Tide Turns in Quarry Deliberation

The tide turned against the quarry planned for hills outside Temecula's southern boundary today.

Only one commissioner -- James Porras -- praised Liberty Quarry during a hearing today.

Commissioners John Snell and John Petty renounced the project that was planned for a 415-acre site just south of Temecula.

To read what they said,.

Later in the hearing, Commissioner Jan Zuppardo both praised and criticized the project, though he tended more to oppose it.

"My main concern is air quality. I'm not convinced we're able to overcome those issues," she said.

She also said that the Pechanga tribe should have raised its concerns about the project being too close to its sacred sites sooner.
Though she did note some benefits, she said she opposes the project.

"The cost outweighs the benefit."

This project is one of the hottest issues in the last two decades, said Chairman John Roth. "I have never seen a project that engendered the controversy or the emotions this project has," he said.

He has been on the commission since 1992.

Roth agreed the project will not be good because "The benefits were significantly overstated."

The quarry will be a bad neighbor for the Temecula residents, who moved to the area expecting to live in a rural environment, he said. "The quarry, in my opinion, will add it's own noise spectrum," he said. "It's insufficient, in my opinion, to make up for the impacts."

UPDATE: This story was modified at 11:09 Sept. 2 to show the deliberations favored rejecting the quarry before the commission voted.