Waite Park planning commission tables Knife River quarry renewal after residents raise damage and infrastructure concerns

The Waite Park Planning Commission on June 8 opened a public hearing on a five-year renewal and amendment to an interim use permit for quarrying — an application from MTL Partners (now operated by Knife River) that would add a new quarry area, Site E, and extend the permit term. After detailed staff background, multiple resident statements about past vibration and damage, and technical responses from the applicant, the commission voted to table the request so staff and the applicant can respond to outstanding questions about monitoring, crushing, access and wetland permitting.

Staff recapped the parcel’s permit history (initial interim use permit in 2018, amendments in 2021, a five-year extension in 2023) and described the proposed Site E as approximately 4.4 acres expected to produce roughly 99,000 cubic yards (approximately 197,000 tons) of granite and about 109,000 cubic yards of overburden. Staff noted applicants had requested expanded hours (6 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon–Fri and Saturdays 6 a.m.–3 p.m.); staff recommended retaining the prior 6 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Friday schedule and not adding Saturdays. Additional recommended conditions included continued compliance with prior permit conditions, securing required outside agency approvals (DNR, Stearns County wetland authority, and MnDOT where applicable), and a termination of mining and coring activity by April 1, 2034 with reclamation complete by April 1, 2035 unless otherwise permitted.

Residents gave detailed testimony. One neighbor who identified his address as 1709 Randerfield Road said his house shook when quarrying occurred near Site A and that Site E is only about 300 yards from his home; he said windows rattled and he is concerned about structural impacts if blasting occurs nearer his house. "Being that this Quarry site is only 300 yards from my house, I'm very concerned about my structure of my house," he said. Another resident, Brian Libismer, said previous operations involved blasting and crushing and asked whether Site E would be mined before other sites and whether the proposed footprint would be filled or left as a quarry. Property owner Candace Gr told the commission the landscape has been degraded, property values stagnated, and residents need a clear reclamation plan before further extensions are granted.

Alex Hartman, representing Optimized Media Group and TJ Communications, said a nearby FAA-licensed radio tower serves life-safety pagers and two-way communications for hospitals, school buses and transit; he said prior quarrying disturbed the tower and he is concerned about vibration or other impacts to critical communications infrastructure. "We have a vested interest to make sure that tower is there and safe, especially for the hospital customers," Hartman said.

Knife River representatives (Jeff Madejczyk, consultant with Moore Engineering, and Steph Bazgard, Knife River's environmental manager) described the reclamation approach — restoring grade by replacing overburden and importing suitable fill where required — and said Site E would be reclaimed under the same conditions as prior mining areas. They explained typical mining depths (about 50 feet to the first bench), said they use third-party blasting contractors and that prior changes to blasting practices (lowering charges and using more frequent, smaller blasts) reduced vibration impacts for neighboring properties. The company committed to continued monitoring and to follow DNR and county permitting processes for dewatering and wetlands; they also said crushing has been specifically excluded from this property under initial approvals and staff signaled reluctance to add on-site crushing given proximity to the southern edge of town.

After extended discussion and repeated resident concerns about vibration monitoring, potential structural damage, crushing, road impacts and wetland access for any necessary haul routes, a commissioner moved to table the application so staff and Knife River could provide additional materials and work with residents. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Staff said they would notify those who received notice about the next meeting and could invoke a 60-day statutory extension of the review period if more time is needed to gather information.

Outcome: The commission did not approve the renewal or amendment on June 8; the item was tabled pending further information and coordination with residents and outside agencies.