02-19-1998 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission

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• Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes of February 19, 1998 Page 5 of 6 Spring Cypress Road. The project is located next to a railroad track. On the west side of the property will be an industrial project and the east side will be residential. Mr. Northrup noted that they have cut the project rail size down on the north side from 60 rails to a maximum of 22 and specific proposals have been provided for the landscaping. Mr. Jetty stated that Texas Export-Import Center indicates a logistic operation. Will this deal predominately with the petrochemical products in this area or will there be container cargo or imports-exports through Barbour's Cut, the Port of Houston or the Port of Galveston? Mr. Northrup responded there would be containerized cargo consisting of plastic pellets produced locally, brought to their facility, then transported to Barbour's Cut. Mr. Haynsworth asked the Commission to keep in mind that they have not had any interest at all in this area from any homebuilders since 1983. They are currently paying $16,000 per year in taxes. He anticipates that this development could generate approximately $100 million in taxes plus the jobs that will be created. Chairperson Waters mentioned they had previously told the Commission they would only be handling pelletized plastic. That was confirmed. Mr. Rankin asked Mr. Schieffelbein if he worked for the Port of Houston. He answered that he was a consultant for the Port of Houston. Mr. Schieffelbein added that when the Port Authority decided to support the Union Pacific merger, they reached an agreement with Union Pacific that the Port Authority would be able to build its own track from Deer Park to Barbour's Cut and from Strang down to Bayport, along this right-of-way. In that agreement, Union Pacific made it clear that the Port Authority would not have access to any shippers and could use the line only to reach the Port Authority's property at Bayport. It is possible that in the future we will see the Port's locomotives go by but you won't see them stopping. Mr. Rankin asked when the agreement expired. Mr. Schieffelbein's answer was that there was no expiration date. Mr. Lawler asked, if approved, how long it would take for the rail facility to be operational? It would take approximately one year. For the record, Mr. Rankin added that the statement made earlier that the average train crossing Fairmont Parkway should take approximately two minutes is untrue. On a regular basis, trains take upwards of 17 minutes to cross.