The Red Springs Planning and Zoning board has not yet made a recommendation to the town board on whether to allow a sand-mining operation near Philadelphus.

Buie Lakes Plantation, a developer, has asked the town to rezone from residential to industrial to allow a sand-mining operation.

According to the developers, the project would provide 17 to 35 full-time jobs initially and about 100 people after 3 years. The minimum wage would be around $13.00 per hour with a maximun of $35.00 per hour. The plant manager position would pay around $125,000 per year and two assistant plant manager jobs would pay around $75,000 per year.

The blueprints show the plant to be far away from any residental home, with the treeline and lake a natural buffer. All traffic coming and going out of the plant would take a right out of the plant traveling toward Hwy. 710. The other side would have residental lots, 9 of 32 proposed home sites on the lake. There would be 15 acres dedicated to the town for a nature santuary, where the town could put park, a pier, or nature trail.

The sound from the plant would be low decibles and should not bother anyone living near the plant.

According to Town Manager Tony White, the elected officials are looking into it. “Internally, there a few elected officials and some planning and zoning board members who do not feel comfortable with what the company put on the table.

“ I would recommend all residents within the corporate limits to get involved, ask questions, and attend meetings,” he said.

White, who originally was against the operation, took a closer look and does not see any reason why the operation shouldn’t be allowed to mine here.