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The Oakboro Town Commission on Monday approved a request from Blue Dot Concrete to locate a concrete plant at 420 S. Main St.

An evidentiary hearing for testimony for and against a proposed concrete plant to be located across from Oakboro District Park opened with Oakboro Zoning Enforcement Officer Mike Efird reporting to commissioners that Blue Dot’s application and preliminary submissions were in order, that all requirements had been met and that the plans were consistent with the town’s unified development ordinance.

“It is compatible with the land use plan adopted last year,” said Efird.

Anthony Cowan of The Isaacs Group followed, representing Blue Dot Concrete, and described the plant’s design and planned operations.

“It will consist of a silo design, which concrete trucks will pull under to be loaded,” he said.

Cowan stated that some changes to the plant’s initial design had been made after hearing concerns from citizens at a community meeting on Jan. 27.

“The loading area will be set back further from the street than originally planned in order to allow trailer-style concrete trucks to load without extending into the street,” he said, also noting that “about 90%” of the plant property would be paved to eliminate dust that would have been generated had the area been unpaved.

Public comments were registered by Blake Williams, who expressed concern with the plant’s location.

“My daughter plays sports at Oakboro District Park, and the plant will be located right across the road,” said Williams, who asked that consideration be given for increased traffic in the area of the park.

“I’m all for growth,” he said, “but not across the street from the park.”

Concerns about the plant’s operations were also delivered, to which Blue Dot officials noted that the plant would normally operate from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and some Saturdays.
The plant would employ 12 to 14 persons, with 10-12 concrete trucks operating from the facility.

Police Chief T.J. Smith also added that he would support lowering the speed limit in the area of the plant and park from 45 to 35 mph.

After reviewing points of consistency with the town’s UDO, commissioners voted unanimously to allow Blue Dot to move ahead with construction of the plant.