KENNEDY — The town of Poland is looking to amend its mining ordinances following a business in the town looking to open a gravel pit.

Town Supervisor Kelly Snow said the business approached the town about opening a gravel pit, but was unable to because the town’s current law says no businesses are allowed to. Two businesses currently exist in the town that operate gravel pits, but those pits became operational before the local law was put into place.

“The code has not been updated in many years,” Snow said. “It’s simple and outdated. This was brought before our zoning and planning boards, and they brought it back to the town that they would like to amend the law, and make it feasible for a business to open and operate a gravel pit.”

Zoning Officer George Gustafson submitted a proposal to the town board during its July meeting in regards to amending the law. The town ordinances from July 1977 under Section 801 mentions mines and quarries, but nowhere in the ordinance districts are mines and quarries allowed. The proposal for the amendment includes not allowing gravel pits in Residential Section 411-SR-21.7 SF District nor section 413- General Commercial District, a maximum of five residences boarding it, no schools, churches, nor district boundary within 500 feet, a maximum of six active gravel pits at any one time, fencing will be determined by the permitting board, a special use permit will be required, and there will be a clause to cover existing mines in the town. This amendment will be in addition to the existing ordinance, Section 809, mines and quarries.

“We will be having a public hearing to adopt this local law number 5,” Snow said. “We’ve already had the public hearings for everything else, and now we’re looking to adopt the law.”

A public hearing is scheduled for the town board’s meeting on Sept. 10, at 6:45 p.m., to begin a few minutes before the regular meeting time of 7 p.m.