Court rebuffs foes of Sunol quarry

On Feb. 27 the state Supreme Court refused to review a challenge against a 240-foot deep quarry in Sunol. The case was brought by Save Our Sunol against Mission Valley Rock, Alameda County, and San Francisco. The open-pit mine would be dug on a 242-acre parcel of prime agricultural land near the town of Sunol, its elementary school, and the historic Water Temple.

Despite the clear language contained in Measure D, the countywide ordinance designed to protect agricultural land, the courts have determined that the new quarry should not blocked by the initiative because the main permit for the quarry was approved by the county prior to the passage of the measure. The quarry, however, has not been fully approved, with many state and federal permits still outstanding.