Visual Impact

Typically, berms prevent residents and passers-by from seeing much of the aggregate extraction site, though stockpiles, crushing equipment and some ancillary uses may be visible. Often coniferous trees are planted on berms where their dense foliage year-round helps to hide the pit, the eyesore. While in theory this works, the alkali of many lime pits burns the leaves on the lower branches of pines making them more transparent and less scenic.

Communities will want to preserve and maintain the visual qualities of the site before the work begins and to prevent extraction while proponents will do only some rehabilitation during and after the proponent’s work. Aggregate companies will want to avoid costs by doing as little progressive rehabilitation as possible in the short run. If final rehabilitation does occur, visual impact will be a consideration in integrative and comprehensive rehabilitation.