The Township was notified this week that neither Pierson nor Hanson will be appealing Judge Mellon’s decision precluding an asphalt plant at the Rock Hill Quarry site. Pierson and Hanson will also be withdrawing their Zoning Hearing Board appeals. Pierson has terminated its lease with Hanson and is in the process of removing its equipment from the site.
The Rock Hill Quarry is located at 2055 North Rockhill Road and in early 2018 it resumed quarry operations after at least 30 years of inactivity. The Rock Hill Quarry is located in the E Extraction Zoning District which permits Extractive Operations by special exception. A Federal Court decision stated that quarry operations may continue on the property under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP). PA DEP issued a cessation order in December 2018 and no quarrying has occurred since that time. The Order is still in place.
The remaining zoning issue of the asphalt plant use was taken away from the East Rockhill Township Zoning Hearing Board as the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge took jurisdiction of the matter by order dated June 18, 2019. The trail took place on March 2 and 3, 2020 where the Judge determined that the East Rockhill Township Zoning Ordinance prohibits an asphalt plant on the Hanson property in the E- Extraction Zoning District and that the use is allowed in the I1 and I2 Industrial Zoning Districts as a manufacturing use.
The PA DEP Rock Hill Quarry website page is routinely updated with pertinent information.
