Goals & Objectives

The goal of the ARM Plan is to meet the County's need for aggregate while minimizing environmental impacts and land use conflicts in a manner consistent with the requirements of CEQA, SMARA and State Mineral Resource Management policies. Within this context, and to the maximum extent feasible, the ARM Plan's specific objectives are the following:

Objective 1
Assist existing quarry operations to increase production for high-quality uses in an environmentally sound manner.

Objective 2
Facilitate new or expanded quarry operations at designated sites or at other locations with resources which can meet the needs for aggregate in an environmentally sound manner.

Objective 3
Provide for terrace resources to meet the needs for high quality uses for a ten-year period and terminate terrace mining at the end of that period.

Objective 4
Manage instream resources on a sustained yield basis for high quality uses in a manner which reduces bank erosion, maintains flood flow capacities, protects adjacent uses, and minimizes impacts on fisheries, vegetation and wildlife.

Objective 5
Continue and expand monitoring programs so that more information is available for future decisions about terrace and instream impacts and alternative management policies and approaches.

Objective 6
Reevaluate gravel extraction methods and production periodically to assess options which would further reduce environmental impacts and land use conflicts or better meet the County's aggregate needs.

Objective 7
Change specifications, standards and practices where possible so that quarry rock will be more competitive with instream and terrace sources.

Objective 8
Reduce the need for additional aggregate through utilization of recycled and substitute materials, changes in development standards, and other means possible.

Objective 9
Encourage the retention of locally produced aggregate for use within Sonoma County.