Proposed Rock Quarry Operations on South Bay Road, Franklin
Documents of Key Interest:
Town of Franklin Quarry Ordinance
Quarry Approval Consideration Factors from Ordinance
TC Gravel quarry license application with revisions through January 20 2026.pdf
Road Study (of South Bay Road)
Friends of Taunton Bay Executive Committee Letter to the Planning Board
Samples of Other Letters Sent to the Planning Board
Detrimental Affects of Gravel Mines on Property Values
The Planning Board of the town of Franklin held a Public Hearing on March 12, 6:30 PM to review and discuss a revised application to site a production rock quarry on South Bay Road in Franklin, 2.4 miles from Route 200. The Quarry License application is to develop a quarry on Lot 19, Tax Map 2 on South Bay Road. Applicant is T.C. Gravel LLC, represented by Stephen Salsbury of Herrick & Salsbury Inc. The applicant seeks approval under the Quarry License Ordinance of the Town of Franklin to develop a two (2) acre quarry on their 75.5-acre site, to mine and process crushed stone, rip-rap and landscaping stones.
Friends of Taunton Bay and many others submitted letters commenting on the application (see our letter and others at the link above). Twenty seven people asked questions and voiced their opinion of the proposal at the hearing. The Planning Board is still accepting letters as they consider the proposal.
As stewards of Taunton Bay, the Executive Committee of Friends of Taunton Bay has many questions and concerns about this production rock quarry. As fellow Friends of Taunton Bay we assume you share our concern, and want to protect the long term health and productivity of Taunton Bay. We strongly encourage you to:
- become familiar with the proposal: see materials at the links above, and talk with others,
- submit a letter to the Planning Board with any questions, comments, or concerns to this address: Franklin Planning Board, Town of Franklin, PO Box 206, Franklin, ME 04634, or this email town_of_franklin@hotmail.com
Among our specific concerns are:
- Noise: use of blasting, crushing, heavy machinery
- effect on fish and wildlife in and around Taunton Bay
- effect on the fish at the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), USDA Salmon Farm located on the bay
- effect on close neighbors and all bay residents (sound travels over water)
- Traffic: Heavy use of South Bay Road by large trucks (gravel and light pavement): Town has required that TC Gravel post a bond for $600K for repairs, but additional concern is dust and erosion affecting the health of Hog Bay
- Enforcement of the ordinance over time
- Long range effects
- Degradation of water quality, fish, and wildlife
- Degradation of quality of life of residents around bay
- Degradation of real estate values