Appeals Court rules against rock quarry foes

Posted at 12:21 pm October 16, 2013
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Information from WYSH Radio

The Tennessee Court of Appeals late last week ruled against a group of citizens who had sued the city of Clinton and the Rogers Group over the city’s rezoning of land near the Bethel community to allow for the road-paving company to reopen its controversial rock quarry.

Citizens for Safety and Clean Air had filed the suit, alleging that the city’s rezoning of the land to M-2—or heavy industrial use—had been capricious and arbitrary and that it had constituted illegal spot zoning.

Anderson County Chancellor William Lantrip ruled against the plaintiffs earlier this year, and the case was appealed.

Last week, the appeals court panel upheld the Chancery Court’s decision allowing the rezoning.

Residents and businesses for years have fought bitterly against the Rogers Group reopening its long-dormant rock quarry, and the dispute also has embroiled the governments of Clinton and Anderson County.

The decision was announced on Friday, and the plaintiffs have 30 days to file an appeal. No decision has been made on whether they will.

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