Top Grade Aggregates LL
C was granted permission to begin a mineral extraction operation of 25,000 cubic yards at 3819 Second St. and haul the gravel north and then west to its plant in Hudsonville.
The Leighton Township Board, which tabled the request last month from owner Ross Veltema, agreed to allow the company to mine gravel at the site and then have it hauled on a northerly route, rather than south and west within the township.
Resident Dick Howard asked the board to approve a route west to Kalamazoo Avenue on 139th Avenue, maintaining that it’s the shortest. However Board Trustee John Hooker said that plan would include too much muck along the way and cause more damage to the roads.
Howard protested, saying, “These trucks are going to tear up any roads they use. That’s life.”
Hooker said it was his understanding the Planning Commission approved the north route and it was favored by the Allegan County Road Commission.
The engineer hired by Top Grade said the westerly route would causes more twists and turns by the trucks, which would cause even more road damage.
Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis at first hesitated on making a decision on a resolution to grant the route, other conditions and hours of operation, saying, “It would have been nice to have information in writing from the Road Commission.”
However, the engineer pointed out the Road Commission preferred Top Grade representatives deal direrctly with the township about the issue.
The company would operate between 7 a.m. 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays.
“We really feel like we were approved to go north,” Veltema told the Township Board. “I feel like we’ve gone the lengthy distance (to negotiate an agreement).”
Top Grade has acknowledged there is always potential for problems with dust control and damaging the roads when hauling, but said they will be minimal because they plan to travel only 15 to 25 miles per hour and much of the operation will be conducted in winter months.
The Planning Commission recommended approval at its Nov. 2 meeting, with 19 conditions.
Hooker told board colleagues, “There is quite a bit of teeth to the conditions and it will be under yearly review.”
He added, “If this went back to the Planning Commission, I don’t think it would change anything.”
The vote to adopt the resolution was 5-0.