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June 11, 2017 <br />County Development Services <br />411 N. Ruby Suite 2 <br />Ellensburg, WA 98926 <br />RE: Clerf Mine Expansion Application <br />To Whom it May Concern, <br />We are Jody and Tracy Waiters living at 1310 Carroll Road. It has come to our attention that the <br />Clerf Mine has applied for expansion_ There are several problems with this request. <br />1. There is already too much gravel truck traffic going down Carroll Road from the mine. <br />Carroll Road is not suited for this type of traffic, It's damaging the road and dangerous to <br />people, farm machinery, and livestock. Expanding the mine would increase the truck traffic. <br />2. The posted 50 mph speed limit on Carroll Road is already too high to be safe. Due to the <br />hilly topography, there isn't the necessary sight line to stop at this rate of speed when <br />slower moving traffic pulls out. And unfortunately, most of the time the gravel trucks are <br />significantly exceeding the speed limit It's dangerous enough when its a pickup or car <br />going 50 mph, but there's no hope that a gravel truck, with it's much greater mass, could <br />stop in time. This is a tragedy waiting to happen. Because this is farm land, farm <br />equipment, livestock, people walking and on horseback, etc., can be pulling out of any <br />number of farms at any given time. This situation endangers the people living in the <br />neighborhood, their property, including livestock, as well as the many people working in the <br />area e.g., irrigation ditch riders and others. <br />3. This area is farmland. Among the joys of living and working in a rural area is the peace <br />and quiet. This peace is shattered by the number of loud, fast, huge, obnoxious trucks <br />speeding down Carroll Road. The project narrative in the application states that the <br />proposed use is not going to be "detrimental or injurious to the public health, peace, <br />safety, or character of the surrounding neighborhood". This is patently untrue. The gravel <br />trucks are already detrimental to the public health, peace, safety and character of the <br />neighborhood. Expanding the mine would only exacerbate the problem. <br />In order to alleviate these problems, we would like to suggest the following measures are taken: <br />1. More research is required and a thorough investigation into the true effect on the area's <br />environment, watershed, the wetlands bordering the project area, as well as traffic, noise, <br />safety, and quality of life of the farmers and families in the area. <br />