Mission
Serve as an educational resource to the citizens of Garden Ridge, advising them about the Hanson Quarry and itsimpact, monitor quarry operations for compliance with City Ordinances, recommend needed changes to City Ordinancesand to develop a quarry grievance process in order to protect the natural and economic environment and the quality oflife in the City of Garden Ridge. The Quarry Commission which has no legal or regulatory authority functions as apoint of contact with the management of Hanson Aggregates Servtex to enhance relations and to work on issues in the best interests of the citizens of Garden Ridge.
Overview
The Hanson Aggregates Servtex Garden Ridge Quarry comprises approximately 3000 acres of which the operational portionis within the city limits. It produces approximately 25,000 tons of crushed stone daily. At this time on an average of two to three times per week, the quarry blasts rock for their crushing operations. These blasts are generallynear midday and are generally well below federal guidelines. Current plans are to mine the area behind Trophy Oaks subdivision which should take several years. Then mining operations will shift to a northwesterly direction, whichwill be generally towards city hall, Georg Ranch and Old Schoenthal Road. However, the Quarry face which will have a different orientation will still be adjacent to Trophy Oaks for several years. The current projection is that it will take –up to 25 years to mine their holdings.
Currently, there are no state, county or local laws governing mining operations so long as they comply with federal guidelines and meet environmental standards. Your Quarry Commission has been effective in reducing the impacts of quarry operations on our community.
Accomplishments
Hanson’s management has assumed the cost of the following actions in an attempt to address concerns raised at Commission meetings. Without those concerns being voiced, they would likely blast at Federal guideline maximums.
The Quarry Commission working with Hanson Aggregates has been instrumental in encouraging the following positive actions which have reduced the quarrying impacts on the city:
A: Created an open channel for dialogue with the quarry. The commission instituted a blast monitoring system in an attempt to better understand and evaluate quarry blasts. This has allowed better and more pointed communication with Hanson for the benefit of city the residents.
B: Hanson purchased and uses a blast face profiler to reduce air blasts during quarry detonations. Generally, it is the air blasts not the noise or the ground vibrations that are the most perceptible.
C: Hanson has changed from the use of standard blasting caps to the use of electronic blasting caps. This action was taken in order to lessen the perceived impact of blasts by better controlling the split mille-second timing between the typical 36 individual detonations that make up a “blast” over the course of one second. These electronic caps which cost over $3000 more per blast have afforded more consistency in controlling blast affects.
D: Hanson has constructed and continues to enlarge an earthen berm between the western most limits of the quarry face and the Trophy Oaks Subdivision. This berm provides visual screening; helps deflect quarry noise, and acts as a physical barrier.
E: Hanson provided employees and contractors to work with the Commission. This allows for better communications which results in faster response to citizen concerns.
F: Hanson purchased calibrated seismic monitors and has paid the expenses of blast measurements at specific locations directed by the Commission based on citizen requests and required data.
G: After a lengthy process, Vibra-Tech, the firm that was instrumental in developing Federal Mining Guidelines was selected by the Commission and approved by the City Council to monitor quarry blasting. This firm collects and analyzes blast data then renders monthly reports on each blast to the City. This data is used by the Commission and Hanson to reduce impact of the quarry operations. Under the provisions of Garden Ridge City Ordinance 34, Hanson assumed the cost of an independent blast vibration consultant firm which monitors blasting operations. Upon a request from the Commission, Hanson has expanded the initial agreement from monitoring at one to three locations.
These reports are available on this website.
H: Hanson changed the face of the quarry in order to better direct ground vibrations away from the majority of the City. This expensive measure caused the quarry to cut a hundred foot deep by approximately 950-foot wide notch out of solid limestone. Periodically, this notch will have to be extended to the west. At these times, the intensity of blasts will be more perceptible. Due to the shift of the quarry face, Hanson is incurring daily increases in their production costs as the operation is less efficient and time/distance to the crusher is increased. In October 2005, Hanson began to bench their blasts in the notch thus reducing the required amount of explosives as they approach Trophy Oaks. Benching refers to blasting 50 feet deep instead of the normal 95 feet. A second blast for the lower 45 feet is required, but should have much reduced effects.
I: The Quarry Commission conducted a public meeting which included Hanson, Vibra-Tech, the Quarry Commission and a soils engineer to better educate the citizens about blasting and soils related concerns
J: Hanson, in part because of aggressive encouragement from the Quarry Commission retained a blasting contractor whose firm is working with the Commission to lessen blast effects rather than just being focused on production goals.
K: The Quarry Commission has educated and continues to educate the citizens on quarry issues and operations through future Grapevine articles, the city’s website, and the Commission’s monthly meetings.
L: The Quarry Commission has developed electronic means for citizens to contact the City and Commission about quarry concerns at quarrycom@ci.garden-ridge.tx.us Citizens are encouraged to report any excessive or unusual blasts in order that they can be properly investigated.
In operation since 1937, the Hanson Aggregates Servtex Garden Ridge Quarry now comprises approximately 3000 acres of which the majority of the operational portion is within the city limits. It produces approximately 25,000 tons of crushed stone daily and will continue to operate for the foreseeable future. At this time, the quarry blasts rock for their crushing operations normally two to three times per week as opposed to the previous four to five times per week. Upon completion of mining the area behind Trophy Oaks subdivision, operations will shift to a northwesterly direction, which will be generally towards Georg Ranch and Old Schoenthal Road. The current projection is that it will take up to 25 years to mine their holdings.
Currently, there are no state, county or local laws governing mining operations; however they are to comply with federal guidelines as defined by the US Bureau of Mines and to meet environmental standards. To date, the impact of Hanson quarry operations are routinely below these Federal guidelines. Even though the Quarry Commission has no legal or regulatory authority, it has been effective in reducing the impact(s) of quarry operations on our community.
Through an independent reporting system, the Commission monitors all blasts and functions as a point of contact with the management of Hanson Aggregates Servtex. The Commission’s goal is to enhance community / quarry relations and to work on issues in the best interests of the citizens of Garden Ridge. Working with the Commission, Hanson has taken a number of positive actions to reduce the impacts of their operations on the city. Information on these actions is available on this website or at the city hall.
The Commission will continue to educate the citizens on quarry issues and operations through future Grapevine articles, the city’s website, and the Commission’s monthly meetings. Citizens may obtain and/or provide information or express concerns by attending Commission meetings, which routinely meet the second Monday of each month, at 7:00pm, in the City Court Room or by sending e-mail to the commission at:
quarrycom@ci.garden-ridge.tx.us.
FROM YOUR QUARRY COMMISSION
Documents in Layman's Terms
Your Quarry Commission has developed several documents that are written in “Layman’s terms” which will allow citizens to educate themselves about the Hansom
Quarry. The use of these will allow those attending Quarry Commission meetings to better understand proceedings and reports which in turn will result in more efficient meetings. Copies of these documents as well as electronic versions can be obtained either by contacting the City Hall or at the Quarry Commission meetings. They will also be available on line once the city’s website is restored.
We Need Citizens to Assist
To assist the Quarry Commission with its mission, it is important for the commission to understand the impact of the quarry on the entire city. The commission needs citizens to complete and submit reports to the City Hall to provide a clear picture of the impact the quarry operations on the city. The Commission needs to know about minimal blasts as well as those which cause concerns. This is especially important as the quarry has been and will be mining in new areas. Please make copies of the report on the reverse side of this page for your use. An electronic version is available from the City Hall and in the future will be available via the city’s website.
Quarry Blasts
Each quarry blast is monitored at three separate locations and reports are rendered to the city. One monitor is at a permanent location, another at the closest residence to the blast and a third is placed at the discretion of the Commission. Citizens desiring to have a monitor placed at their residence may do so by contacting a commissioner, City Hall or sending an e-mail request to the address below. The Commission will do its best to honor all requests as its availability allows.
Vacancy on the Commission
In the next few months there will be vacancies on the Commission. In order to maintain continuity, having names of citizens on file who are willing to serve their community will prove very beneficial. If you are willing to give several hours a month, please contact the Commission via e-mail at quarrycom@ci.garden-ridge.tx.us or call the City Administrator at (210) 651-6632. The city would best be served if the Commission had representation from all areas of the city. The commission would like representation from Regency Oaks and west of Bat Cave Road.
Invitation to Quarry Meetings
Citizens may obtain and/or provide information or express concerns by attending Commission meetings, which routinely meet the second Monday of each month, at 7:00 pm, in the City courtroom or by sending e-mail to the commission at quarrycom@ci.garden-ridge.tx.us.
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