County Urged to Hold Quarry Hearings in Temecula

SOS-Hills, an anti-quarry group, asked county officials today to hold hearings on Liberty Quarry in Temecula.

The group gathered at the to urge the to read and consider a letter it emailed on Jan. 2.

"We appreciate you considering our letter sent by our president, Kathleen Hamilton," said Fred Bartz, a Temecula resident, at the podium of the board chambers.

The letter gave five reasons for holding the meetings in Temecula.

"This project will directly and negatively impact the residents and economies of Temecula, Murrieta, Rainbow and Fallbrook. The original 2005 County of Riverside's Scoping Session was held in Temecula. The majority of the Riverside Planning Commission hearings were held in Temecula. The proposed Liberty Quarry also impacts the residents of northern San Diego County. A large number of persons residing in the areas most affected by this project will be disenfranchised, as they do not have the means and/or the resources to attend a hearing or multiple hearings in the City of Riverside," the letter states.

Two other people addressed the board urging it to consider letters it already sent during a meeting today.

The supervisors quickly passed a motion to receive and file paperwork documenting the rejection of the quarry by the

This was just a technical issue the board had to deal with before moving on, said Ray Smith, a spokesperson for the county.

Granite Construction, a Watsonville-based mining company, submitted applications for mining permits and an exception to the noise ordinance to run a quarry just south of Temecula. To read about the plan, .

The Planning Commission denied the permits in August. To read about the meeting,

Granite then appealed the decision, so the fate of the quarry now lies in the hands of the supervisors. to read the details.

Jerri Arganda, a member of SOS-Hills, expressed concern the meetings would be held in Riverside, possibly at the Riverside Convention Center.

The meetings will need a large venue, Hamilton said. "If they hold the meetings here, this place (the board chambers) will be absolutely inundated," she said after today's meeting.

CORRECTION: The name of the city in which Granite Construction is based was changed from the original version of this story at 7:28 p.m.on Jan. 10. We apologize for the mix-up.