Proposed gravel mine hearing postponed

A hearing on a controversial proposal to operate a sand and gravel mine in the Salinas River northeast of San Miguel was postponed Thursday after the state Department of Fish and game sent the county a letter saying that an environmental impact report might be necessary.

The “11th hour” letter, received the evening before the hearing, took both the county and the applicant, Chad Pankey, by surprise. Planning Commissioners had little choice other than to delay the hearing while they determine whether the EIR is required. They have scheduled another meeting on the Pankey project in October.

Planners knew of misgivings about the project – noise, air pollution, traffic and other potential problems. But they had sought to mitigate them in the 200-page staff report they came prepared to discuss and defend.

Planner Murry Wilson said the county will meet with the Department of Fish and Game as well as Pankey next week to decide whether to begin the EIR. If they take that route, it could delay the project by as much as a year.

Pankey is seeking approval to run the mine on 56 acres near the 4400 block of Indian Valley Road. It is one of five proposals for surface gravel mining in the Salinas River the county is considering.

-- Bob Cuddy