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Planning Board renews Mitchell Materials excavation permit for five years with staff-drafted amendment
Summary
The Swansea Planning Board approved a five-year renewal of Mitchell Materials LLC’s excavation permit after questions about reclamation bonding, inspection frequency, and the current depth of the pit; staff will draft a new amendment (No. 19) to accompany the renewal for board review before final signature.
The Town of Swansea Planning Board voted to renew Mitchell Materials LLC’s five-year excavation permit, including a staff-drafted amendment to be reviewed before final signature.
Mitchell Materials’ representative Jackie Beeman told the board the company’s reclamation bond is “current in full force and effect” and submitted updated grading and existing-conditions plans. Beeman said the company had no incidents to report and that Winchester had already approved a five-year renewal of the permit for its parcel there.
Board members asked detailed questions about current pit depth and reclamation expectations. A Prodantus engineer working with Mitchell Materials said the pit’s deepest point is about elevation 445 and noted the operation has removed roughly 700,000 of an estimated 3,000,000 cubic yards historically permitted on the Swansea side, suggesting extraction could continue for decades at current rates. Members pressed whether the existing reclamation bond amount (set in 2019) remains adequate; one member noted the $20,000 figure originated then and asked staff to evaluate whether an updated estimate is needed at the next renewal.
The board also asked staff to confirm that the permit’s twice-yearly inspections by the code-enforcement officer are occurring as required. A board member requested a staff reminder to revisit the bond amount at the next renewal cycle and for the town to ensure inspection records are maintained.
After discussion, Michael moved to renew the excavation permit, including the new amendment 19 to be worded by staff; Brandon seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition. The board will review the text of amendment 19 before the chair signs the renewed permit.
What happens next: Staff will prepare the wording for amendment 19 and present it to the board for review prior to finalizing the signed renewal.
Authorities referenced: RSA citations and the town excavation/alteration-of-terrain permitting framework were read aloud during the discussion; the transcript references the state AOT permit and town-level excavation permits.
