Commission gives quarry 24 more years
Following nearly three hours of public testimony, the Honolulu Planning Commission unanimously approved a state special-use permit yesterday to extend the life of the Makakilo Quarry by 24 years.
Commissioners approved quarry owner Grace Pacific's application as recommended by the city Department of Planning and Permitting. However, they put conditions on the request.
The company must establish a dedicated complaint hot line for residents, and if complaints are excessive, the commission can require the company to appear for questioning.
Controversy over Grace Pacific's proposed 20-acre quarry expansion in Makakilo, which will extend operations to 2032, had delayed the permitting process by three years. While supporters of the expansion testified that approval was needed to support the state's lead construction industry, nearby residents said the operations have negatively affected property values and quality of life for nearby residents.
"In certain respects the use appears to be incompatible with the surrounding area," said Raymond Young, who presented the Planning Department's position to the commission. "We considered that and the need for a new resource. You can import rock if need be, but it's much more costly. It's a matter of whether you want to trade off (neighborhood) impacts with the costs of obtaining rock from another site."
Grace Pacific still must get final approval from the state Land Use Commission before expansion can proceed. Grace Pacific and members of the construction industry have said prompt approval is necessary to ensure that Oahu's supply of high-quality aggregate does not run out.
The company began the permitting process back in 2005 and got approval from the Makakilo/Kapolei Neighborhood Board in 2006. However, opposition from more than 200 nearby residents stalled the approval process.
The Planning Department, which began taking public comments on the application last November, said it worked with quarry opponents and supporters to break the impasse.
As a result of the city's recommendations, the company mitigated its original expansion plan to address community claims that quarry operations have made some of them sick; created undue noise, dust and traffic in their growing community; and robbed them of views.
Following discussions with the city, Grace Pacific has agreed to spend an estimated $29 million to move its lower processing facility into the current quarry pit, where it would be less likely to be seen by residents. The company also plans to lower the ridge on the southwestern side of the area by about 50 feet and build a 75-foot berm on the northeastern edge to mitigate view complaints. And, the company is now willing to take responsibility for reclamation.
Still, these conditions are not enough to satisfy all nearby residents.
"I think we lost big time today," said John Riggins, a Villages of Kapolei homeowner who said he has experienced problems with dust and noise as a result of quarry operations.
"None of us who purchased homes expected the quarry operation to continue forever," Riggins said. "When I purchased my present home in 1993, I fully expected that the quarry operation would end in 1998."