Caroline County BZA approves Goldsboro Materials’ Bramble mine Phase 4 expansion with conditions

The Caroline County Board of Zoning Appeals approved Goldsboro Materials LLC’s application to expand its Bramble (also called Bridgetown) mineral-extraction site by 37.96 acres, subject to multiple conditions designed to limit new impacts on nearby residences.

The board voted 3–0 after hearing technical testimony from the applicant team and an appraiser, and extended oral concerns from neighbors about noise, dust and truck safety. The approval requires final site-plan approval from the county planning commission, submission of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) surface-mining permit before a zoning certificate or building permit is issued, continued enforcement of prior special-use conditions, and additional conditions recorded by the board (including no Saturday mining in Phase 4, no increase in truck traffic, no change to current operating hours for the operation overall, and the provision of contact information for neighbors to report problems).

Why it matters: The expansion would add a fourth phase to a long-running Bramble mining operation and extend the site’s permitted life while neighbors said daily noise, dust and truck traffic have degraded quality of life and property values. Supporters and the applicant said the project uses established methods, has mitigation in place and is subject to state and county oversight.

Applicant’s case and mitigation Cheryl Tomy, design drafter with Lane Engineering, told the board the application…