NORTHFIELD — Town officials heard concerns from residents about Lane Construction Corp.’s proposed expansion of its gravel operations during a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Thursday. The company seeks to mine a 30-acre lot northwest of its current property.
Concerns included whether recreational state land to the far side of the property would still be accessible, how mining the lot would affect wildlife and whether the land holds significant cultural artifacts.
“I have no way of knowing, but there might be cultural stuff on the property,” said Joseph Graveline, a member of the Northfield Historical Commission. Graveline proposed having the Massachusetts Historical Commission examine the property.
Thirteen people attended the meeting, including four representatives of Lane: Fred Aldrich, superintendent of Lane’s Northfield and Walpole, N.H. divisions, Yard Foreman Stephen Skowyra, Environmental Manager Eugene Weldon and Tony Wonseski, senior engineer with SVE Associates, a landscape design company acting as a consultant to Lane.
While explaining what Lane would need to do in order to successfully mine the property, Wonseski said there is an access road into the property from West Road that would need to be gated for security reasons.
Charlie Blanker, an abutter to Lane and member of the Northfield Conservation Commission, said local residents use the road to access the field and surrounding area for recreational use. Blanker hopes Lane will consider how locals might get to state land on the far side of the field.
Zoning Board member Al Dietrich voiced his concern about the safety of snowmobilers who often travel through the property.
“We physically put a berm at the top of our work area,” Skowyra said, though he added the company did not intend to put warning signs around the area being mined.
Blanker also explained the property includes a well, and advised it should be removed for safety purposes.
Lane intends to purchase the land from Joyce A. Roberts, who had owned it with her recently late husband William, provided that the board grants the company a permit for mining. The property would offer 277,000 square yards of sand and gravel that would be mined in four phases, according to Wonseski.
The board will conduct a site review of the property Saturday and come to a decision during a meeting next Thursday at 7 p.m.