The site for a proposed gravel quarry in the Town of Center, approved by the Outagamie County zoning committee Tuesday. November 11, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
TOWN OF CENTER, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A special exception permit for a proposed gravel quarry in the town of Center was approved Tuesday, but it faced major pushback from residents who live in the area.
“A good portion of us are here — not because we have nothing else better to do. Because we’re concerned with our area and concerned with our neighborhood,” Drew Lillge told the zoning committee. “Concerned with our water and concerned with our wetlands, because once they’re destroyed, you can’t fix them.”
Joe Trueheart also shared his concerns during public comment.
“You guys ever heard a rock crusher? They’re extremely loud,” Trueheart said. “Lot of vibration, the backup alarms are crazy. Part of that is, we talk about that whole mental wellbeing part of the zoning code. I guarantee you, it’s a major problem.”
Residents who live near the proposed site off of County Highway A said the quarry would impact their lives and property value.
“Appraising to comps, doesn’t address the community concerns on the drops in property value after a quarry is built,” said Austin Busse.
Not everyone was against the proposal, like Gail Lemke, who said there is already a quarry in the area.
“It’s feeding into an already existing mine community. The limestone is a provision that’s valuable for all of us and it helps support a lot of small businesses,” Lemke said to the committee.
The county ultimately approved the proposal with two amendments — extending the distance for groundwater well guarantees to half a mile from the original quarter-mile, and approving the project for the land owner, not the land.
That means if the property is sold, the new owner would have to go through a new approval process.
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