Quarry proposal rocks back into the county conversation

Lynchburg Stone seeks special exception to reopen former Highway 50 quarry without changing its agricultural zoning

12:45 p.m. Oct. 14, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Seven months after Metro Council members suggested a different approach to reopening a rock quarry along Highway 50, Lynchburg Stone LLC is taking that route to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, to consider a special exception allowing quarry operations at 606 Winchester Highway in Tolleytown.

The request would leave the property's A-1 Agriculture-Forestry zoning in place rather than reclassify the land for industrial use. It's the approach council members favored when the proposal came before them in March.

Keeping the land agricultural

During the March 16 Metro Council meeting, District 3 representative Dexter Golden said the question wasn't whether a quarry could operate under county regulations. It was whether the property needed to be rezoned industrial to accommodate it.

Golden favored keeping the agricultural classification and allowing quarry operations through a special exception. That would leave the underlying zoning unchanged if the quarry eventually closed.

Other council members appeared receptive to the idea, comparing it to the county's earlier approach to the Silicon Ranch solar farm.

Keeping the agricultural designation would mean the property remains zoned for agriculture even if quarry operations end. Rezoning it industrial could allow other industrial uses in the future.

The council took no formal vote on the quarry during its March discussion, but the conversation pointed toward the process Lynchburg Stone is now pursuing.

A quarry with a long history

The proposal first came before the Planning and Zoning Commission on March 3, when members voted 5-0 to send Lynchburg Stone's preliminary site plan to the Metro Council for review.

Developer Scott Fruehauf and engineer Nathan Tomberlin outlined plans to reopen the former quarry, which supplied rock during construction of Tims Ford Dam in the late 1960s. The quarry continued operating into the 1980s before closing.

Fruehauf described the proposed operation as a small, locally owned business serving area customers rather than a large regional supplier. He estimated annual sales at approximately 20,000 tons, with the potential to create four local jobs.

Tomberlin said the project would initially involve about 100 acres, with quarry activity expanding south and east from the existing work area.

Fruehauf, who also serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission, recused himself from the March vote because of his involvement in the project.

Neighbors have questions

The March Planning and Zoning meeting also brought concerns about blasting, truck traffic, property damage, and the quarry's potential effects on groundwater.

Resident Aurelia Swann questioned how blasting might affect nearby homes and property investments. Chris White, director of the Bedford County Planning Commission, warned about the long-term effects abandoned quarries can have on underground water movement in Middle Tennessee's limestone terrain.

Fruehauf said the company planned to use a licensed third-party blasting contractor and hire an independent firm to monitor blasts. He also described insurance and bonding coverage intended to address potential damage claims.

Traffic along Highway 50 was another concern. Fruehauf said the company planned to widen the quarry entrance and clear trees to improve visibility. He also said the operation would not generate the volume of truck traffic associated with larger quarry operations.

During the March 16 Metro Council discussion, Tomberlin estimated the nearest residence was approximately 1,500 to 2,000 feet from the quarry, with trees and natural screening separating the property from nearby homes.

Council members also questioned possible damage to county roads from hauling. They were told most truck traffic would use state highways, with county roads used primarily for local deliveries.

Decision moves to zoning board

Tuesday's request falls under Article VII, Section 7.060 of the county's zoning ordinance, which establishes procedures for authorizing special exceptions, and Article V, Section 5.041(C), which addresses uses permitted by special exception in the A-1 Agriculture-Forestry District.

The property is identified in county records as Map 038, Parcel 007.01.

The Board of Zoning Appeals will consider the company's request under those provisions. Approval would address the local zoning requirement but would not replace other applicable state permits.

During the March Planning and Zoning meeting, Fruehauf identified stormwater, air emissions, site access, and floodplain approvals as requirements the company would need to address.

The Board of Zoning Appeals meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the County Building basement at 241 Main St.