Gravel Pit Proposed for Rt. 14;

Decision Pending in Brookfield

By Sandy Vondrasek

After three public hearings on Douglas Haggett’s application to operate a six-acre gravel pit off Route 14, the Brookfield Board of Adjustment is now drafting its ruling on the application.

According to Chair Jeff Kimmel, the board of adjustment has until the end of this month to issue its ruling.

The project, which would be sited on the east side of Route 14, north of the Sprague Farm, needs conditional use and site plan approval from the town.

Before the project could go forward, it would also need state permits, including an Act 250 permit.

Haggett’s application is for a six-acre gravel pit, to be operated up to 10 years, based on an estimated 90,000 cubic yards of saleable material being extracted at 10,000 cubic yards per year.

According Kimmel, Haggett has requested approval for 13 to 22 truckloads per day, two days a week, depending on demand and truck size. A loader and crusher would also be on site, as needed.

The gravel pit would operate during daytime hours, weekdays, seven months a year, as needed.

"At 10K per year, it's too small to be a full-time operation," Kimmel noted.

Other board of adjustment members, in addition to Kimmel, are Tom Allen, Hank Buermann, and Neil Husher. Brookfield’s zoning administrator, Dee Monti, attended the first hearing.

Kimmel said public hearings on the application were held February 26, March 20, and April 17.

Like the rock extraction quarry proposal for Randolph’s Ridge Road, Haggett’s proposal has been met with opposition from neighbors worried about truck traffic, noise, dust, and vehicle emissions.

Resident Thor Christiansen said he has a list of "20 people totally opposed" to the project, most of them from the neighborhood.