EMMETT, Idaho — Gem County commissioners hosted a public hearing Monday night over the debate of a nearly 400-acre gravel pit proposal known as Merrill's Pit.
The hearing, held at the Gem County Annex Auditorium in Emmett, began with a notable recusal. County Commissioner Earl DeFur formally stepped down from the proceedings. DeFur had testified on the project as a private citizen in August before being appointed as a county commissioner in January.
"While I believe I could apply the standards required of the board via the code, I understand that this might cause concern. For this reason, I wish to abstain from the public hearing deliberations and decisions," DeFur said, noting he had previously offered a neutral position and then support for the application during the Planning and Zoning process.
The other two commissioners noted they had been approached by members of the public and had seen signs and media coverage, but stated they had not engaged in discussions and could remain impartial and objective decision-makers.
The original Special Use Permit request by Granite Companies LLC on property owned by Little Enterprises LLC was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission on August 13, 2025. Due to an appeal, the Board of County Commissioners decided on December 22, 2025, to hold a new public hearing.
Watch to learn more about night one of Gem County's public hearing for Merrill's Pit.
Granite Excavation was first to speak Monday night, asking commissioners to deny the appeal and let their plan move forward. The Merrill's Pit proposal would mine for about 13 years — 20 acres at a time — before leaving nearly 40 large-lot homes and reclaimed ponds.
"The property is prime mining lands," Granite Excavation representative Josh Leonard said.
Leonard pushed back on claims from opponents that the pit would operate for 30 years, clarifying the lifespan is 13 years. He also addressed arguments that Gem County already has enough gravel pits, noting that Gem County has 18 pits, while neighboring Payette County has 33 and Ada County has 49. If the pit is denied, Leonard warned that gravel and rock "will have to be imported from over the hill."
Leonard told commissioners the pit would not create unreasonable glare, noise, or dust. He said the noise level would be "less than the noise emitted from a quiet dishwasher quietly running in the next room."
Granite plans to install 20-foot berms around the property and reconstruct Star Lane at their own expense.
Addressing water concerns, Leonard promised weekly water monitoring to protect wells and irrigation systems. He said Granite hired a hydrogeologist who determined that new wells are deeper and will not be impacted by Merrill's Pit operations, citing a lack of dewatering issues at the nearby Sawyer's Pit. Granite currently plans to have two monitoring wells but is willing to increase that number to as many as five.
"Our evidence is better," Leonard said, noting the company brought expert reports as requested by commissioners in December.
Leonard also dismissed arguments from the Southwest Gem Community Association (SGCA) regarding property values and wildlife. He argued that none of the county codes protect property values, and that Merrill's Pit will not hurt them. Regarding wildlife, he noted that Star Lane Ponds, Dick Knox, Sawyer, and the Emmett Airport all exist because of past operations, and that wildlife is not in the code.
"They don’t want you to consider the facts. They don’t want fairness," Leonard said.
"The SGCA goal is to permanently shut down gravel pits in Gem County. Period," Leonard said.
Landon Brown, an attorney representing the Southwest Gem Community Association, argued the pit will bring fugitive dust to homes, affect public health, and lower property values in the area.
"My clients aren’t concerned about eight-hour exposure limits. My clients are concerned about 13 years of exposure," Brown said.
"Gravel pits are usually not approved in residential areas," Brown said.
Brown also raised road safety concerns, saying expanding road shoulders could impact driveways, yards, and irrigation ditches along Star Lane.
"The people whose lives will be significantly impacted in the negative are all unified in opposition to this location," Brown said.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, several individuals testified in support of the project, arguing the land is no longer viable for farming and that the gravel industry is vital to the local economy.
David Little, son of Gov. Brad Little, testified for the first time. He said his family has lived and been in business in Gem County since the 1890s, and that Little Enterprises purchased the property in 2010. He explained the property's history as an industrial egg farm run by the Merrill family, which at its peak had more than 250,000 laying hens and required heavy trucking daily. He said the egg operation struggled in the 2000s and faced neighbor complaints about flies and smell, leading the Merrills to consider mineral extraction.
Little said the land had been a business plan from the start, and when planning to sell to Granite, he notified surrounding sellers and developers that a gravel pit partnership was on the way.
Adam Little, a partner with Little Enterprises, also testified, saying they have tried to make farming ethical on the property, but "it can't be done" and "it won't ever go back into corn." He noted the property had multiple interested buyers for gravel extraction, but they chose Granite because they are "good operators" and because Granite's proposal only extracts about 43% of the gravel, leaving the rest for high-end residential development.
Bob Arnold, a geotechnical engineer, testified that he reviewed a 2008 gravel report on the property and confirmed that "the gravel did not age out and it did not change in the time that has passed," meaning commercial gravel can still be produced there.
Travis Webb, a local business owner whose family has lived in Emmett for over 100 years, testified in support of the pit. He argued that the gravel industry provides "good paying local jobs" that allow working parents to avoid commuting "over the hill." He also noted the "trickle-down effect" to other local businesses, including tire shops, hardware stores, and restaurants.
The hearing adjourned at 9 p.m. Monday and will continue on April 7 at 6 p.m. at the Gem County Annex. Forty people in opposition to the project are set to testify, with each side getting a 30-minute rebuttal.
