Paver planning to build asphalt plant in Qualla

Fortner hoping for county's, neighbors' support of project

By Lisa Majors-Duff

Mark Fortner, owner of HMC Paving, appeared before the Jackson County Board of Commissioners last week (April 5) to ask for support in his effort to build the plant on 12 acres near the U.S. 441 exit off U.S. 74 on a tract known as the Worley Farm. The plant will be small, he said, and "nothing that people should be scared about."

A second asphalt plant is needed in Jackson County, Fortner said, for two reasons. First, Harrison Construction in Dillsboro is the only area supplier of paving materials and at times has difficulty meeting local demands. Also, Fortner said, Harrison's "monopoly on asphalt in this county" has allowed the company to "demand higher prices."

"I'm going to need your support to get this thing through," Fortner told the board. "I know a lot of people frown on this kind of thing, but that's because they don't understand it. The only things it puts out is steam, dust and noise."

With the mention of noise as an asphalt-plant by-product, Commissioner Roberta Crawford said she would be forced to reserve her support until she heard from the people in the community.

"Noise already bothers people down there," Crawford said. "They already have to put up with the helicopter and the race track."

In fact, she said, noise was a top concern during the Qualla community Smart Growth meeting in February. Area residents spent the greater majority of the meeting voicing their dislike of disturbances caused by both Great Smoky Mountain Helicopters and the Smoky Mountain Raceway.

"I don't think a lot of people will protest it," Fortner said of his proposed project. "I don't have a lot of neighbors nearby. That's one of the reasons I chose this area."

"Since (Jackson County) has no zoning, and even if the board were against it, that wouldn't stop you from going ahead with this, right?" Commissioner Stacy Buchanan said.

"No, I don't think so," said Fortner, who indicated the plant will create 10 jobs. "Until they build us spaceships to fly around in, there will be asphalt roads to drive around on."

Fortner's plant is a long way from being finalized, he said. He is currently working with an engineer to determine if the size plant he is projecting will be feasible in the chosen location. The plant he hopes to build will produce anywhere from 500,000 to 800,000 tons of asphalt a day, Fortner said.

Once the engineering figures are finalized, the permitting process through the state's Department of Environment and Natural Resource's Air Quality Division could take up to six months to complete, Fortner said. Construction could start at the end of this year's paving season, December or January, with two to three months needed to complete the plant, he said.

Back to Archive: 04/12/01.