HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.a. Site Visit to Dakota Aggregates
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council Special Work Session: July 5, 2016
AGENDA ITEM: Site Visit to Dakota Aggregates AGENDA SECTION:
Site Visit
PREPARED BY: Kim Lindquist, Community Development
Director AGENDA NO. 3.a.
ATTACHMENTS: None APPROVED BY: ddj
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Information Item
SUMMARY
Councilmember Nelson has expressed concern about the noise associated with the permitted 24 hour
mining operation at Dakota Aggregates. The southern portion of the mining activity and ancillary use area
has been allowed for 24-hour operation since inception. In 2015, the City allowed 24 hour mining in the
northern mine area, more adjacent to County Road 42. The 24-hour operation allowance was recently
approved with the annual mining for the 2016 operation.
Along with the operations at Dakota Aggregates, there is additional mining in Empire Township, south of
County Road 46. That mine does not have the berming for sound mitigation and aesthetics required of the
Dakota Aggregates operation. Staff is suggesting the Council go out to the Dakota Aggregates facility to
review the noise from the south area, the north mining area, and also from the other Aggregate Industries
mine. It would also be beneficial to go out to County Road 42 and perhaps into the northern neighborhood
to assess if there is any noise from mining activity and determine which mine may be causing the noise.
Further the Council should discuss whether any mining noise is consistent with the ambient noise levels
found in urban residential neighborhoods. The visit should be later in the evening, approximately 10pm as
the traffic noise on County Road 42 makes other noises hard to hear. And noise complaints the City has
received have all been later in the day or very early morning before the traffic noise is at its peak.