[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 15(M), 7-15-1997]
Mineral exploration to determine the nature or extent of mineral
resources shall be accomplished by hand sampling, test boring, or
other methods which create minimal disturbance of less than 100 square
feet of ground surface. A permit from the code enforcement officer
shall be required for mineral exploration which exceeds this limitation.
All excavations, including test pits and holes, shall be immediately
capped, filled or secured by other equally effective measures, so
as to restore disturbed areas and to protect the public health and
safety.
[Ord. No. 8-1997, § 15(M), 7-15-1997; Ord. No. 20-2004, 1-6-2004]
Mineral extraction may be permitted under the following conditions:
(1) Reclamation plan. A reclamation plan shall be filed with and approved by the Planning Board before a permit is granted. Such plan shall describe in detail procedures to be undertaken to fulfill the requirements of subsection
(3) of this section.
(2) Setbacks. Unless authorized pursuant to the Natural Resources Protection
Act, 38 M.R.S.A. § 480-C, no part of any extraction operation,
including drainage and runoff control features, shall be permitted
within 100 feet of the normal high-water line of Upper Mason Pond
and the portion of the Goose River that flows into this pond, and
within 75 feet of the normal high-water line of any other water body,
tributary stream, or the upland edge of a wetland. Extraction operations
shall not be permitted within 75 feet of any property line without
written permission of the owner of such adjacent property.
(3) Restoration of site. Within 12 months following the completion of
extraction operations at any extraction site, which operations shall
be deemed complete when less than 100 cubic yards of materials are
removed in any consecutive twelve-month period, ground levels and
grades shall be established in accordance with the following:
a. All debris, stumps, and similar material shall be removed for disposal
in an approved location, or shall be buried on-site. Only materials
generated on-site may be buried or covered on-site. The state solid
waste law, 38 M.R.S.A. § 1310, and chapter 404 of the regulations
of the state department of environmental protection, may contain other
applicable provisions regarding disposal of such materials.
b. The final graded slope shall be a two-to-one slope or flatter.
c. Topsoil or loam shall be retained to cover all disturbed land areas,
which shall be reseeded and stabilized with vegetation native to the
area. Additional topsoil or loam shall be obtained from off-site sources
if necessary to complete the stabilization project.
(4) Authority to impose additional conditions. In keeping with the purposes
of this chapter, the Planning Board may impose such conditions as
are necessary to minimize the adverse impacts associated with mineral
extraction operations on surrounding uses and resources.