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• <br />Planning and Zoning Commission <br />Minutes of February 20,1997 <br />Page 6 of 9 <br /> <br />There are critical design issues such as streets, utilities, stormwater, stonnwater <br />retention, stormwater monitoring and treatment, and design for traffic flow in terms <br />of rail and trucking. There have been some discussions with City staff regarding <br />these issues. <br />In regards to negataive impacts created by the development such as noise and. <br />increased traffic, there have been recent studies of rail operations and noise levels. A <br />study was performed by Turner Collie & Braden for noise abatement. After <br />reviewing this study, they believe that it is possible to put in noise abatement facilities <br />that will minimize the impact. <br />Regarding traffic, a great deal of design and monitoring the quantity of additional <br />traffic will be required. Concern has been expressed about the impact of traffic on <br />the north end of the development. It appears that most of the traffic needs to go <br />south out to SH 146. They are prepared to upgrade and design Powell Road to meet <br />requirements. <br />Chairman Waters asked for an estimate of how many railcars will come in and out of <br />the development daily and how will they facilitate getting the cars from the plants <br />into the facility. Chuck Lagen, with Pensley Railroad, responded that in the <br />beginning, the operation would be small with only a few tracks serving <br />approximately 20-50 railcars daily. These would be cars that you currently see sitting <br />on adjacent tracks on the west side of the site. <br />Mr. Truitt added that projections for total storage capacity is up to 1,500 cars (not all <br />at once). This facility will provide the ability to create an orderly flow of traffic in <br />and out of the Bayport Industrial District. <br />Chairman Waters asked about additional rail traffic crossing Fairmont Parkway. Mr. <br />Truitt explained that increase or decrease of rail traffic will be determined by the <br />demand of the plants. Mr. Lagen explained that the cars that are currently in <br />Bayport, as they come into the facility, will be switched at the south end. Cars will <br />be switched in the facility for Union Pacific to pick up and take out of town. <br />Jim Zoller asked about railcars that contain corrosive, toxic chemicals. Will <br />equipment and expertise be available to handle an unfortunate incident? <br />Dean Truitt explained there have not been decisions made concerning the handling <br />of hazardous material at the facility. There have been discussions with City staff <br />about the facility not being a hazardous material facility. <br />Mr. Lagen told the Commission he had been involved with the railroad industry for <br />30 years. His company currently handles hazardous material and prior to that he <br />worked for a company that did also. That company had a very proactive hazardous <br />