To: Zoning Administrator
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Reapproval of Bald Hills Road Quarry #2 SMARA permits (CA Mine ID #91-12-0056) Conditional Use Permit, Surface Mining Permit and Reclamation Plan
Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN): 531-022-002
Record No.: PLN-2025-19189
Bald Hills Road area
Reapproval of 15-year renewal of Bald Hills Quarry #2 SMARA permits, CA Mine ID #91-12-0056, for extraction of a total of 15,000 cubic yards of material over the next 15 years.
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Zoning Administrator:
1. Adopt the resolution (Attachment 1), which does the following:
a. Finds that a Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted for the project, a Subsequent Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted for the renewal, and no further environmental review is required; and
b. Finds the proposed project complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
c. Approves the Conditional Use Permit, Surface Mining Permit and Reclamation Plan as recommended by staff, subject to the conditions of approval (Attachment 1A).
Body
DISCUSSION:
Project Location:
The project site is located in the Bald Hills area, on the north side of Bald Hills Road, at the intersection of Bald Hills Road and Coyote Road, on the property known to be in Section 29 of Township 9 North, Range 3 East, Humboldt Meridian.
Present General Plan Land Use Designation:
Timberland (T)
Present Zoning:
Timberland Production Zone (TPZ)
State Appeal:
Project is NOT appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Major Concerns:
None identified by referral agencies.
Monitoring Required:
Annual Compliance Monitoring.
Environmental Review:
A Mitigated Negative Declaration was adopted in 1994 for the original permit approval and a Subsequent Mitigated Negative Declaration (SMND) was adopted in 2010 for a 15-year permit renewal. The SMND included mitigation measures that along with the original conditions of approval were incorporated into the project and are, in effect, part of the project that is being considered for this 15-year reapproval request. These measures have been and will continue to be in force and monitored annually by County Planning staff. There are no changes in operations, law, or the environment that warrant further environmental review.
Executive Summary:
Reapproval of Bald Hills Road Quarry #2 (CA Mine ID #91-12-0056) Conditional Use Permit, Surface Mining Permit (CUP-06-93XMX/SMP-06-93XMX) and Reclamation Plan for a 15-year term for continued operations at an exiting quarry. Mining permits were issued in 1994 for the extraction of a total of 15,000 cubic yards of material over the next 15 years, then renewed in 2010 and the 15-year term expired prior to submitting the renewal application. Operations include extraction of rock from the quarry face, crushing and stockpiling of rock on temporary piles located on the quarry floor. Mining may consist of a single 15,000 cubic yard extraction, or smaller extractions, as frequently as annually. There are no proposed changes to the original approval. The permit term is fifteen (15) years and would expire on August 21, 2040.
Background information on the Bald Hills Road Quarry #2 operation
The quarry mainly contains greywacke, interbedded shale, minor conglomerate and thin-bedded chert. The majority of the material is used primarily for maintenance of over forty (40) miles of County roads in the area. Mining activities include extraction of rock from the quarry face, crushing and stockpiling of rock on temporary piles located on the quarry floor. Extraction is proposed to be accomplished by ripping and breaking up the rock with a bulldozer. In the event that localized hard rock boulders are encountered, small-scale separation with charges will be performed. A portable crusher assembly, consisting of jaw and cone crushers, screens, conveyors, and a generator trailer may be located temporarily on the quarry floor. Once crushing activities are completed, the crusher assembly will be dismantled and removed from the site. Equipment also includes crawler tractor, crusher unit, front-end loader and dump truck. Final reclamation includes final grading, drainage improvements restoration of surface soils and revegetation to reclaim the land consistent with agriculture and timber harvesting.
Biological Resources:
Mining activities do not involve disturbance of the seep pond/wetland and outflow near the entrance to the quarry, which is habitat for Oregon goldthread, coast fawn lily and California globe mallow. Activities also do not include vegetation removal. The top of the quarry face (approximately 500 square feet) may be disturbed during excavation of the face. There is minimal topsoil on this hilltop, as was the case when the original permit was issued. Habitat disturbance will be temporary, and final reclamation will restore the area to prior conditions.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) conducted a site visit on April 28, 2025, and recommended re-establishing the buffer for the seep pond/wetland feature by 1) Moving an old cattle guard and another small piece of debris to another storage location, 2) Moving existing boulders a little farther away from the edge of the pond (approximately 25’) to clearly mark the edge of the parking/turnaround area (larger boulders might serve as a better visual reminder) and, 3) Ideally, removing Scotch broom and replanting the area with locally appropriate native shrubs (e.g., coyote brush). At minimum, this area should be prioritized for invasive species management and revegetation as part of interim or final reclamation. Recommendations 1 and 2 are incorporated as Conditions of Approval A.2(a) and A.2(b), and recommendation 3 remains a recommendation as the property owner plans to continue utilization of the site as a borrow pit once DPW operations are complete. The Reclamation Plan calls for re-seeding with native grasses/shrubs and mulching as part of final reclamation.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and all responding agencies have either responded with no comment or recommended approval or conditional approval.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Zoning Administrator could elect to add or delete conditions of approval. The Zoning Administrator could deny approval if unable to make all the required findings. Staff has concluded the required findings in support of the proposal can be made. Consequently, staff does not recommend further consideration of these alternatives.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution
A. Recommended Conditions of Approval
B. Reclamation Plan
C. Site Plan
Applicant/Agent:
Humboldt County Department of Public Works
c/o Danith Davis
1106 Second St
Eureka CA, 95501
Owner:
Green Diamond Resource Company
1301 5th Ave., #2700
Seattle, WA 98101
Please contact Joshua Dorris, Senior Planner, at jdorris@co.humboldt.ca.us or at 707-268-3779 if you have questions about this item.