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Radford Quarries Appeals Denial of Proposed Asphalt Plant on Rainbow Trail Road

By Jesse Wood

Radford Quarries has appealed the denial of its asphalt plant permit application by the Watauga County Planning & Inspections Department, Planning Director Joe Furman announced on Wednesday morning.

In June, Radford Quarries, under the Appalachian Materials LLC, applied for an asphalt plant to be located on an 8.5-acre property off of Rainbow Trail Road. Radford Quarries purchased the property in 2013 for $42,500.

According to the original permit application, the grading site – amount of land to be disturbed – would cover 2.21 acres. The permit also states that setbacks include 185 feet in the front and 100 feet in the left, right and rear of the proposed plant.

Several days after its application was submitted, Furman told the Watauga County Board of Commissioners that Radford’s application was denied because of spacing requirements.

Furman told High Country Press that the site of the proposed asphalt plant lies entirely within the 1,500-foot buffer for educational facilities required by the county’s High Impact Land Use Ordinance. The Watauga County Board of Education facilities are located nearby on Pioneer Trail, which is located on the other side of N.C. 194 than Rainbow Trail Road.

Radford Quarries applied for its application at the same time the community was up in arms about another proposed asphalt plan on U.S. 421 in Deep Gap. Many expressed concerns about the plant being awfully close to Hardin Park Elementary School and ASU Lake.

Radford’s attempt even caused the Boone Town Council to draft a resolution opposing asphalt plants in proximity to Boone.

In an email announcing that Radford Quarries has submitted an appeal, Furman said that the Watauga County Board of Adjustment will hear the appeal on a to-be-determined date.

He also said that Maymead, which had its permit revoked, hasn’t filed its anticipated appeal yet. Maymead has until the end of the month to do so.