Planning commission fails to set public hearing for Black Lake Quarry rezone after abstentions

The Thurston County Planning Commission discussed a proposed land-use amendment and rezone for the Black Lake Quarry during a continued-business work session and considered whether to set a public hearing on July 16.

County planner Claire (staff) told commissioners the site contains mapped wetlands adjacent to the Black River, a former man-made processing pond that is currently dry, and roughly 20 acres of natural buffer vegetation near the river. “This area is dry, and it was never a true wetland because it was man made,” she said, and noted the applicant’s five‑year mine review application has been submitted but not yet approved.

Claire said county maps show the entire property falls within mapped critical aquifer recharge areas; the most intense portions are shaded in the county map and carry restrictions that would limit uses such as asphalt or concrete plants, chemical processing, large hazardous‑waste generators and wood‑treating operations. She also described soils mapped as Everett and Alderwood series, very gravelly and disturbed by mining activity, and said that staff and several commissioners completed an on‑site visit.

Commissioners and staff discussed the rail connection at the site. Claire said the northern rail tie is at a BNSF Tacoma division location but that much of the rail through the site and southward toward the Mima Mounds is abandoned and overgrown. Commissioners asked about groundwater monitoring and sample wells; staff said well locations and monitoring schedules were not in hand and would be researched for the hearing.

Commissioners also discussed mine life estimates. Written material from the applicant and comments from a site visit gave a range: one letter indicated about 9,000,000 tons of recoverable material, while project representatives mentioned as much as 12,800,000 tons; depending on extraction rate and whether dredging below the water table occurs, staff said the mine could be active for decades. Commissioners noted the applicant has chosen not to pursue dredging into aquifer‑filled areas even where geologic data show deeper material.

Commissioner Scott Nelson moved to set a public hearing for July 16, 2025. The motion received a second, but during roll call several commissioners abstained. The chair read the commission’s standard rule that “no action of the commission may be taken without the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the appointed members.” Because the roll call did not produce the required majority of affirmative votes, the motion did not carry. The commission directed staff to place the Black Lake Quarry land‑use amendment and rezone back on a future agenda to continue the process.

No final planning commission recommendation on the rezone was made at the meeting; Claire and staff identified follow‑up tasks including locating groundwater monitoring well information, circulating submitted mine materials, and preparing materials for a future public hearing if one is set.

The commission also noted that the applicant’s five‑year mine review application remains under review and that wetland delineations, critical aquifer protections, and shoreline/river buffers will be part of the hearing record and evaluation.

The commission’s discussion closed with agreement to return the item to a future meeting agenda so the public can be given an opportunity to comment and staff can supply requested technical details.