By Rhiannon Ross

Score another round for David in his battle against Goliath.

Sugar Creek Planning Commissioners once again denied a rezoning request by Lafarge North America to subsurface mine for limestone on property that borders a heavily populated residential neighborhood in unincorporated Jackson County.

“Without defined processes, I can’t vote for it in good conscience,” Planning Commissioner Jim Brown said Thursday at the Mike Onka Memorial Center in Sugar Creek, Mo.

More than 100 audience members cheered and clapped when six commissioners voted to deny the rezoning request. Three commissioners voted to approve it, with one saying he would do so only with stricter conditions.

The homeowners’ battle to defeat the international concrete giant’s plans to mine an old dairy farm that borders nearly 1,400 homes, three churches and an elementary school began in 2006. Homeowners’ complaints include excessive dust, structural damage to homes, and decreased property values.

Last year, Sugar Creek Planning Commissioners and the city’s Board of Aldermen rejected Lafarge’s first rezoning request and a special use permit to mine the property.

Sugar Creek Planning Commissioner Susan Davis shared her own negative experience growing up near mines and told audience members “you’ve been preaching to the choir.”

However, Davis said the property owner as well as Lafarge, have rights that should be considered too.

“If we were to wish (businesses) away, we’d lose a great deal of their financial support,” she said, noting that tax revenue from business is needed for schools.

Commissioner Mark Shilling challenged Lafarge officials to develop better mining technology that would not require blasting.

“You’re a big company with a lot of money,” he said. “You should be able to do that.”

Commissioner Cyril Wrabec said his primary concern is Lafarge’s “attitude.”

Wrabec said he could support the rezoning request but only if it included stricter conditions, such as a one-year trial period where Lafarge would have to prove it was “a good neighbor.”

“(People) need to be respected,” he said. “If you plan to come in, you need to be a responsible neighbor.”

Lavonne Spicer, president of the Cedar Crest, Swearingen, Farview Concerned Citizens, a neighborhood group opposed to the mining venture, said she was pleased with the Planning Commission’s decision.

“But the battle is not over yet,” she said.

The rezoning request will next go before the Sugar Creek Board of Aldermen, who will cast the final vote.

“I feel confident that with the testimony given and evidence presented by concerned citizens, that the Sugar Creek Aldermen will once again vote in favor of the people and deny the request for rezoning and special use permit,” she said. “I am hopeful that they will protect the quality of life in our neighborhoods and the homes we worked so hard for.”

Brent Baker, general manager of the Lafarge plant in Sugar Creek, said Lafarge would be open to further conditions. He said he believed Sugar Creek Aldermen would approve the rezoning request, in spite of the planning commission’s recommendation not to do so.

“We’re still hopeful,” he said.

The date of the Board of Aldermen meeting was unavailable at press time.