NP planners OK gravel pit rezone

Rezoning of a gravel pit that has operated on Lapwai Road since 1983 will go to the Nez Perce County Board of Commissioners, probably in late September, with a recommendation for approval.

A second public hearing will be conducted at that time before a decision is made on whether to uphold the initial findings of the county's Planning and Zoning Commission.

The planning commission, after a four-hour meeting Tuesday night, voted 6-0 to recommend approval of an amendment to the county comprehensive plan, changing 13.32 acres at 6182 Lapwai Road from transitional lands to industrial lands. The property is split, with 7.76 acres east of the intersection of Lapwai Road and Cougar Ridge Road and 5.56 acres across Lapwai Road at the gravel pit on the south side of Lapwai Road.

The planners also voted unanimously in favor of granting a zone change for the same property from agricultural transitional to light industrial, but eliminated some of the uses allowed by county ordinance and added one.

After hearing testimony from more than a dozen people and asking for input on what uses would be objectionable, the commission eliminated five of 16 outright uses, including industrial parks, a veterinary clinic, commercial kennel, lumber yard and sawmill. Commissioners added a gravel pit as an allowed use, but with the same restrictions that presently apply to its operation.

Other allowed uses in light industrial zones include vehicle and heavy equipment sales and service, business and professional offices, retail, service station, car wash, greenhouses, truck terminals and wholesale distribution.

Three Albrights spoke during the meeting - Marvin, Wayne and Dale - and all said they don't have immediate plans to change what is happening on the property, but when the rock is played out they have considered mini storage buildings or possibly residential rentals.

Their construction company has employed four generations of family, Wayne Albright said Wednesday, plus it provides an additional 30 to 70 jobs, depending on the season and workload.

The three brothers all live in homes adjacent to the business site, as does their mother, Carol Albright.

Opponents of the changes worried some of the uses would impinge on the rural residential quiet and bring in more traffic.

Some complained that blasting at the rock pit has damaged homes. That has been an ongoing debate.

"I appreciate the property owners' concerns," Wayne Albright said, "but they should have taken that into consideration before they bought and built because we were already here and in operation."

The Albrights' position is the company existed on the land prior to zoning and the county should have made it an allowed use from the start of zoning. Because the county didn't look at actual uses in the beginning, they have to pay permit fees to bring what they've been doing for 26 years into compliance, he said.

The planning commission also approved variances granting lot line adjustments for three parcels on which Carol, Dale and Wayne Albright have homes and outbuildings. The new lines fit better topographically on the steep property, they said, plus the new boundaries clarify ownership of buildings.

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Lee may be contacted at slee@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266.