Images of gashes in the hillsides of the Odom’s Bend area on the north side of the Cumberland River have been erased.

After several weeks of publicized discussions that eventually led up to a threat of legal action, the City of Gallatin passed on second reading an ordinance that banns quarries within the city limits and the city’s planned expansion area. (The ordinance reads: to “remove the activity type, mining and quarrying extractive activities.”)

Councilman Tommy Garrott was absent; two councilmen voted in the negative–Anne Kemp and Jimmy Overton–while Vice-Mayor Dale Bennett, Ed Mayberry, John Alexander and Craig Hayes voted in favor of the ordinance.

Teddy Cardoza, the property owner most adamantly against the ordinance, spoke to the council about his dismay: “I feel that this is outright wrong. You guys are taking property value from me. My property rights are being violated. The city council proposes a new ban on quarry extraction on my private property You guys do nothing for us.”

He continued to assert that a nearby piece of property was sold for $2 M, and stated that no “long-term study” had been done on the effects of a quarry in that location. He ended his speech to the council with threats of legal action.

Recently, an agent representing an unidentified client approached the Cardozas and other property owners about purchasing their land, offering earnest money. Another company had also approached property owners with financial incentives not to sell their property.

Of the companies mentioned as possibly involved in the reported sales effort, the owner of LoJac of Lebanon, an asphalt, masonry and highway construction, Jack Lowery, Sr., stated he had no knowledge of the turmoil.

“We had nothing to do with that.”

Several other residents also spoke during the public forum part of the meeting, including Larry Maynard, who addressed the council for the second time.

“We did present the council with a petition. ... It affects an area much large than (ours). ... I think we represent a significant sampling of the will of the people...  For everything we get, we have to give something up. ... We feel like by you all taking a stance to put an end to this ... it puts us in a position where we can maintain our quality of life.  ... It will help us retain our property values.”

Bennett stated during the meeting that several members of his district had signed the petition mentioned by Maynard.

“They’ve had to live with a quarry,” he said afterward.

A quarry near Driver’s Lane that is owned by a resident of Wilson County is located in the middle of a residential area and has no protective barriers for the surrounding drop-offs from the homes surrounding it.

“It’s about 70-100 feet deep,” said Bennett, “and was probably excavated in the 1930s or 40s. Can you imagine toddlers playing out here?”

Another quarry on Meadow Lake is about 70 feet deep, said Bennett, and was flooded overnight when the excavation reached beneath 70 feet. “They just walked away,” said Bennett.

The lake covers seven acres, but has no high drop-offs. A residential development is planned.