By HOLLY GASKILL
Nearly one year after the Rock Creek Stone Quarry petitioned to close a portion of County Road 500 West, a resolution may be reached in October.
On Tuesday, Wells County Commissioners set that deadline to revise a drafted ordinance that outlines the road closure and expectations for constructing a new road.
The ordinance currently states that the quarry will construct the new road to “Wells County construction specifications”, but County Attorney Ted Storer advised the commissioners to add more specific language. “We could at least put a little more meat on those bones,” Storer said.
“The intent being to bring more clarity to what the county would expect, and put that all upfront, as opposed to approving something and trying to quibble over some terms later on,” Commissioner Mike Vanover said.
The commissioners instructed County Engineer Nate Whitacre, Highway Supervisor Shawn Bonar and Surveyor Jarrod Hahn to meet with Storer to discuss specific needs to be added to the ordinance. Chase Fiechter, representing the quarry, said this was a fair decision.
The quarry requests the closure of approximately 1,650 ft., from CR 100N to just south of the Whitelock Ditch. Fiechter advised they plan to expand the mine across the roadway. If approved, the quarry will pay for a new roadway diverting traffic west.
Rock Creek Stone Quarry had petitioned in 2023 only to vacate the road, creating a dead end on CR 500 W. At a first hearing, this prospect was met with concerns about commuter access to State Road 124. The group then advised they would reconsider their proposal and re-approached the county in June 2024 with plans to divert traffic on a new road.
On Tuesday, two neighbors voiced their opposition to the road closure. Jim McAfee specifically raised concerns about potential drainage issues the expansion could cause, which the commissioners said could be addressed in the overall project. Storer later asked Rick Johnloz, who represented Brickley Farms, about drainage issues.
“I don’t see that as an issue,” Johnloz said. “Just takes a little money sometimes, you know, to upgrade things sometimes, and get a new outlet put in.”
Johnloz also represented the advocacy committee for the Wells County Chamber of Commerce, which supported the expansion and petition. He added, “I manage property also for a company that’s for IMI and for Heritage Aggregates — I believe they’re the two largest stone companies in the state — and I can tell you that they would swallow up Rock Creek (Stone) Quarry in a hurry if it was available for sale. And for the neighbors out there, you’re better off with Fiechters being your neighbors instead of IMI or Heritage. Nothing against those companies, but they will do it their way. They won’t listen to you (like this).”
After previously opposing the petition, area resident Laura Roberts returned to add, “I know there are still a lot of concerns. I feel like the Fiechters have tried really hard … and I think this is a really good compromise. We still have access (to S.R. 124). We still have emergency services that can come in. So, I’m not opposed to it.”
The commissioners have canceled their Sept. 16 meeting due to the Bluffton Free Street Fair. They will meet next at 5 p.m. on Oct. 7.
holly@news-banner.com
