County approves asphalt permit

Thanks to a conditional use permit, Sweetwater County companies will have another choice when it comes to purchasing asphalt.

During the Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting last week, the Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a 30-month conditional use permit request from Jon and Trudy Doak of High Desert Construction for an asphalt batch plant.

The 150-ton per-hour producing plant will be located at 46 Reliance Road on property owned by the Doaks. This is the same site where the Doaks have their construction plant.

Even though the staff supported the fact that a second asphalt plant would be constructed in Sweetwater County, they didn’t recommend approval at the Sweetwater County Planning and Zoning meeting, which took place on Sept. 30. Staff was concerned about the noise and smell such a plant would create. This plant is located near a trailer park with 160 trailers and if the wind blows right, could impact events at the Sweetwater County Events Complex and the Rock Springs Golf Course.

“Be sensitive to this,” commissioner John Kolb warned. “One thing we have in Wyoming is clear skies and clean air.”

Jon Doak said when the fair or rodeo is going on he wouldn’t have a problem shutting his plant down, but if it’s a smaller, indoor event, like a gun show, then he won’t.

“I wouldn’t want people leaving because of the smell,” Jon Doak said.

However, the planning and zoning commission recommended the county approve the conditional use permit request.

Eric Bingham, county land use planner, said at the time of the planning and zoning meeting his office hadn’t received any comments from the trailer-park manager. Since then, he has heard from the trailer-park manager who told him none of the residents had any comments on it.

Jon Doak said he spoke with the trailer-park manager before he even submitted the application. He said he didn’t want to cause any hardships on anyone.

Even though the planning and zoning commission recommended approval, that approval came with conditions, including the facility must be located at 46 Reliance Road, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality must approve the air-quality plan, the plant doesn’t exceed 150 tons per hour, they have a certified drainage plan, the application is only good for 18 months, a 30,000 gallon water tank must be on site for fire protection and the existing road access cannot be widened of altered.

The commissioners and Doak agreed with most of the conditions, with the exception of the 18-month condition.

“It’s a hell of an investment to make for one season,” Jon Doak said.

The majority of the commissioners agreed with him. The whole idea of putting a time limit on the permit is so it will come back before the commissioners to review. This will give residents and business owners around the plant time to come in with complaints if they have any.

At first, the commissioners thought 24 months would be a good time to expand the condition use permit to, but then decided 30 months would allow for the Doaks to run two full seasons.