Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 10 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Environmental group opposes the quarry
Published Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Following is a copy of the Jan. 26 letter presented by the Alabama Rivers Alliance to the Town of Vincent regarding the proposed quarry. The letter was written by Program Director Mitch Reid. I find it very telling, don't you?
"The Alabama Rivers Alliance asks that the planning commission recommend that the city council reject the proposal to undertake rezoning which would allow White Rock Quarries to engage in mining activities within the town limits. If allowed, this Quarry will have adverse impacts on the Coosa River (including the structural integrity of the Logan Martin Dam), the Spring Creek Tributary of the Coosa River, the groundwater on which the citizens of Vincent and Shelby county rely, as well as the established property rights of the neighboring landowners. Formed in 1997, the Alabama Rivers Alliance is Alabama's statewide nonprofit river-protection organization. Our mission is to protect Alabama's rivers through water quality and quantity policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and the providing of information to citizens in order to achieve clean and healthy watershed ecosystems, healthy people, strong economies, and a functioning democratic system of government in Alabama. Approving this rezoning would effectively sanction an unavoidable infringement of the rights of the town's citizens to the peaceful enjoyment of their property.
For over 125 years, the Alabama Supreme Court has recognized that property owners have a right to use their property free from unreasonable interference. For example, in an 1899 case, the court declared that "every man has a right, by the common law, to the pure air and to have no noxious smells sent on his lands." The draining of groundwater from adjoining property is a particularly troubling interference with property rights in Alabama. A little over ten years ago, the Alabama Supreme court held that property owners could not take groundwater from a common aquifer if the adjoining landowners are injured.
More recently, Alabama has been at the forefront of states' efforts to protect private property. In a controversial 2005 decision involving a town in Connecticut, the U. S. Supreme Court declared it constitutionally permissible for a government to take a citizen's private property for the use of another private citizen, so long as there was a perceived public benefit. Public outrage ensued, and more than 40 states passed legislation prohibiting such a taking. Alabama was one of the first, passing that same year a law stating that no governmental body may "condemn property for the purpose of nongovernmental retail, office, commercial, residential, or industrial development or use.
The Vincent City Council is now poised to decide a rezoning request from White Rock to build a quarry. Approval of this rezoning would sorely test more than a century of Alabama state policy and law. If the rezoning is approved, could it be fairly said that the council permitted White Rock's quarry to "take" the private property of its neighbors by emitting dust and noise, and draining their groundwater for use by the quarry? Even if this rezoning is not technically the same as a taking, the consequences to adjacent property owners could actually be unable to demand fair market value or other just compensation from the government for their loss.
In light of the direction of the Alabama State Legislature and judicial system, the Vincent City Council needs to thoughtfully consider whether it wishes to take an action that seems to be so clearly at odds with the established state law and policy. We therefore request that this commission recommend that the city council reject this request for rezoning."
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by forrestsown (anonymous) on February 2, 2010 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The problem here is a parlor game is being played.....
While we are all looking at Vincent, those in Columbiana continue to push this.
This is not only about the Vincent leaders but also the long range planning commission out of Columbiana of which Kristine Goddard is a member on 5 person panel.
Mrs. Goddard has been heard addressing Jim Hurley by his first name a few times in public. That would seem to give the impression that they have conversed on more than one occasion.
This would make sense since Shelby County also stands to reap in a lot of money from this fiasco.
Perhaps they need to hear from those opposed to this as well.
You can find all 5 names and their boss by accessing the Shelby County page.
Posted by bamasam (anonymous) on February 3, 2010 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Perhaps the people of Vincent need to realize that thier town is broke, thier schools are pityfull, they have no fire department and half of the town residents are below the poverty level.
White Rock is committed to improving and putting money back into a dying town. They are 100% OSHA and ADEM compliant and if anything will raise the property values by the improvements made from a working economy!
Posted by noquarry462 (anonymous) on February 3, 2010 at 7:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
bamasam's statement that Vincent is broke is not true. Vincent may not have tons of money to feed the spending frenzy of a few, but it is not broke. The schools are part of the Shelby County School System. They have nothing to do with Vincent City or White Rock. The average family in the Vincent area has an annual earning over 2 1/2 times the proverty level. There are more comparetively large land owners in the Vincent area than anywhere else in Alabama (acres per citizen.) This means more people stand to loose big money on their land investments because of the quarry indused value decline.
White Rock doesn't give a _ _ _ _ about Vincent and will infuse money only when they get their way. Look at their offers to put money into Vincent. This type offer is in the dictionary under Bribes.
Please bamasam, if you are going to make statements like 100% compliant, please research your statement. I challenge you to present a report based on fact relating the number of complaints filled against WR vs the industry average.
And finally bamasam, where in the _ _ _ _ do you get the idea that WR Quarry will raise property values. EVERY research on quarries impact on property values shows that there is a decline in property value of properties from 6% to as much as 40% according to the proximity to the quarry. If the SCR will allow the space I'll provide 512 different studies. There are NONE (0) that shows a quarry causes an increase in property values.
Posted by bamasam (anonymous) on February 4, 2010 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well Mr. Noquarry if you will stop by the information office you will see those reports. Please dont tell the people of Calera and Helena and Sylacauga that thier properties went down in value when they are still building and selling houses in the $200-300.000 range. Yes there are many large land owners in Vincent because it was passed down in thier family from farmers or they purchased it because it was cheap land due to no jobs, shopping or any amenities in Vincent.
As for your earning statement I would really love to see supporting documents to your facts. 60% of Vincent is in or below the poverty level!!! The average family is barely making it and if they are it is because they work away from Vincent, WHY, NO JOBS!!!!
The school is indeed part of the Shelby County school system and both Vincent and Shelby County schools will benifit from the tax revenue!! White Rock has committed to give directly to VINCENT SCHOOLS!!
If Vincent is not broke why pray tell is the roads in such bad condition, why do you not have a full time fire department, why are some of you still on well water because the water board cant afford to run new lines, why does downtown Vincent look like a run down old town?
The historic Gin is a dilapidated eye sore for anyone passing through, it is rat infested and quite frankly a health hazard. I have heard over and over about the "quality of life" in Vincent, wake up people the quality of life in Vincent needs drastic improvement and no one else has shown an interest in doing this. If you have a better plan to bring money and jobs to the economy of Vincent please step up!!!
Posted by ilovevincent (anonymous) on February 4, 2010 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you Mitch Reid of The Alabama Rivers Alliance for your information. It is very helpful. We need to know our rights and invoke those privilidges.
The Citizens of Vincent do deserve to continue to live in a healthy enviroment... Just like the people who do not live in Vincent, nor near a quarry, who continually tell us how wonderful a quarry is and that we basically should just take what is offered to us... Those people will not have to endure all that comes with having a quarry.
To Bamasam and others who are so gung ho about Vincent getting a quarry, why don't you tell the people YOU work for WHITE ROCK QUARRIES? YOU stand to benefit from Vincent accepting a quarry... Then YOU'LL leave and move to another town where your company (WRQ) wants you to move in and try to sell the QUARRY IDEA to them...
YOU WILL NOT CONTINUE TO LIVE IN VINCENT, AL AND ENDURE THE HORRORS OF A QUARRY. WE KNOW THIS.
NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE BY A STRIP MINE; A QUARRY...
And if you feel that a quarry does not depreciate one's property, you probably feel that a prision or a land fill dump wouldn't either. Let's be realistic.
There may be some initial financial benefits promised by White Rock Quarries, but they certainly will not last the 100 years of distruction to our enviroment and community.
I actually feel sorry for the people who have jobs that make them come and lie to a town's community... I don't know how you sleep at night. There are so many other options in life than to sell your soul.
Posted by noquarry462 (anonymous) on February 4, 2010 at 8:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, bamasam must work for WR, no body could be this stupid.
Are Vincent's bill paid? So there isn't enough money to spend for stuff the few want. Its tough all over, but not as tough as it will be if the quarry is allowed. The decline in property value will cost Vincent more in lost property tax money than all the tax WR will pay.
If you study quarries, EVERY quarry has caused a decline in property value. The quarries in the towns you mentioned are very old and the towns cover much more area. Studies show the property value declines when the quarry is started. The reduced property value may increase over time, but always remains behind nearby properties. If you would take time to study the towns you mentioned, you'd see this is still the case. Why don't you mention Saginaw or Ragland.
Why don't you research the poverty level, it is public record, state and federal, then copy it for us.
Most of the roads are county or state. The city has NOTHING to do with the buildings in downtown. They are historic and private owned. Most small towns have volunteer or fire district departments. Our elected officals must not have any interest in fire protection for the community or they would be leaders is setting it up.
My place has a well. As I understand it, in order to pay for city water, I have to pay to have the water line run to my property, and from what I've tasted, I'll stay with the well unless WR is allowed, then as I'm told, I can get to pay for the city water, that is, unless WR drains the spring, which is noted in the Rivers Alliance letter.
Posted by bamasam (anonymous) on February 7, 2010 at 5:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For your information I do not work for White Rock or any quarry. Would I want to, YES! Again I ask of you that are so worried about not having your finger in the council that want to sit around and blame and dictate what other options do you have to bring jobs and money into the local economy? I guess not all of us raise cattle on the cheap land in Vincent and yet choose to live in Vestavia. :O
All I hear is blame and bad mouthing but none of you can come up with solutions to improve the town or bring jobs that are so desparately needed by so many of the residents.
Posted by Shelbycitizen (anonymous) on February 18, 2010 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Noquarry462. There you go again quoting a study based out of Canada on homes that averaged 525,000 per house. How do you know property values will not decrease? Look at everywhere else in Shelby County. I know, you have argued that you can't campare places in Shelby County to Vincent--yet you want to look to Canada...
Posted by Shelbycitizen (anonymous) on February 18, 2010 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bamasam, in fact look at who is opposing the project. It is a few people who own a lot of land and pay almost nothing in taxes. Some live in Mt. Brooke and don't care that Vincent has less than $500,000 a year as a budget, to operate city hall, police, fire, roads, parks, recreation (they don't have the money to even pave some of our roads). They don't care about those things because they don't use those things all the way in Mt. Brooke. Then others who own a house on a large tract of land (80 acres) have defrauded the citizens of Vincent and Shelby County by not paying taxes on the house....telling Shelby County Tax Accessor that it is land with no house....that is fraud and it is wrong. I bet real soon their appraised value of the their land will increas (even with the quarry). Then, there is a business who claims to be a good neighbor...lets look: Up until White Rock, they NEVER made a single cash donation to the schools, Vincent, the fire station, the police station...or anyone in Vincent (once they donated some notebooks that were seconds and they couldn't sell). They have been there since 1968 and have paid NO AD VALOREM taxes whatsoever...NONE. Go look at the public records. How many people in Vincent know that they have been forced to pay taxes on their propperty and this Company has not paid a DIME in property taxes (including taxes on its building and machines)? Think about this: A person who is unemployed and owns 1/2 acre of property with a trailor Must pay her property taxes...this multi-million dollar company paid NONE for over 40 years.
White Rock is coming with jobs, going to pay lots of taxes, is a good corporate citizen and has been very open...I am excited that White Rock is coming here.
Posted by bamasam (anonymous) on February 26, 2010 at 7:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree completely Shelbycitizen!!! Funny when the light is put on said company they donate a little money for the police cars lights,,,sounds like a bribe to me! hahahah
I must correct you though in your statement and I qoute "I own 240 acres near the quarry site but live in VESTAVIA"
O.K. so this woman is not a resident but a buisness owner that hires someone to manage your farm yet the question is, What have you given to the community? You purchased land in Vincent because it was cheap!! At least a quarry doesnt smell like cow S^%$.
With no jobs and people having to travel long distance to find suitable work they will leave Vincent and the town will die.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)