Raleigh, mining firm reach deal on quarry

Hanson Aggregates operates the rock quarry off Duraleigh Road that has been criticized by nearby residents for years for the noise and dust it generates. Raleigh officials also balked over the years at Hanson's efforts to open a new mining pit south of Crabtree Creek.

Company officials said the long-running dispute created uncertainty as to how much aggregate the firm would be able to pull from the quarry, so they welcomed the settlement.

"The terms of this settlement provide the clarity the company needs to focus on our business and move forward with a more productive relationship with the City and the surrounding community,” Chris Ward, vice president and general manager of Hanson Aggregates Southeast, said in a statement. “We are pleased to be able to continue supplying our customers with high-quality construction aggregates from this site and remain committed to operating in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.”

Under the settlement, Hanson will end quarry operations at the site by 2054, and blasting there will stop by 2052 or as soon as 30 million tons of aggregate have been mined from the quarry.

Hanson also is prohibited from developing its property south of Crabtree Creek for mining purposes, although it may continue to operate its sediment basins there. The company also is forbidden from clearing timber from the property.

“Not only does the settlement allow the City of Raleigh to save the quarry property south of Crabtree Creek from a new pit, it gives the city a definite time after which quarry operations will end on all of Hanson’s land,” Deputy City Attorney Dorothy Leapley, who helped negotiate the settlement, said in a statement.

After quarry operations end, Raleigh has the option of acquiring for $10 the portion of Hanson's property that had been used for mining.

The settlement also gives Raleigh a permanent easement across Hanson property to connect the Crabtree Creek Greenway with nearby Umstead State Park. The city’s efforts to acquire property for the link were stalled for years because of the dispute with Hanson.

In addition to the easement, the City can immediately obtain 7.46 acres for a nature park or nature preserve near the confluence of Crabtree and Richland creeks.

Other terms of the settlement require Hanson to set up a plan to control dust from the quarry and take steps to limit noise, such as constructing a landscaped berm at the northern edge of its property and limiting blasting to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.