Rep. Warner’s Quarry Lake Project Rejected by Marshall County Board Following Outcry of ‘Destroying’ Neighbors’ Homes
Representative Todd Warner (Photo by the Tennessee General Assembly)
More than 120 people were in attendance for a Board of Zoning Appeals meeting at the Marshall County Courthouse Annex last week, requiring an overflow for residents looking to show opposition to a quarry lake project.
The project, already underway at 3429 Verona Caney Road in Lewisburg, has come under scrutiny for originally being approved for agricultural use, despite attendees of the hearing testifying to the removal and selling of limestone rock of the site – an action that would require it to be designated as mining use.
The site is owned by Tennessee State Representative Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, who was not in attendance to defend his project. His attorney, John Cooper, was the only speaker to defend it.
Fifteen Marshall County residents spoke against the project, citing concerns about the blasting causing damage to homes and family heirlooms, drinking water and wells, endangering neighbors, and placing unaffordable strains on the neighboring Duck River water supply.
Marshall County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting last week (Photo by Tennessee Firefly Staff)
“The lake does fall under the definition of agriculture under state law because it (is) used as part of the commercial production of farm products and nursery stocks,” Cooper said in defense of the quarry lake project.
“There has probably been some concern that he is just taking rock out and selling it, and if you are doing that, you are clearly acting as a quarry,” Cooper added. “Mr. Warner is willing to agree to a condition that he will not sell any of the material that is taken out.”
That statement caused a verbal uproar among attendees skeptical of the claims. One attendee confirmed that he had in fact purchased limestone rock from Warner that had come out of the lake quarry at Verona Caney Road.
Before moving to other public comments, Cooper was asked about the size of the proposed lake, answering 37 acres before being corrected by an attendee who quoted the mining application submitted by Warner, which cited 60.5 acres.
Agriculture Use Questioned
Jason Holloman, an attorney who helped organize an opposition letter, was the first to speak and cast doubt on the classification of the project as agricultural rather than mining.
“I can turn cows loose in my grocery store parking lot, but it does not make it agricultural use,” Holloman said. “This is not agriculture use. This is, in fact, a rock quarry and crushing operation.”
While the property was originally approved for agricultural use, those permissions by the Marshall County Board of Zoning Appeals would not extend to mining use, requiring additional permits from the state.
Resident speaking against the project (Photo by Tennessee Firefly Staff)
Other opponents of the project spoke out against the damage the blasting at the lake site had already caused.
“I live one mile away, and it shook things off my house. Family heirlooms that cannot be replaced,” said David Reed during the public forum. “Take into consideration what the people of this county need, instead of letting anything happen to line someone’s pocket.”
Jennifer O’ Malley also spoke out against the project, citing damage to her home.
“Dynamite has no use that close to residential homes,” O’Malley said. “The kids are scared, my animals are scared, and I am scared. The last one almost knocked me off my porch. It knocked things off in my house. It cracked my walls. It cracked my backsplash that I just put in. It’s destroying my home.”
After the public feedback, the board of zoning appeals voted unanimously to deny the permit for the project under agricultural use.
Warner is expected to continue seeking appeals for the ruling while completing applications through the state for mining use on the property.
Legislative History
Warner initially won House District 92 in 2020 and has been re-elected twice.
During his time in the General Assembly, he’s served on multiple House education committees, including the House Education Instruction Committee, and this year was among the few Republicans to oppose the Education Freedom Scholarship Act.
