Commission approves Vulcan Materials rezoning for quarry expansion with neighborhood access condition

The Columbia County commission voted May 7 to approve rezoning for a proposed Vulcan Materials quarry and overburden storage area, subject to conditions recommended by the planning commission, including a requirement that site access not run through the Anderson Farms neighborhood.

Several residents who live near the proposed expansion area spoke in favor of the rezoning during public comment. Dan Lanning, Stevie Lanning and Greg Slier said Vulcan had engaged the community with open houses, door-to-door outreach, and technical briefings; supporters argued that on-site overburden storage and quarrying would keep many truck trips off public roads and provided a decades-long plan for land reclamation.

"They've been good neighbors...they've continued to alert us and give us opportunity to meet with them," resident Dan Lanning said, adding that in his view the proposal would avoid tens of thousands of truck trips that otherwise would use public roads.

Staff confirmed the planning commission conditions include closing access through the Anderson Farms neighborhood to prevent local cut-through traffic. After public comment, a commissioner moved, and the board seconded, a motion to approve rezoning from RA to S1 for the proposed quarry and overburden storage (tax map 050 parcel 039F) subject to the May 7 planning commission report; the motion carried by voice/hand vote.

The transcript records supporters' remarks and the motion but does not include a detailed roll-call vote. The approved rezoning is tied to the planning commission’s conditions intended to limit neighborhood impacts and require mitigation steps during operations.