Residents in the town of Waterloo successfully fended off a clay mining project back in 2017, but a simple zoning change could resurrect it. 

“We were relieved when the court ruled in our favor but we always knew they were going to try something again,” said Dixie Lemmon.

The Seneca Meadows Clay Mine surrounds Dixie Lemmon’s yard.

Although the project has been out of operation since 2017 after the Fourth Appellate Court ruling, she will never forget the dust and noise it generated.

“It's right across the road from our little league field in our village and the dust will be horrendous for the kids. It’s just constant. (sigh) it’s so interruptive to your life. You know I want to be out here in my garden and doing things. It’s just not peaceful anymore with that running and I could imagine the whole north side of our village is feeling the same way,” said Lemmon.

Lemmon explained that the appellate court originally shut down the project because Burgess Road, the street that was used to get to the mine, was in a residential zone.

After the ruling the town of Waterloo adopted a new comprehensive plan that banned mining and called for some zoning changes.

“That’s when Seneca Meadow stepped back in again for the zoning of Burgess Road, the lower end so they could bring their big trucks through that area if they rezoned it so it was not a residential zone.”

Lemmon is hopeful that the town board will vote against the new zoning change that would allow the trucks. But if it is accepted, she is ready to fight it.

“If it does happen that way, there will be more litagation so it’s not over yet,” said Lemmon.

The town board will consider the zoning change on July 27.