Beaver Materials addresses concerns regarding potential park expansion

Submitted

Editor’s note: The following letter was provided to the Reporter by Ali Beaver of Beaver Materials. Ali Beaver can be reached by calling (317) 773-0679 ext. 102, or by emailing alibeaver@beavergravel.com.

To our fellow citizens of Noblesville,

The Beaver Materials team has made an effort to listen to and compile concerns expressed by some members of our community regarding the potential expansion of historic Potter’s Bridge Park. With that, we felt an obligation to provide further explanation addressing those concerns, in an effort to clarify details of the project. In doing so, we hope area residents and the community at large, given accurate information, will be able to make informed and educated decisions related to the possible park expansion.

Messy Roads

Beaver Materials will limit sediment tracking on Allisonville Road by sweeping the road on an as-needed basis when appreciable amounts of accumulated dust are expected to settle. Pursuant to 327 IAC 15-5 (“Rule 5”), these best management practices will be explicitly listed in a written document (Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)) and submitted to IDEM and the local agency with jurisdiction for approval in advance of any construction activity.

Road Wear & Tear

Beaver Materials has equipped each of their loader trucks with Loadrite Scales. These scales track each load that is placed into the commercial trucks. This data is sent back to the Noblesville location and enables Beaver to track the exact quantity of each load on a given day, month, or year from their satellite locations. More importantly, the scale serves to ensure that each load does not exceed the INDOT or local maximum truck tonnage and therefore does not place excess strain on the roadways.

Noise of Trucks

Operations occur on Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be no work conducted on weekends or holidays. Furthermore, Beaver Materials periodically monitors the decibel (noise) level of their construction sites to ensure that no local ordinances are being exceeded.

Truck Safety

Beaver Materials heavily monitors all their commercial trucks. At any given time, Beaver Materials can monitor the location and speed of each truck in the fleet. In addition, each truck is equipped with a fleet dash camera, enabling moment-by-moment monitoring of the drivers to confirm compliance with the company’s zero tolerance phone policy.

Air Quality / Dust Control

Beaver Materials will use a water truck to wet the ground at the beginning of each workday, periodically throughout the day, and right before closing. Additionally, Beaver Materials will maintain and wet aggregate piles on an as-needed basis and cover all trucks transporting material. These practices will minimize any fugitive dust emissions into the air and therefore the potential for the dust to leave the construction site. There will be no gravel processing (i.e., no blasting, no crushing or wet processing) at this location. Therefore, there will be no high-volume dust sources. The only source of dust is fugitive wind-blown dust from roadways and excavation area, which will be mitigated by wet suppression.

Safety

Beaver Materials will not disturb the wooded park area on the east side of the property. In other words, the current park and paths would remain functional throughout the duration of the project. Beaver Materials will secure the project area by building a gated fence around the perimeter and locking the gate when the site is not in use. This will prevent any unauthorized entry into the project area and therefore prevent injuries to any individuals that frequent the area. As the lake transitions to recreation, Beaver Materials is required to slope the body of water to ensure that is nonhazardous during recreational use.

Noise

Beaver Materials periodically monitors the decibel (noise) level of their sites to ensure that the Noblesville noise ordinances are adhered to. There will be no gravel processing (i.e., no blasting, no crushing or wet processing) at this location.

Water Pollution

Beaver Materials will work closely with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) to obtain all the necessary permits intended to protect waters. Beaver Materials will diligently comply with conditions set forth in all applicable permits. The exact details / conditions of proposed permits will be made available to the public during the statutory public comment periods.

IDEM

The project will consist of clearing, grading, excavation and other land-disturbing activities, which result in the disturbance of one acre or more of total land area and therefore is subject to the requirements of the IDEM Construction Site Run-Off general permit (327 IAC 15-5 or “Rule 5”). Obtaining a Rule 5 permit entails (1) submitting a construction storm water pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) to the local entity with jurisdiction for approval, and (2) submitting a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the IDEM. The SWPPP specifically lists the potential pollutants and the specific measures (berms, silt fences, temporary construction entrance, temporary and permanent soil stabilization, wheel wash station) to limit any water pollution and contain all stormwater discharge onsite.

IDNR

The project will likely require a permit from the IDNR due to its operations taking place within a flood plain. The IDNR permitting process will involve extensive review and consideration of the effect of the project on fish, wildlife, and botanical resources.

USACE

The results of the wetland delineation demonstrate that while the project area is located in a flood plain, there are no wetlands on the property. Therefore, no protected wetlands will be disturbed. Beaver Materials will seek a formal regulatory determination from USACE to confirm the wetland delineation results.

White River Water Quality

The project will be vetted through a rigorous regulatory framework administered by numerous regulatory bodies at all levels of government. Beaver Materials will work closely with regulatory agencies to ensure that proper permits are obtained and that all permit conditions are adhered to. There will be opportunities for public involvement/comments during the permitting process.

Negative Impact of the Habitat of the Indiana Bat

The forested portions of the property are suitable summer roosting habitat for the Indiana bat. These forested areas are not part of the proposed excavation area. No winter roosting habitat for the Indiana bat have been identified on the property. Beaver Materials will coordinate/consult with the USFWS to determine what protective measures may be needed during the project.

Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Environmental

The proposed land parcel donation(s) to the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department (HCPR) by Beaver Materials would ultimately benefit the natural resources offerings through ecological improvements. The environmental benefits derived from the proposed donations would occur in stages. The initial land donation of approximately ten acres given the department, will provide HCPR the opportunity to convert the existing monoculture into a functional habitat. Ecological restoration efforts in this section would commence soon after the park department receives the property. Such efforts would involve planting native trees, wildflowers, and grasses. This ecological restoration will benefit wildlife by providing food and shelter resources, increasing floodwater filtration as groundwater, and adding carbon sequestration.

Arrangements would be made to have the donated property surveyed by ecological and wildlife experts to assess any potential impact expansion of trails might have on sensitive plant or wildlife communities. HCPR will seek professional guidance when converting the acreage from agricultural to functional habitat and removing invasive species. This initial gift to the department by Beaver Materials will be utilized expeditiously by the department and incorporated into a maintenance program, that will include restoration efforts resulting in an increase in the county’s natural habitat while making Potter’s Bridge Park available for expanded recreational use by park patrons.

The additional 40-acre donation scheduled to be given to the park department after mineral extraction is completed, will also benefit the natural resources offerings of HCPR. The acreage around the lake will be similarly converted through ecological restoration, into functional habitat. Lake edge vegetation plantings and riparian buffering with trees will complement the added trails in this section of the property. The lake will add another habitat component to this park that currently does not exist. Unlike the river, the lake will support additional plant and animal communities including fish, reptiles, bird, and mammal species associated with a still-water, lake habitat. The impact to wildlife in the mineral extraction area should be minimal, considering the targeted area is already impacted by agricultural practices and disturbance from current heavy trail use. As occurred at Strawtown Koteewi Park’s lake, an increase of wildlife use in some areas within the lake project is anticipated, even as mineral extraction takes place. These areas, although not ideal for long term habitat, are exploited by opportunistic wildlife. Increased mudflats for shorebird foraging, native and nonnative plants that attract insects and birds, and slopes and banks used as habitat by swallows and other birds, are all examples of benefits provided by this type of disturbance zone.

Historically through previous project partnerships, Beaver Materials has exhibited a willingness to quickly resolve issues involving unintended environmental and aesthetic impact, and the company is known to work diligently to eliminate or minimize such impact.

The opportunity to expand Potter’s Bridge Park through this proposed partnership, is one that Hamilton County Parks views as beneficial, due to the natural resource’s enhancements and the increased recreational offerings it would present to the community.

If there are further questions, we encourage you to reach out to our team.