Paulding County residents fight plan for rock mining quarry in their neighborhood

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - There's been an explosive pushback from people near Highway 101 on the Carroll-Paulding County line over plans to build a rock quarry there. 

They're afraid the mining operation, loud explosions, and truck traffic will ruin their peaceful neighborhood. 

"We might not be able to stay here if this happens," said Charlotte Steed Moon, whose family has lived on that same property since before the Civil War. "The noise, the air pollution, the blasting, the damage to houses." 

Dozens of people who don’t want the 200-acre rock mining site in their neighborhood came out to show FOX 5 how they feel. 

The kids made signs and neighbors stood together against the proposal. 

"When I looked at the map, I realized the dot is beside my house," said Neal Borders, who started a petition and started organizing his neighbors against the application to rezone the land.  

Up the road, at Astin Creek Rescue Ranch, they don't want those blasts stressing out their four-legged residents. 

"We’re worried about our horses," said Joey Frey, the nonprofit's owner. "We’re worried about our goats, donkeys." 

The project sits on the border of Paulding and Carroll counties – but it will be up to Paulding's planning board to approve it. 

Earlier this week, Carroll County commissioners came out against it in a letter, "due to the concerns for the safety, environmental, and general welfare of Carroll County's residents." 

They called on their counterparts in Paulding to deny the project.  

But Mark Brown of TPM Land and Natural Resource Consulting, one of the applicants, pushed back on the criticism in an email to FOX 5. 

"Rock quarries of the 21st century are heavily regulated by various state and federal agencies (8 in all) to ensure minimal impacts on surrounding communities," Brown wrote. "Health, noise, traffic, and environmental concerns are all subject to strict regulation, and each of these concerns expressed by our neighbors will be addressed in detail by industry experts during the upcoming zoning hearing." 

That meeting is slated for July 23. 

Brown claimed when it comes to safety, the neighbors have it all wrong. 

"There are many misconceptions about rock quarries that create unnecessary fear and concern of the citizens. The state of GA is in a deficit for the products that are produced from rock quarries, which are used to build our roads, schools, churches, homes, and businesses." 

Brown said the Carroll County commissioners could have provided input as part of a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process, and they did not respond. 

Frey and the rest of the neighbors opposed to the project still want Paulding to scrap the project. 

"I’d like to see the Paulding County commissioners and the Paulding County Planning and Zoning Commission vote to stop this vote with the community," Frey said. "There’s no one in this community that wants this." 

The Paulding County commissioners did not respond to FOX 5's request for comment.