After listening to some passionate pleas from nearby landowners the East Grand Forks council delayed action on an asphalt plant near County 17 and west of Highway 2.
R.J. Zavoral & Sons are eyeing the site for the plant and are seeking a special use permit from the city. Several residents have voiced concerns about the plant citing odor…health issues…and traffic.
City Planner Nancy Ellis says the proposed project is not your typical manufacturing plant that operates six days and 12 months out of the year. “It runs at a very limited time of the year. The application requests mid-May to October. A busier year…and this would be with a very large operation…is about 45 days out of those months.”
Mayor Steve Gander says a short delay will give all sides more time to perhaps find some middle ground.
The East Grand Forks Planning and Zoning Commission has already approved the permit. The issue will be on the council work session agenda next week.
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With little discussion the East Grand Forks council last night (Tuesday) approved the purchase of 64 acres of land for over $707,000 dollars. The parcel is designed to serve as the corridor for a future bridge with Grand Forks at 32nd avenue south.
The location is in the 2045 transportation plan of both cities.
Although several members of the Grand Forks council agree that a fourth bridge would reduce traffic congestion on both side of the river – they are not sold on the 32nd Avenue location.
A joint meeting of the two cities is expected next month.
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