05-16-1985 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • Minutes, Regular Meeting La Porte Planning & Zoning Commission May lb, 1985, Page 3 14-track storage yard to store cars owned by these Industries in the La Porte area. Presently, there are approximately 830 loaded cars being stored, some as far away as Eagle Lake, Texas because of the shortage of tracks in these areas. The distant storage, Eagle Lake is about 83 railroad miles from La Porte. This distance requires about four days to turn a car around for Industries. Southern Pacific with the planned storage yard will be able to provide industries its cars within several hours instead of several days. The Storage Yard plan will be of sufficient size to provide storage for about 720 cars. Because of the growth of the La Porte area, and particularly the plastic pellet industry as well as the surrounding growth of the Morgan's Point area, and the service needs of all nearby industry, Southern Pacific feels construction of the yard is indispensable to meet its service obligations to the La Porte area. It is the basic supplier of rail service to the area. The planned location of this yard is centrally located to the major industries in and around the La Porte area and also at the historical • intersection of the east, west, north, south rail and highway system. At the time, it is the only feasible location for this vital essential facility for the railroad service. Before reviewing several substantial benefits, Mr. Osborn wanted to take a minute to outline the Company's petitions and the proposed developed program. At this point, Mr. Osborn gave the Commission a copy of a map. He then explained that Southern Pacific has pending, two zoning petitions filed under the existing zoning ordinance. The one covering an area of approximately 121 acres, the second covering approximately 97 acres and he indicated that the map shows this existing yard, the 121 parcel and the location of the planned storage yard, the 97 acre tract and highway 146 on the east side. The Company proposes an industrial zone for the 121-acre tract so that it can be used for the planned railroad storage yard for the storage of railroad cars and related facilities supporting the Company's installations. Mr. Osborn went on to say that the general development program for this particular piece of property involves the location of the storage yard, with drainage and other utility installations as appropriate to serve not only the 121-acre tract, but also the area to the east and the west of the storage. •