GVL Excavating seeking approval for gravel mining

GVL Excavating wants to establish a gravel mining operation on 144^th Avenue near 4^th Street in Leighton Township, but it needs an ordinance amendment to proceed.

Gary Shank, representing the company, told the Leighton Township Board Thursday evening said the plan later would be to develop the site into a site condominium.

The holdup is the current Leighton ordinance stipulates that gravel mining operations must have access to a primary road. The proposed project would have access to a paved county road, but it’s not primary, so GVL is asking for an ordinance amendment to be proposed to the Planning Commission and accommodate the project.

The Township Board noted the planner, Andy Moore, is working on the request, but no action is being taken.

In other business at Thursday’s meeting, the board:

• Discussed the possibility of crafting a local ordinance against littering to stop the dumping of mattresses and tires in what Supervisor Steve Wolbrink called “hot spots” in the township. Such an ordinance would give the two local deputies enforcement power over the violators.
• Learned from Fire Chief Matt Weston that the department handled a record 51 calls in August. Weston also said the department has received a Lucas CPR mechanical medical device on a grant from the Gun Lake Casino at a cost of $16,900.
• Set Thursday, Oct. 14, at 6:30 p.m. for a public Hearing on Classic Transportation’s request to rezone an adjacent property from residential to industrial for expansion of the business on Division.
• Agreed to set the Leighton Library millage rate at 1.1 mills for fiscal year 2022-23. The library is authorized the levy up to 1.598 mills. The levy will bring in an estimated $318,739.
• Re-established the fee of $75 per property for weed management at Green and Round lakes.
• Agreed to spend $35,o00 in the next year for new street lighting.