Questions from Citizens

How will the Zoning Committee ensure that the quarry operations won’t extend beyond the boundaries of the area being sought for this proposed Special Use Permit?
What procedures and standards will the stakeholders of this quarry be held to against penalties determined by the citizens of Sugar Creek and neighboring residents of Jackson County should they not uphold the agreements made by current elected officials, and by extension, what policies would you put in place should the zoned boundaries be breached by these private interests of this project?
How will citizens be reimbursed for damages if the dust containing crystal silica, a known cancer-causing agent, is blown by the ever-higher winds into the hills and valleys of our town and on to residents’ private properties and eventually into our homes HVAC systems affecting the air quality inside their homes? Also, how does the Zoning Committee intend to determine to hold subcontract entities, such as the firm Buckley from the damage caused by open-blast mining, concerning the foundation of property owners’ homes as well as often out-of-town and further out-of-state trucking companies liable who may be hired by these project managers should their multi-ton vehicles damage roads used outside of these prospective zones maintained through taxes collected from Sugar Creek and Jackson County residents?
What measures and account balances will be levied to offset the financial burden away from being the general public’s responsibility and keep it squarely on the stakeholders of this quarry?
The water pipes of the homes around the area when they blast, they are only 36 inches and they’re going to bust the water pipes. So who is going to be responsible for that?
If there’s no plans and the land was supposed to be agriculture, why in the world would it be changed now?
How is this going to interfere with our wells?
Right now with COVID and all the things that are going on, our home, our property is 150 feet from where they are talking about mining: 6:00 in the morning, 6:00 at night. How many of you would like to be right next to the blasting?
How many pounds or how many tons of dynamite are they going to blow in the ground to achieve the projected load of 40,000 trucks per year?
Was an environmental study done to quantify the potential negative impacts in the surrounding area on human health, environmental quality at the nature preserve and the conservation area and private wells and impacts to local farmers who own crops and livestock?
Since Eagle Materials is a nationwide industry leader, why are they not investigating options for mining that don’t include explosions or drilling such as surface mining or mining grouts since this is a major residential concern?
Is this going to impact people moving to our region?
How will this affect generational property owners in the area?
What will the impact be on children in the area?
What guarantee do we have that we will not be affected by the Class 1A carcinogen dust?
What are the known side effects of constant blasting in terms of infant development? Is SIDS a higher risk?
With COVID, our lungs are already going to be affected, so why are we risking the side effects of dust exposure during this time?
Where is the local wildlife going to go?
Why is it in a spot that is surrounding families, and they act like this is no big deal?
How will this private interest affect existing businesses in the area?
How are people living in the area with health concerns, such as asthma, supposed to live safely when the air is contaminated with limestone dust?
Since the proposed road would go across two bridges, neither of which will support the weight of these gravel-hauling trucks so how will this discrepancy be addressed?
Is it true that right now, the land in question is zoned as an M 2? If it goes to an M-2P, can they put a landfill in there?
Do Jackson County residents have any official representation in this matter?
How will the additional 40,000 trucks congesting traffic affect the way residents use these roads?
Who is the insurance carrier of Audubon Materials? How much liability coverage will they be required to have?
What are the historic aspects of the area? Have they been investigated?
Is the city of Sugar Creek going to hire a full time traffic engineer?
What traffic mitigation strategies will be used to maintain and uphold local traffic laws? Are they going to be including calming devices: speedbumps, traffic circles, anything like that?
Has the Missouri Conservation Department done a study yet?
How will this quarry affect the migrations of local wildlife like deer, dove, turkey, etc?
Has there been any research to done about how this operation might affect the local aquifer that supplies water to over 250,000 Jackson county residents?
What exactly, metrics, KPIs, what exactly does that look like with greater flexibility and latitude in terms of how the land is used? What can be expected in years to come?
How will this impact home values in the area?
Is it accurate that there could be 30 trucks per hour, 1 truck every 2 minutes, that pass the homes of nearby residents?
Will sidewalks be installed to protect pedestrians?
When will the lingering effects of the town’s last ecological disaster, the issue with the BP Refinery, be addressed? Shouldn’t these problems be taken care of before more devastation is caused?
How many people died as a result of the incident related to the BP refinery?
How many people will be at risk of experiencing adverse side effects from breathing in limestone dust?
What is the population within a ten mile radius of the projected quarry site?
Are the city’s officials aware that some general contractors are required to go into every single home within the potential area that could be impacted by blasting, take video footage of every single foundation, record that, provide it to the homeowners and honor that they would come back and repair it should they damage it?
Since this project developer would be greatly impacting the community, what sort of Community Benefit Agreement will be secured to ensure residents that, should this go forward, their community will not suffer? What written annual commitment can be guaranteed to residents for the life of the property?
How will the blind curves along Courtney Road be modified to accommodate the large commercial trucks that would be traveling up and down hills around sharp turns? Will the invested interests pay for roads to be widened?
How will 40,000 commercial trucks be monitored for speeding violations?
Why were more people not notified in the area? Was notifying the minimum of people to be affected the best way to address these concerns with the community? How will the spread of this not affect the rest of the town?
How will residents protect their homes from layers of dust building up on their home?
Has there been an opportunity to catalog all of the local species that may be displaced due to this invasive project?
Why were residents originally told 18 months ago there was no plan for the land, but are now suddenly finding out about the intent to turn this plot of residential and agricultural land into a quarry? What was the timeline of the development of these plans?
Why is a project that is widely contested by members of the community being supported by our city officials? Do they represent the people or private interests?
Why are there plans being made to potentially damage local wells without any recourse for establishing having city water hooked up for residents in the affected area? Why have residents not been provided answers for these questions regarding their water supply when they were asked months ago?
Why is the city being vague with the plans for this piece of land? Doesn’t the community they serve deserve clarity and transparency?
Why is this private interest being considered for extended flexibility to do whatever they want with the land around so many residential properties?
Can members of the community make a request for broader and more thorough communication regarding the intended use for the land in this residential area?
Is it really appropriate to notify such a minimal portion of the town for an issue that will impact property values across the entire city?
Why is there a discrepancy about the timeline of this proposal? 18 months ago city officials are on record saying they didn’t know why the land was being annexed, yet simultaneously the invested interests have admitted they have been working on this proposal for over a year, so what has changed? Why is the city claiming the opposite of the claims made by the people representing this private business?
What experts have been contacted by the city to determine the state of the aquifer and the impact it could be exposed to by this private project?
Is the city litigiously prepared for the legal consequences of contaminating water for over 250,000 people across Jackson County?
What are the financial ramifications and consequences that local taxpayers could face should the water become contaminated?
Why are some land parcels partially annexed by Sugar Creek while other parts exist in Jackson County? How is it possible for a boundary to pass through the middle of someone’s property?
What will happen to the displaced deer, fox, owls, coyotes, and eagles many residents have seen on their property in this area? Where will they go when the quarry takes over?
What reduced speed limits will be proposed for the heavy commercial trucks traveling through this residential area and how will the speed of 40,000 trucks be monitored? How does the city intend to fine trucking companies for violating city traffic ordinances?
What is the protocol when a local is injured by these commercial trucks? How will families be compensated if a child is injured? What if a breadwinner is injured?
Why are residents under the impression made by elected officials that their American Dream is less important than the ambitions of this private interest?
Are Sugar Creek representatives aware that we have a basic principle that a person’s home is their castle and that they have the right to enjoy and the right to be safe and at ease in our homes and that no one’s financial interest, no matter what their size or power, has the right to take that away from citizens?
Why are citizens reporting that they can feel blasting beneath their homes in areas where the current mining operation is not supposed to have access to?
When was the last time these mining operations were inspected and how can the public access these documents?
What happens if they start blasting and the area that is known to be hollow caves in? What happens?
Are city officials aware of how sinkholes are formed?
Has there been a proper investigation of the sinkhole that currently exists just outside of the township of Sugar Creek on Highway 24?
Why are the representatives of this private interest lying about the ability to reclaim the topsoil? The soil will be contaminated by their operation and there is no way to filter those dangerous substances from the soil so how would this company be held responsible for acquiring uncontaminated soil to replace what will be disturbed and destroyed by their operation?
Would the Mayor of Westwood approve of an operation such as this in his own constituent’s back yards?
How will this operation about the aquifer affect the local water which has been awarded and is in the Top 5 best tasting water on the planet?
Do we really want to take a chance on an uncertainty of the quality of our water here?
What will happen to the development of children who consume contaminated water?
Do representatives of the city feel a moral or ethical obligation to protect the water for their constituents and other nearby Jackson County neighbors?