt 4‑acre footprint; the operator must stake and flag the permitted area. - Haul route to be determined and enforced by the county road manager in consultation with county engineering; the operator must abide by that route at all times. - Hours of operation: county staff said the board typically uses 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday–Saturday and no hauling on Sunday; the board’s conditions adopt that standard. - Dust control: requirement for an on‑site water truck and for dust control measures. - Road cleaning and debris: daily road sweeping and removal of tracked material; the board specifically required a sweeper and daily clearing. - Entrance protection: installation of a stabilized entry (material extending into the site) to reduce wheel tracking; staff said 200 feet is the typical minimum for such entrance material but the exact distance will be set by the road manager. - Financial security: the board recorded its authority under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 65‑7‑4 to require a bond or other collateral to protect public roads if necessary; the permit requires the operator to post security if determined by the road manager. - No hauling outside approved route and hours; operator responsibility for damage to public roads and obligation to repair or compensate under county authority.

County staff said the conditions include the specific requirement that the operator keep public roads clear daily and be responsible for any damage caused by hauling. Staff also reiterated that the county and DEQ each have distinct roles: DEQ regulates mining permits and exemptions, while the county regulates hours, haul routes, and public‑road impacts via the conditional‑use process.

What the permit does — and does not — authorize

The permit allows only the limited mining activity inside the 4‑acre MDEQ‑exempt footprint. Staff reminded the board that MDEQ is not likely to routinely permit repeated adjacent 4‑acre exemptions on the same parcel without a full mining permit; the DEQ representative in the discussion said the agency tends not to allow serial 4‑acre exemptions without a full permit if the pattern indicates larger‑scale mining.

Board vote and next steps

The board’s recorded vote was four in favor and one abstention; the board set the haul route to be determined by the county road manager and authorized staff to finalize permit language consistent with the conditions summarized above. County staff will notify the applicant of the required steps to implement the permit, including staking the exempt area, posting required signage and securing any collateral if necessary.

Community context

Speakers repeatedly asked the county to consider timing, enforcement and road protection before hauling begins; several residents asked the county to require earlier pavement repairs and clearer enforcement mechanisms should hauling begin. County staff said the road manager will work with the operator to designate the off‑site route, and that the board retains authority to require bonds, additional protections, or stop work if conditions are violated.

The permit does not change zoning of the larger parcels; it authorizes a conditional use in agricultural zoning for an MDEQ‑exempt mine and ties the operator to the board’s specific conditions. Residents who remain concerned were advised to report violations to the road manager’s office for enforcement.