HomeMy WebLinkAboutLOD201200003 Other 2013-12-30 (18)December 12, 2013
To whom it may concern
I, S. Vance Wilkins, Jr, have owned properties and mineral rights on properties located
in Albemarle County since 1976. 1 pay real estate taxes (reference 126-31C and 126-
31 D) on the mineral interest that I own near Schuyler. Over this entire period, I have
leased the mining operation to various entities and done some mining myself.
1 first became knowledgeable of the operation at Alberene Stone Company after the
flood of 1969. 1 was a bridge contractor and got the job to replace the RT 693 bridge
across Rockfish River just below the dam. At that time Kenneth Carroll was the plant
manager and supplied stone for rip -rap which came from the area behind the stone
church and the Serene tract which were the closest quarries to the bridge.
Kenneth Carroll and I became friends because of our cooperation in the clean up after
the flood. We bought several old company houses between 1970 and 1976 and
remodeled and resold them so I was in Schuyler on a regular basis during that period.
During this period I personally witnessed that the plant was actively processing T
soapstone from the three quarries in Albemarle County, Old Dominion, Alberene, and \
Serene (Serpentine) and the Climax quarry in Nelson County. This activity was
important to my consideration of this purchase.
From 1976 when I purchased the soapstone properties and the mineral rights interest
until 1986 when Tulikivi leased the mining rights from me, there was WJapse of activity
on all parcels. I was aware of the zoning requirements of Albemarle County and I made
sure over that 10 year period to annually have men and equipment working for at least a
short duration at each quarry location. Sometimes I did this myself. This was what I
understood was required by the permitting process and with the substantial investment
to purchase and permit the soapstone operation I made sure that each quarry had some
work on the site each and every year. The general practice was to get all the blocks
possible from the quarries during warm weather and shut down in cold weather. This
was necessary because the air lines and pumps would freeze up and the quarry stairs
were dangerous to use in winter months. The extra blocks in the summer from
Alberene, Old Dominion and Climax were stored at Serene and were pulled from in the
winter months to keep production going at the plant.
Serene has served as a staging and inventory area for previously extracted soapstone
blocks, and has been active every year. Serene has also been used to store piles of
processed slabs that had broken up into smaller pieces and are used for patio/pavers.
There is a large pile of this type soapstone still remaining on the East side of the access
that goes to Rockfish River Road. We constantly sold these pavers and also carving
stone from this area.
Specifically, I am the owner of parcel 126-31 J and had previously subdivided the 8
parcels of 2 acres each from 126-31C in 1990 after obtaining approval from the Board
of Supervisors at that time. When the parcels were sold, the mineral rights were
reserved in the deed of each property. Serene quarry (previously called Serpentine)
covers the area on the rear of these parcels and is located directly behind the
residential houses and this area extends to the South and crosses the Nelson -
Albemarle County line. The area referred to as Serene continues onto the parcels that I
own in Nelson which are also part of the quarry operation. The Serene area across the
rear of the residential parcels and portions of 31J has been under bond with VDMME as
required for disturbed area and access into the quarry area. The access from RT800
into Serene, since the 1960's and possibly longer, is across the parcels currently
owned by Ms. Flynn and Ms. Hardin which I can attest has been used since prior to the
creation of their parcels. The surface maintenance gravel on the access was put there
by the quarry operators and the gate was installed by quarry staff for security as
required by VDMME.
This is to confirm that for the period of my ownership and prior to my purchase there
has been equipment used at this site to move stone around so it can be loaded on to a
truck or picked up and taken to the plant. Grading of the area has been necessary
from time to time, retrieval of blocks, pavers and carving stone, maintenance of the
drainage, and geological evaluation of the soapstone ridge which is an important aspect
of the quarry operations has not stopped although the activity is less frequent than the
Georgia Marble period. These activities have occurred without question at the Serene
tract which is a major source of soapstone and I have received income from these
activities over the years.
I received a determination from Albemarle County in 1986 that the property had been in
continuous use up until that time. If not for this determination, the 1986 lease with
Tulikivi would not have been signed and millions invested in quarry activity would not
have happened.
This information i ate and true to the best of my knowledge.
date
Signature
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
COUNTY OF Amherst to -wit:
The foregoing instlaWi
lent was acknowledged before me this I% day of�/�
2013, by ''.1Iklr1S
My commission expires: `:� 31, 4011 . No. WO. 890
sell,``,
A. MF
V : I'U13LIC �L
REG. #7249890 : N
My cokIMISS101V
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Notary Public