Plans for a temporary asphalt plant that will serve a highway safety project on U.S. 220 in northern Botetourt County got a green light Tuesday from the board of supervisors.
The board voted unanimously to approve a rezoning request sought by Boxley Materials Co. for a 20-acre site on Thompson Drive near Eagle Rock, where the company will produce asphalt to be used for construction work on an adjacent nine-mile stretch of the highway.
The James River flows nearby — and was a key factor in the board’s discussion.
Environmental damage that a flood might cause was one concern. Another dealt with how an industrial operation would impact a stretch of the James that holds a state scenic river designation for its appeal to boaters, fishermen and nature lovers.
