Simitian presses planning department for “more rigorous” oversight on Stevens Creek Quarry

SAN JOSE – Yesterday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously (5-0) to direct the County administration to develop and implement a plan to ensure consistent monitoring and enforcement of use permit conditions of approval at Stevens Creek Quarry, located in the unincorporated County just outside Cupertino.

​The vote came after an independent review conducted by Harvey Rose Associates, at the request of County Supervisor Joe Simitian, identified several deficiencies in the County Department of Planning and Development’s oversight of the Quarry.

“The review pointed out multiple concerns with the Department’s oversight,” said Simitian, whose District includes Stevens Creek Quarry. “There has to be a plan to remedy the deficiencies and to ensure consistent and on-going monitoring and enforcement of all conditions. Something more rigorous than what we’ve seen to date.”

Stevens Creek Quarry is an active bluestone aggregate mining operation located in the Stevens Canyon area south of Cupertino. The quarry consists of two areas, “Parcel A” and “Parcel B.” Parcel A contains offices, a truck scale, a recycling facility for concrete and asphalt, and the City of Cupertino compost distribution facility with operations governed by a Conditional Use Permit. Parcel B contains surface mining activities, including crushing of rock mined at the quarry, with operations guided by a Mediated Agreement. Both documents (the Permit and the Agreement) include conditions that must be adhered to for regular operations to continue.

The auditor’s review found that six conditions from the Use Permit which require ongoing monitoring having no record of being monitored or enforced at the time of the audit. Additionally, the audit found the Quarry operator out of compliance with one of the conditions in the Mediated Agreement, with no enforcement action taken by the Department of Planning.

The deficiencies related to:

• Noise monitoring;
• Keeping monthly count of the number of truck trips;
• Submitting an inventory of rental quarry trucks and equipment;
• Demonstrating removal of equipment and vehicles not owned and used in quarry operations;
• Demonstrating that the ancillary use of equipment rental and storage is limited to trucks and equipment owned and operated by the operator which are normally used in the quarrying activities and only rented for off-site use when not required on site and providing an annual inventory; and,
• Documenting that the number of daily loads is no greater than 1,300.

“Local residents need some assurance that Santa Clara County is on the job; that our Planning Department is rigorously monitoring and enforcing the conditions of approval, as we should. The auditor’s review showed we have some work to do; now is the time to roll up our sleeves and get to it,” said Simitian. He continued, “I look forward to hearing back from the Planning Department in relatively short order about how the Department can correct the current short-comings.”