Gabbro

The president of a Jessup community association says he is ready to sign an agreement to support plans for a quarry in his neighborhood -- an unusual pact, filled with promises from developer Kingdon Gould Jr. to residents near the proposed quarry site.Gary Prestianni, president of the Ridgelys Run Community Association, met this week with Mr. Gould and his attorney and hopes to sign a revised agreement by Monday -- the day before Mr. Gould goes before the Howard County Planning Board for permission to dig the quarry.

Developer Kingdon Gould Jr. has proposed a $15 million quarry operation for 100 acres in eastern Howard County.The proposal is "in the very preliminary stages, and we are meeting with the community to seek its support," he said yesterday. "Without substantial community support, the project is a non-starter."He said the site, the 600-acre Chase property, which he owns, is zoned for industrial-type development."There is a unique deposit of Baltimore gabbro on the property, and I am told by the state that it is the only such deposit in Maryland," Gould said.