Worcester gravel pit approved 4-1: Committee votes yes despite landfill concerns, adds marker requirement

Photo: Timothy Huliselan via Pexels

By Price County Fun Editorial Team | Last updated: June 18, 2026

The gravel pit fight in the Town of Worcester just got a lot more complicated. At a June 9 Land Use Committee meeting, a former DNR employee dropped a finding that neither the applicant nor the town had uncovered: the proposed excavation site contains a registered demolition landfill where the Grandview Hotel was buried in 1988. The DNR confirmed no one from Janak and Sons or the Town of Worcester had contacted them about it.

Meanwhile, American Asphalt of Wisconsin has withdrawn its conditional use permit application for a temporary asphalt plant on the same property. Item 5 on the committee’s agenda was removed entirely. No asphalt plant will be considered at this location.

Committee chair Robert Kopisch said the committee would take no action on the gravel pit permit until DNR solid waste staff provide written clarification on whether the landfill and its 1,200-foot buffer zone affect the project. The next meeting is June 18.

UPDATE (June 18, 2026): The Price County Land Use and UW-Extension Committee voted 4-1 on Thursday to approve the conditional use permit for Janak and Sons’ gravel pit on East Solberg Lake Road in the Town of Worcester. Supervisor Jennifer Baratka voted no; Doug Erickson, Michelle Drobnik, Robert Copus, and Jeff Ulrich voted yes. The approval carries 16 conditions — including a new requirement to physically mark the buried landfill site with permanent markers and signage to deter encroachment. The reclamation plan was approved in a separate vote. Residents who opposed the project indicated they may appeal to the Board of Adjustment or to court.

The landfill nobody mentioned

Linda Schilling, a former DNR employee who lives at N9462 Westview Road, told the committee she contacted DNR water specialist William Roberts on June 5 after discovering the site’s history. Roberts directed her to the DNR’s well driller viewer, where large red circles mark the demolition disposal area near N9410 East Solberg Lake Road.

The DNR classifies the site as a one-time demolition disposal landfill, flagged on the registry for groundwater management remediation under NR 508. The Grandview Hotel was demolished and buried there in 1988 with DNR permission. Schilling said she found the records on the DNR’s R-list site for the 15-acre parcel.

The implications are significant. A 1,200-foot buffer zone surrounds registered landfill sites. Drilling a private well within that zone requires a variance from the DNR. Excavating into or near landfill material requires additional permits and remediation steps that the applicant never addressed in its CUP application.

Schilling noted that property disclosures on private sales are not well regulated in Wisconsin. “I do not know the regulations of a disclosure on a private sale,” she told the committee. Janak and Sons purchased the property in April 2026. Whether the company knew about the landfill before buying the land remains unclear.

Roberts, the DNR water specialist, confirmed that no one from the applicant or the town had contacted his office about the site. Zoning administrator Evan Lund told the committee he has a call in to Nathan Collar with the DNR solid waste program but has not heard back. “I sure hope I hear an answer before the next meeting,” Lund said.

American Asphalt pulls out

The withdrawal of the asphalt plant application removes one of the two projects residents opposed. American Asphalt, a division of Mathy Construction based in Mosinee, had filed for a temporary asphalt plant that would have operated within the window of June 15 through November 1, with production expected to last about seven weeks.

The original application sparked the most heated opposition at the May 21 hearing, where residents cited asphalt fumes, 100 to 120 daily truck trips, and the proximity to homes, a resort, and campgrounds. With the asphalt plant gone, the gravel pit remains the sole pending application.

Fifteen proposed conditions

The committee reviewed 15 draft conditions for the gravel pit CUP, developed by zoning administrator Lund based on public input and discussions with the applicant. Key conditions include:

1. Hours of operation: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., with no hauling or crushing on Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day.
2. Crushing limit: Once per calendar year, for a maximum of four weeks.
3. DNR compliance: The CUP is subject to all applicable DNR administrative rules.
4. Onsite parking: All employee and personal vehicles must park onsite, not along Solberg Lake Road.
5. 500-foot setback: No crushing within 500 feet of any residence that existed before May 21, 2026. The setback can be waived if the property owner provides written agreement.
6. 50-foot buffer: Unexcavated vegetative buffer along all property lines.
7. 100-foot road buffer: Vegetative buffer from the edge of the town road, with a 60-foot exception for one access road.
8. Depth cap: Pit floor no lower than 1,480 feet elevation (using 2019 Price County LiDAR data), which translates to roughly 30 to 35 feet deep. Lund said well data from the area shows a static water table between 40 and 50 feet below ground level, meaning the pit would stay approximately 10 feet above the water table.
9. Noise limit: 90 decibels measured at the property line.
10. Driveway setback: Pit entrance at least 100 feet from any existing driveway as of May 21, 2026.
11. No asphalt, cement, or blasting: The permit covers sand, gravel, and aggregate crushing only.
12. No solid waste: No waste may be placed in the gravel pit.
13. Site cleanup: All debris and equipment must be removed after closure.
14. Mud tracking prevention: Access driveways must be paved, crushed, or covered in recycled asphalt or stone within 100 feet of public roads.
15. Controlled access: Entry only through designated points on the operations plan, secured when not in operation.

Several conditions drew discussion. Committee member Jeff Ulrich asked whether the hours of operation applied seven days a week or Monday through Friday, noting that gravel operations often need Saturday hauling during the short construction season. Lund said the committee could amend the conditions. No final decision was made on Saturday or Sunday operations.

The 500-foot setback waiver drew attention. Lund confirmed that property owners can waive the setback if they provide written consent to Price County zoning. Mary Kurth, who lives at N9465 directly across from the proposed pit entrance, asked who would enforce the conditions and why the landfill was not mentioned in Janak and Sons’ original application.

Janak and Sons revises the pit layout

Brent Janak told the committee the company has redesigned the pit entrance and footprint. The original plan placed the pit in the open field closest to the road, where clay would have allowed for noise-buffering berms. The revised plan moves the entrance through an existing driveway with a curve that blocks direct sightlines into the pit, and mining will start in the wooded section of the property. Trees will be planted along the road as a visual buffer.

Janak said the pit would operate for years before reaching the open field. The revised site plan shows 50% of topsoil removed from the pink-marked area and stockpiled in the northwest corner, with the initial gravel extraction in the yellow-highlighted northwest wooded area.

The committee’s GIS map showed the approximate location of the landfill material as two small circles on the property. Lund said he spoke with people involved in the 1988 demolition. Kosiek Construction and Daliaski Brothers both applied for the demolition permits. The exact boundaries remain unclear, which Lund acknowledged is the central unresolved question.

Town of Worcester wants road overlay

The Town of Worcester submitted a formal position via email from town chair Jim Mickler. The [town board](https://pricecounty.fun/when-the-village-calls-how-wisconsin-statute-86-04-lets-municipalities-force-property-owners-to-remove-structures/) identified two concerns at a special meeting on May 27:

1. East Solberg Lake Road from County Highway H to Hills Road is in excellent condition with a 2.5-inch blacktop layer laid in 2008. Increased heavy truck traffic would damage it. The town wants a 1.5-inch overlay at an estimated cost of $100,000 for that road segment.
2. The proposed pit location sits across from a residential area, reinforcing concerns raised by residents at the May 21 meeting.

Kopisch noted that the road overlay and center line marking are town issues outside county jurisdiction, but said the committee can communicate the concerns to Worcester town officials.

Resort impact survey

Joseph Wengert, owner of Comfort Cove Resort 1.4 miles south on Solberg Lake Road, presented survey results from the past four days. Nine cabin guests and 16 seasonal campers responded. Three guests are holding rebooking decisions until after the committee vote. Wengert, who told the committee that 88% of his customers arrive from the south and drive past the proposed site, asked the committee to delay the vote to allow more time for data collection.

Tammy Melbauer, a 38-year Schneider National trucking employee who lives at N9553 East Solberg Lake Road, raised traffic safety concerns. She asked for a lower speed limit on the hill road (currently 40 mph for commercial vehicles), a center line painted on the road, and restricted hours of operation to protect pedestrians. “When you have a commercial vehicle and a personal vehicle or pedestrian accident, the commercial vehicle always wins,” she told the committee.

County Board update: EX-67 statute limits county’s authority

At the June 16 County Board meeting, Extension and Zoning Committee chair Robert Kopisch provided new details about the conditional use permit that could reshape Thursday’s decision.

State statute EX-67 limits the county’s ability to deny the permit. Kopisch explained that the statute was created after a different Wisconsin township went through the entire CUP process, imposed 37 conditions, and then voted to deny the permit anyway. EX-67 now says that if the applicant agrees to all conditions, the county must approve the permit unless there is “substantial evidence to the contrary.”

“I have a feeling that no matter what we do the other party is not going to be happy,” Kopisch told the board. “I’m unsure where this is going to end up. I wish we could accommodate everybody but I don’t know if that’s possible.”

The committee has grown the conditions list from 15 to 16, adding a requirement that the pit entrance be at least 100 feet from any existing driveway. Kopisch said he and zoning administrator Evan Lund discussed narrowing the original 60-foot driveway width provision, but the applicant may need that width for truck access.

The landfill issue is bigger than previously known. Kopisch confirmed that part of the buried Grandview Hotel extends onto an adjoining property, making it “a bigger issue than we weren’t aware of” when the committee first took up the case. The DNR solid waste guidance, which the committee needs before making a decision, has not yet been received.

The one-acre loophole. Board member Joel raised a question about whether the applicant could bypass the permit process entirely: if the operation stays under one acre, no conditional use permit is required. An operation could theoretically develop one acre at a time, mining and reclaiming sequentially, though the 15-acre proposed pit would require a permit for any simultaneous operation larger than one acre. The access road counts toward that acreage.

The statutory 90-day deadline for a decision arrives Thursday, June 18. Both parties have options if they disagree with the outcome.

Committee approves gravel pit 4-1

After more than an hour of public comment and committee discussion, the Land Use Committee voted along near-party lines to approve the gravel pit CUP. Supervisor Jennifer Baratka was the sole no vote.

Committee chair Robert Copus acknowledged the difficulty of the decision: “This is not a win-win. No matter what we do, somebody’s not happy. And depending on which way it goes, they have recourse — whether it goes to the Board of Adjustment or whether it goes to a court.”

Supervisor Jeff Ulrich, who has lived next to a gravel pit himself, said the committee tried to be fair: “If I put these conditions on that individual, he would laugh at me. I think we’re trying to be fair and reasonable to everybody. I’m hoping that Ultimately, we see that it’s not as intrusive as suspected.”

New condition #16: Landfill must be marked

The committee added a 16th condition based on informal email correspondence between zoning administrator Evan Lund and DNR solid waste specialist Nathan Collar , not a formal DNR determination or ruling. The existing solid waste disposal sites , the 1988 Grandview Hotel burial site and a 1993 demolition landfill , must be marked with permanent markers (such as T-posts) and signage to deter encroachment by mining equipment.

Collar confirmed that gravel pits near landfills have caused problems in Wisconsin. In one case he described, excavation got close to a landfill and the side slope sloughed off, exposing the waste and creating a potential threat to human health and the environment. The operator was required to restore the original conditions of the landfill and document everything.

If the property owner wanted to remove the buried waste rather than mark it, DNR would require prior approval, a detailed waste characterization plan, waste handling plan, engineer sign-off, and soil testing beneath the waste. The waste would need to be disposed of at a licensed landfill.

The DNR did not issue a formal ruling on whether the landfill blocks the gravel pit. In an email summarized at the meeting, Lund said the DNR’s position was that the landfill “doesn’t appear to be an issue as long as we don’t invade that space.” Opponents noted that the guidance came through informal email rather than a formal regulatory determination , leaving the landfill question unresolved if excavation ever encroaches on the buried waste.

Condition #7 amended: Buffer reduced, trees required

The committee amended condition #7 to reduce the access road width through the vegetative buffer from 60 feet to 50 feet , narrowing the gap trucks use to enter and exit. The amendment also requires three rows of coniferous trees to be planted along the buffer by September 1, 2027, so the trees have time to grow before the pit potentially expands to a visible area.

Reclamation plan approved separately

After the CUP vote, the committee also approved the reclamation plan filed by Janak and Sons for the gravel pit. The plan covers end-use grading, side slopes, and vegetative reclamation. The vote passed by voice vote with some no votes.

What happens next

The committee will reconvene on Thursday, June 18 to take action on the CUP application , the statutory 90-day deadline. Lund said he expects to have DNR solid waste guidance before that meeting, though as of the June 16 board meeting it had not yet been received. Under EX-67, if Janak and Sons agrees to all 16 conditions and the county cannot demonstrate substantial evidence to the contrary, the committee is required to approve the permit. The buried landfill and its extension onto adjoining property may constitute such evidence, but that determination has not yet been made.

Mary Kurth raised the question of an environmental impact statement. “I would like to know why you don’t have Janak doing an environmental impact statement on how that’s going to affect the area,” she said. “I think that’s very important that we [know], knowing now that we have a dump site there.”

The original article covering the May 21 hearing, where more than 30 residents testified against the project, is available here: Price County residents fight [gravel pit and asphalt plant](https://pricecounty.fun/worcester-gravel-pit-asphalt-plant-cup-opposition/) in residential neighborhood as state law limits county power to say no

See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin and our complete lodging guide for Price County

See also: what makes Price County communities special

See also: our guide to Price County public records

See also: our guide to every town in Price County

See also: our reporting on Price County’s surveillance cameras

See also: our investigation into Flock cameras in Price County

FAQ

What changed at the June 9 meeting?
American Asphalt withdrew its asphalt plant application. Janak and Sons revised the pit layout. A former DNR employee identified a registered demolition landfill on the proposed site. The committee postponed any vote until June 18.

What is the landfill issue?
The Grandview Hotel was demolished and buried on the property in 1988. The site appears on the DNR’s registry, which triggers a 1,200-foot buffer zone and special permitting requirements for excavation. The DNR confirmed no one from the applicant or town had contacted them about it.

Does the landfill block the project?
Not necessarily, but it adds regulatory requirements that were not addressed in the original CUP application. The DNR solid waste program needs to provide guidance on whether the proposed 30-to-35-foot excavation depth intersects with landfill material and what permits would be required.

What conditions is the committee considering?
Sixteen conditions cover hours, crushing limits, setbacks, buffers, depth, noise, road access, and site cleanup. The 16th condition, added after the June 9 meeting, requires the pit entrance to be at least 100 feet from any existing driveway. The committee may amend conditions at the June 18 meeting.

What was the vote?
The committee voted 4-1 to approve the gravel pit CUP on June 18, 2026. Jennifer Baratka voted no. Doug Erickson, Michelle Drobnik, Robert Copus, and Jeff Ulrich voted yes. A roll call was taken at the request of a resident.

Can the decision be appealed?
Yes. Opponents can appeal to the Price County Board of Adjustment or file a lawsuit in circuit court. The committee acknowledged during the meeting that an appeal was likely regardless of their decision.

When is the next hearing?
The next Land Use Committee meeting is July 23, 2026. A kennel/animal operation conditional use permit that was postponed from the June 18 meeting will be on that agenda.

What is EX-67 and why does it matter?
Wisconsin statute EX-67 says that if an applicant for a conditional use permit agrees to all conditions imposed by the county, the county must approve the permit unless there is “substantial evidence to the contrary.” This statute was created after a different Wisconsin township imposed 37 conditions on a CUP and then voted to deny it. It significantly limits the county’s ability to say no, even with community opposition.

How can I attend or comment?
Check the Price County website for meeting agendas and public comment procedures. Price County traffic safety data

Frequently Asked Questions About the Worcester Gravel Pit Decision

Solberg Lake Park Expansion: Update (July 8, 2026)

Last updated: July 8, 2026

While the gravel pit debate dominated headlines, a different story has been unfolding just down the road at Solberg Lake Park — and the July 7, 2026 Forestry & Parks Committee meeting brought mostly good news. The park expansion is nearly complete, and early reviews from visitors have been overwhelmingly positive.

The new pavilion hosted its first major event on June 27, when the Dunver family held their 27th annual reunion at the site. Eighty people attended, filling the pavilion and giving the facility its first real stress test. By all accounts, it passed. Every boat trailer parking spot in the lot was full that day — a visible sign that demand for lake access at Solberg is as strong as ever.

Not everything has gone smoothly, though. A Class A motorhome sank into a campsite when the ground settled under its weight — a reminder that the site work is still fresh and compaction issues remain. The county responded with shouldering and leveling work to address the settling, but the second asphalt lift, originally scheduled for June, has been delayed. That second pass is critical for finalizing the parking areas and campsite pads before the season peaks.

Remaining work on the expansion includes:

• Second asphalt lift (delayed from June)
• Parking lot striping
• Landscaping
• Bathroom railing installation
• Washer and dryer for the utility building

Committee members expressed general satisfaction with the progress, noting that the pavilion and expanded parking are already drawing positive feedback from the community. The Dunver reunion, a near-three-decade tradition on Solberg Lake, served as an informal ribbon-cutting for the new facilities. With the second asphalt lift and finishing touches still ahead, the full vision for the expanded park should be realized later this summer.