HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — Dozens of Hanover County residents gathered Thursday night to express concerns about a proposed quarry project that would bring significant industrial activity to their rural community.
The meeting was the second of two community sessions required by the county, where Luck Stone representatives presented plans for a 1,300-acre quarry at the intersection of Verdon and Fuqua Road.
"We are western Hanover — we are not like any other part of the county," said one attendee, reflecting the sentiment of many residents worried about preserving their rural lifestyle.
The Goochland-based raw construction material company is seeking permits to dig for stone and build both asphalt and concrete plants in the area. Many residents expressed opposition to the project, citing concerns about traffic safety, environmental impact, and changes to their community's character.
"My big concern is the traffic and the extra rail spark," one resident said.
Another resident whose home is directly affected shared personal concerns: "The proposed employee entrance is across the street from my house, that is my child's bus stop and will be for the next 12 years."
The meeting revealed a community already engaged in multiple development battles. "We have been fighting the data center, we have been fighting the solar farm and now we will fight the quarry," said one determined resident.
Paige Gill with Luck Stone emphasized the company's commitment to community engagement.
"When you're asking for a permit in a new county, you're asking to be a part of that community long term, and it's really important to us to engage with the community early and often," Gill said.
Traffic safety emerged as a major concern for many attendees, particularly regarding Verdon Road.
"We're going to have all that extra traffic at those two crossings," one resident noted.
Another asked: "Verdon Road is a major thorough way for getting to beaver dam elementary... Are you guys going to be able to adjust your hours of operation, you employee hours anything like that?"
A Luck Stone representative responded by highlighting transportation options: "At this sight we have the ability to access both rail and road networks. It allows flexibility to take some truck traffic off of Verdon road."
Many residents expressed concern about how the industrial operation would affect their rural environment.
"We moved out here for a slower pace not dump trucks going up and down the air," one attendee said.
Gill acknowledged these concerns as reasonable. "Oftentimes, when we're entering a new community, it's reasonable that people don't understand what operating a quarry would look like, feel like, sound like, and the impacts it may have on the community," she said. "We do our best to engage with the community and answer those questions and also share with them the best practices we've developed."
In their presentation, Luck Stone highlighted potential benefits, including the creation of at least 50 jobs with pay above $60,000 and a commitment to reserve 60% of the site for green space.
The company also emphasized the necessity of local stone sources. "The roads we drive on the foundations of buildings, schools, hospitals, sidewalks, bridges, parks, stone. None of that's possible without a stone source that's in a close distance. And so we like to educate folks on how our end product is used, so they understand why it's necessary to have it close to their community," Gill said.
While one resident spoke about keeping an open mind to the project, the majority expressed strong opposition.
"I know you said developments are coming but we moved to get away from developments so we will fight this with everything we got... Keep Hanover rural," said one passionate resident.
Luck Stone applied for the permit in May and is awaiting a hearing date from the county, which is expected in late summer or early fall.
Click here for more information on the proposed project.
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