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 would expand the mine’s footprint from about 95.5 acres to a total of 133.46 acres by adding 37.96 acres for Phase 4. “By adding an additional 37.96 acres to the mine, which we are calling phase 4,” Tomy said, the company plans no new buildings, no change to the stationary electric-powered wash plant and no increase in employees or truck trips.

Tomy and company representatives described existing screening—a roughly 75-foot-wide loblolly tree buffer—plus a proposed 25-foot-tall berm to provide additional visual and acoustic screening. The applicant said noise monitoring is performed annually by Vibertek and that the most recent study in the file shows the operation in compliance; the company also cited MDE bonding and inspections tied to reclamation plans.

Expert appraisal William M. Turner, a certified general real-estate appraiser called by the applicant, testified that his review of regional sales and comparable properties led him to conclude: “it is my opinion that the proposed sand and gravel surface mine expansion will not substantially diminish or impair property values in the neighborhood.” Turner described data limitations in some very recent sales records but said he did not find evidence of systematic value loss in comparable mining areas.

Neighbors’ concerns Several residents who live north of the site testified in opposition. Megan Campbell (Westbridge) described recurring dust and poor air quality at nearby homes, two recent dump-truck incidents that required local emergency response and repeated speeding by large trucks on Route 312; she urged the board to require particulate monitoring and stronger oversight. “We have small children… you can feel the dust and actually cough from the dust on days,” Campbell said.

Richard Keith, another nearby resident, described continuous washing-plant noise and dust at his property: “The whole house is filthy,” he said, and urged additional conditions to protect quality of life. Other neighbors corroborated complaints about dust tracking on roads and the visibility of sand and gravel spilled near residences.

Applicant responses and enforcement Owner Francis Gardner and other applicant witnesses said the site uses a water truck to suppress dust, stores fuel in double-wall tanks, keeps the site gate locked, and that MDE inspects and enforces surface-mining permit conditions. The applicant agreed to provide a direct contact number for neighbors and to attempt to address complaints promptly. County staff said the code enforcement officer has previously measured noise at property lines and, at those inspections, the site passed applicable limits.

Board decision and conditions During deliberations the board concluded the proposal meets the county’s special-use criteria. The board’s approval is conditioned on (among other items) final planning commission site-plan approval, a required zoning certificate or building permit, submission of the MDE surface-mining permit before the issuance of local permits, enforcement of prior special-use conditions already attached to the property, and these additional board conditions: no Saturday mining in Phase 4; no additional truck traffic attributable to the Phase 4 area; no change in the current hours of operation for the overall facility; and provision of neighbor contact information for complaints. The motion to approve was made by William Eric Smith and passed 3–0.

What’s next The applicant must obtain final site-plan approval from the Caroline County Planning Commission and provide the MDE permit before local permits are issued. Neighbors may continue to file complaints with the county’s code-enforcement staff; the board recorded the company’s agreement to provide direct contact information for residents.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Goldsboro Materials LLC special-use exception (Application 25-0029): Motion passed 3–0. Key conditions: final site-plan approval; MDE surface-mining permit submitted before issuance of local permits; prior special-use conditions remain; no Saturday mining in Phase 4; no additional truck traffic; no change in operating hours; neighbor contact info required. - Election of officers: earlier procedural vote to elect chair/vice chair and board officers carried as recorded at the start of the meeting.

Reporting note: Quotes and attributions are taken from the hearing record and are identified by speaker name and role as provided during the session.