Olathe City Council renews permit for quarry, landfill until 2020
The Olathe City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to renew the permit for the APAC-Kansas Inc. quarry and landfill at the southwest corner of town.
The original permit for the more than 245-acre site at 23775 W. 159th St. expired in December 2016, but the city allowed the business to continue operating while it conducted extensive research and reviewed APAC’s request to renew the permit, which was first submitted in March 2016.
As approved, the permit will expire in January 2020, about the same time as the permit for APAC’s other limestone quarry in Olathe at 1600 W. 151st St. That would allow the city to better oversee the shuttering of quarry activity in Olathe.
The landfill, which is designed to accept the debris from construction and demolition projects, will continue operating for several years as APAC is required by Kansas officials to fill in the quarry before sealing the site.
Council members approved a slate of 28 stipulations to the permit, including hours of operation and the process the company must follow when it’s time to close down the quarry.
The approval came despite objections from Randy and Cynthia Kriesel, who live south of the property and have repeatedly complained about the vibrations generated by blasting at the quarry, which they said routinely wake them up, rattle their windows and cause other disturbances.
Kyle Kremers, an attorney representing both the Kriesels and another neighbor, said his clients were also worried about earthen berms on the site being enlarged and the setbacks being reduced.
Randy Kriesel asked the council not to include the landfill under the same permit as the quarry and force APAC to get a separate permit. He said he worried that by the time the quarry is closed and APAC did have to get a landfill permit, the property would be too contaminated for other uses.
David Waters, an attorney representing APAC, said the company has not violated any city restrictions on blasting vibrations and differed with the Kriesels’ interpretation of the berm and setback guidelines. He also said the landfill should be allowed under the quarry permit now because the company had to fill it and then monitor it for decades.
Ultimately, he said the property has followed all requirements and will continue to be regulated by the city.
In other business, the council voted unanimously to establish the Olathe Community Foundation, an appointed board that would raise tax-free donations and use the money for services or projects that supplement regular city operations. The new foundation would be separate from current foundation boards that oversee the Mahaffie Stagecoach and Farm as well as the city’s park system.
The foundation would actually operate under the umbrella of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, which would take the funds raised by the Olathe group and invest them in a separate fund. The new Olathe Community Foundation would advise on how the money is invested as well as request how the money is spent.
The council also approved issuing up to $23 million in industrial revenue bonds to help Terracon build its new world headquarters at 1084 S. Ridgeview Road. Terracon is responsible for paying off the bonds, which companies often seek through local governments because they provide certain tax and interest benefits.
David Twiddy: dtwiddy913@gmail.com
This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 7:45 AM with the headline "Olathe City Council renews permit for quarry, landfill until 2020."