Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said yesterday he is not taking a position on the controversial proposed gravel pit between Allisonville Road and White River just south of Potters Bridge Park.
“I want to hear both sides,” Jensen said of the project. He stressed that at the present time it remains a County Parks Department matter on property that is within county jurisdiction except for planning and zoning over which the city has jurisdiction.
Eventually the proposed gravel extraction plan is expected to come before the Noblesville Plan Commission and city council. Bever Materials, Inc. announced plans in recent weeks to open a pit on acreage across Allisonville from the Potters Woods subdivision.
Many residents of the subdivision have expressed opposition saying the noise, dust and truck traffic coming from an extraction operation will affect property values and the peace and quiet of the area.
Beaver has pledged to give the property, with a new artificial lake, to the county parks department to enable the enlarging of Potters Bridge Park to the north. The firm also claims steps will be taken to buffer the noise of the digging with no blasting planned.
It will take an estimated 10 years to extract the gravel at the site, after which it will be handed over to the county. Potters Bridge Park includes a 150-year-old covered bridge, the last such bridge in Hamilton County on its original site. Trails and other improvements have been made at the park which could be expanded if the Beaver plans go forward, park officials say.
The trail along the White river in Noblesville is a jewel of this city allowing its citizens to experience the peace, quiet and beauty of nature. The proposed gravel pit with its noise, dust, smells and sight would destroy this experience and diminish the beauty and desirability of the entire city.