Dear Editor,
The proposed granite quarry on Dennis Station Road has generated significant attention in our community, and I want to speak directly to my fellow Putnam County residents as a volunteer member of the Planning & Zoning Commission.
First, a foundational point: every landowner in Putnam County, including Weyerhaeuser and its partners, has the legal right to apply for a variance, conditional use permit, or rezoning. That right exists, regardless of who the applicant is or what they are proposing.
The process is designed to be consistent and fair — and as citizens, we should all want it that way. If we selectively deny that process based on public pressure or popularity, we undermine the very protections that everyone of us depends on as property owners.
Second, I want to be clear about my role on the Planning & Development Commission. I am a volunteer, not an elected official. I was asked to join the commission and was initially reticent due to my time constraints (I work a lot). However, after some consideration, I decided it was a way I could give back to the community, so I accepted the position. My obligation is to Putnam County and its residents, and to uphold my own integrity — to make a fair, deliberate, analytical decision based on all the relevant facts.
That takes time. I did not receive the applicant’s supplemental information (323 pages of dense material) until three days before the [March 5] meeting, and I did not receive the opposition’s materials until the actual hearing itself. To make a fair and objective decision, I am giving this matter the serious attention it deserves, and I ask for the same good faith in return.
Third, I want to acknowledge how frustrating the process can be. To be clear, regarding the meeting in July, the second (July 2) is simply our normally scheduled meeting for that month (our meetings are on the first Thursday each month). Granted, it is obviously close to the July 4th holiday, but I suspect many folks will find a way to attend. For those who don’t know, P&D staff members make a recommendation to us, the P&Z commission, and we then vote on it, with or without conditions, to the elected county commissioners, who make the final decision.
Nothing we do is final in any way, shape, or form. We are simply a midpoint in this three-stage process.
Believe me, absolutely everyone who wants to speak and be heard will have an opportunity to do so, no exceptions.
Finally, I want to address the tone of last week’s meeting. At our previous meeting, one person attended — the applicant. This time, the room was full and overflowing, which is democracy working as it should, and I welcome that engagement. But the behavior directed at our fire chief — who was simply doing his job in following the legally prescribed fire code and trying to keep people safe in the only room we use for these meetings — was unnecessary and counterproductive.
There is nothing nefarious happening in the actions of our commission, or in the use of this meeting space.
Each commissioner has their own perspective and votes accordingly as an independent thinker.
I am doing my best for what I believe is in the best interest of Putnam County and the people who live here, and I am certain my fellow commissioners are as well. I ask that we treat each other with respect and civility as this process moves forward.
Sincerely, David Erickson, Putnam County Planning & Zoning Commissioner