Neighboring Land Use & Project Overview
While agriculture remains a major industry in Florida, smaller farming operations like M Ranch face increasing challenges in maintaining the sustainability of their lands. These small farms must navigate environmental pressures, fluctuating market demands, and the high costs of sustainable practices. Despite these hurdles, M Ranch is committed to preserving the health of their soil and the quality of their produce, striving to balance economic viability with environmental stewardship. Their efforts reflect a broader movement among small-scale farmers to prioritize sustainability in the face of a rapidly changing agricultural landscape.
Community
Various buffers will be created and maintained throughout the property to create visual screening and reduce noise:
- The entire mine operation will be surrounded by a sodded berm, and the Carlton Road frontage will further buffer the site with a sodded berm and additional 4 to 6-foot landscape/ tree/shrub buffer to obscure the site and enhance dust control.
- There will be an additional 200-foot setback with 51 acres of land separating the mining operation from the surrounding agriculture community.
- The mine operation will use a private, improved agricultural Haul Road between Carlton Road and Glades Cutoff Road to avoid the use of public roads. The Haul Road will be buffered along the south side with a sodded berm and a 4 to 6-foot-tall hedge, along with 12-foot-tall native trees and palms, where it abuts existing residences and commercial uses within 200 feet, in compliance with St Lucie County Code.
Control of dust is a high priority for M Ranch and several measures will be undertaken to ensure minimization of dust:
A Wet Mining process will be used to extract the shell rock, which will significantly reduce dust.
The main Haul Road will be constructed of asphalt millings and buffered along the south side with a sodded berm and 6-foot-tall landscape hedge, along with 12-foot-tall native trees and palms, where it abuts any residential property and commercial uses.
Landscaping will be irrigated, and the road will be watered as needed.
The stockpiling area will be located on the farthest southwesterly corner of the site, over 2,000 feet from Carlton Road and away from adjacent residential uses.
With all the development already approved in St. Lucie County, there is a significant need for the fill material that would be mined at M Ranch.
The materials from M Ranch mine are expected to be transported short distances (less than 10 miles) to local construction sites along Glades Cut-Off Road and Range Line Road.
Glades Cut-Off Road will be the main entrance for the mine operation. Trucks will move the product across M Ranch on a private Haul Road and exit onto Glades Cut-Off Road, closest to the construction sites using the materials. This design was intentional to keep traffic out of the agricultural community along Carlton Road.
Safety precautions include a manned scale house and gates at the crossing of Carlton Road.
A traffic analysis shows that the roadway capacity on Glades Cut-Off and Range Line roads will not be adversely impacted and will continue to operate at an acceptable level of service.
A majority of truck traffic generated from the proposed M Ranch mine will be replacing existing truck traffic on St. Lucie County roadways currently transporting fill from mines outside the area.
Once mining operations cease (after approximately 7-10 years), truck traffic will subside as the site transitions into a Water Reclamation area.
Water
- M Ranch mining operations will comply with all applicable Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) permitting and regulatory requirements. All dewatering from the mining operations will be contained on-site, in full compliance with FDEP and SFWMD permits.
- Improvements and safeguards will also be made to protect groundwater and agricultural canals in the local vicinity and ensure there will be no negative impact to water quality or quantity in the local watershed or neighboring water supplies.
The mine is expected to operate for 7 to 10 years. Once mining operations cease, the 80-acre site will be converted to a lake and Water Reclamation area. Beyond the required elements of a Water Reclamation Plan, there are opportunities for the mine to be transformed into a Stormwater Retrofit area.
- It would provide much needed water quality treatment for runoff and offer local flood control for adjacent county roads and private properties.
The mine would become an attractive stormwater retention area surrounded by a submerged berm with cypress trees and other wetland species, a littoral shelf and upland buffer. - When reclamation is completed, M Ranch will have created a new and healthy wetland system. It will provide roosting, nesting, and foraging habitat for both deep and shallow water wetland dependent birds and other species. This will create a significant long- term environmental benefit to the region.
As a separate initiative, M Ranch is also committed to helping reduce flooding along Carlton Road, which we understand has been an ongoing stormwater problem in this area.
We look forward to discussing with the county ways that the lake can be used as part of St. Lucie County’s Master Drainage System to benefit the county and neighboring residents in the Carlton Road area.
Mining
Of the 2,300-acre property:
The vast majority of M Ranch, about 95%, will remain in traditional agriculture.
M Ranch is seeking to modify the existing State permit and obtain a new County permit, significantly reducing the size of the approved mine from 930 acres to 164 acres.
The size of the excavated area would be limited to 80 acres, with an additional 51 acres for buffering, and 33 acres for staging activities, totaling approximately 164 acres for the entire mine area.
In addition, the project will use a 10.53-acre private Haul Road located entirely on M Ranch property for access to the mine.
Mining has come a long way.
M Ranch will be using the latest technology and state-of-the-art mining techniques and environmental best practices in its construction and operation, as well as during the reclamation phase once the mine’s life cycle is complete.
This new technology is a non-blasting method called wet mining. Wet mining involves using a dredge and a floating concentrator, which moves along behind the dredge in the pond and excavates underwater. This process minimizes noise and dust.
Identifying a New and Needed Resource
In researching new agricultural opportunities for the land, soil tests revealed that high quality soil and aggregate materials were present in certain locations on the property. This material is a valuable resource needed by the local construction industry for new residential developments and commercial sites, parks, stormwater, utility, and roadway improvement projects throughout St. Lucie County.
Locally Sourced Materials
Locally sourced and sold materials strengthen the local economy when the revenues remain in local hands. Today, a portion of the demand for quality fill material is being met by importing material from mines far outside the local area.
Truckloads of materials shipped long distances have a greater negative impact on St. Lucie’s roads and infrastructure. Imported materials can also ultimately cost more, and affect the affordability of all types of projects, particularly housing. Market surveys show that some materials are even being reserved for future use and may not be locally available when needed. All of these factors support the demand for new sources of local soil and base rock. The demand exists and will continue to grow as more infrastructure improvements are needed.
