TRACY HARRIS-Staff Writer
The Marshall County Planning Commission held a public hearing on Aug. 20, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was originally scheduled in Courthouse Annex Room 2204. Due to safety concerns, it was moved to the Marshall County Courthouse.
Committee Members
The following members were present: Chairman Ray Wakefield, voting members: Todd Tietgens, Fletcher Cathey, Kenneth George, Ronald Robinson, and Mark Wilkerson. Marshall County Commissioner Sheldon Davis was not in attendance.
The agenda had two items listed under new business. The first item was request to rezone from A-1 to C-2 for a commercial sporting arena at 2550 Charlie Thomas Rd. in Cornersville. The nearly 475-acre property is owned by Summit View Ranch, LLC.
Attorney John Cooper presented the committee with the reason for the request: two weekend rodeo events per year, and the capacity of the sports arena being 1,000-1,500 people. Cooper gave more details about the property and stated that the money raised would go to charity.
Property owners, attorneys, and company reps
Opponents of the rodeo voiced their primary concerns: traffic, noise, narrow roads, and alcohol sales.
The owner of the property stated he has never intended to sell alcohol and that he would gladly include a stipulation that there would not be alcohol sales on the property if the Commission considers rezoning.
The committee voted to table the discussion until more information was available.
The second item was a rezoning request from A-1 to M-1 Industrial Zoning to construct a modernized quarry plant at 912 Hwy. 99 in Lewisburg. Volunteer Materials operates out of the location.
Attorney Joshua Denton and President Chad Swallows discussed the proposal from the podium.
“This request is different than the one that was brought forward in February which got a negative recommendation,” Denton said. He added that they were bringing this forward after they addressed all of the concerns from nearby residents.
Regarding concerns about the entrance(s), they revised the design and will only be using the existing entrance. They also “carved off 14+ acres to be agricultural to create a parcel boundary between the proposed construction and Hwy. 99.”
Swallows spoke after the attorney and gave a history of how Volunteer Materials came to own the quarry through an acquisition.
Among the company’s 253 employees, 63% reside in Marshall County according to Swallows. He discussed the importance of their operations for paving roads, erecting buildings, and everything else needed for infrastructure.
Swallows added that “this modernization plan is an investment of $40 million in Marshall County.”
The committee received a packet with specs, drawings, and examples of the design. The modernization would include a new pit, dug 200 feet underground with a conveyor belt amongst other improvements. The modernization would help reduce dust and reduce noise according to Swallows and Denton.
Volunteer Materials workers filled the courthouse and the parking lot in a show of solidarity. Employees spoke in favor of modernization. Many of the employees that went to the microphone said, “It is a great place to work. They treat you like family.” Others added reasons why they love being a part of the company.
On social media before the meeting, opponents also said the company held a lunch for employees where they received t-shirts, hats, and instructions on what to say during the public hearing. The post also claimed employees were going to be “on the clock” during the public hearing.
Opponents expressed their frustration throughout the meeting noting that the room was filled with employees while others, likely opponents who did not sign up to speak, remained outside. Another raised their voice to ask for the room to be cleared of employees who had spoken to free up seats for others outside.
In past public hearings on the matter, time was evenly distributed to each side for speaking. Last Tuesday, it was a bit different. Wakefield assured the crowd he wanted to give everyone who signed up a chance to speak first.
mixture of opponents and employees
Opponents brought forth many concerns:, air quality, clean drinking water noise, damaged foundations on homes, trucks coming and going 24 hours (outside their business hours), increased blasting, a cease and desist letter, and more.
A citizen claimed the company was using “manipulation tactics by rescheduling public hearings and now changing the word to modernization when we all know what this is – an expansion!”
One of the biggest concerns reiterated by several speakers was that no one from the company has reached out to them. Several citizens said they had not heard from anyone at Volunteer Materials. A nearby homeowner said, “They haven’t even talked to us to see what our concerns are. So how can they address what they are? We just want them to be good neighbors.”
Committee members voted as follows: Those in favor were Fletcher Cathey, Kenneth George, and Ronald Robinson. Those opposed were Mark Wilkerson and Todd Tietgens. It passed by a vote of 3 to 2.
The public hearing lasted until after 8:30 p.m.
