Planners: Rail Bid Missing Details

Proposal for freight terminal in Winter Haven needs more data, staff says. By Tom Palmer The Ledger BARTOW Evansville Western Railway's development of a regional impact application for a rail freight terminal in Winter Haven is missing some key information on traffic, environmental data and compatibility issues, according to a preliminary county staff analysis. "They didn't look far enough in their analysis; they didn't look at the big picture," county planner Ben Dunn told commissioners during an agenda briefing Friday morning. The issues raised in the county's comments have been a major concern in the months leading up to Evansville's submission of a formal application last month for approval of the project. The project, first proposed in 2006, involves plans to build a railroad freight terminal on a 318-acre site in Winter Haven north of State Road 60. Evansville Western Railway is a subsidiary of Jacksonville-based CSX Transportation. The project will involve bringing freight and automobiles to the Winter Haven facility by train and transferring the cargo to trucks, which will transport them to destinations around the state. Polk County's comments, which have not been formally submitted, are part of a preliminary stage of the development of regional impact review in which various agencies comment on the sufficiency of the application. Some of the highlights of Polk's comments include:There is limited information about which roads will be affected by truck and employee traffic. There is little information on how truck traffic will affect area intersections, including the extension of a dead-end residential road called Pollard Road to State Road 60. There is not enough information on the development's impacts on surrounding development - particularly residential areas - in unincorporated sections of the county.More information should be submitted regarding access to affordable housing for employees within 10 miles of the project. There is inadequate information on how groundwater and surface water will be protected. There is inadequate information on how wetlands impacts will be mitigated because the project plan includes development of a portion of the wetlands on the site. There is inadequate information on the locations of some of the protected species. The 318-acre site, which CSX purchased from Winter Haven for $6.9 million in September, is part of a larger proposed 1,250-acre parcel that would contain warehouse and distribution facilities that would be developed by other private companies. The larger parcel is not part of the current DRI application. The decision to locate the freight terminal in Winter Haven is the result of a deal brokered by former Gov. Jeb Bush that would bring commuter rail to the Orlando area by selling part of CSX's tracks and rerouting trains through other parts of the state, including Lakeland. The additional train and truck traffic the project would bring has raised concern among Lakeland city officials and some downtown Lakeland merchants because they feel it will set back downtown revitalization efforts.Residents around the relatively rural site have actively opposed the project as well, arguing it would intrude on their peace and quiet. Polk County's comments will be forwarded to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, which is involved in the initial review of the project. County Attorney Michael Craig, who is former assistant city attorney in Lakeland, said based on the city's experience with CSX over the years, county officials should seek as much firm, detailed information as possible. "Get it in writing so it's clear and unambiguous," he said. "Otherwise they will drive a train right through it.'' Once all of the comments are in, Evansville's consultants will have an opportunity to comment and to make any changes regional planners require. No public hearing will be scheduled until the questions on whether the application contains enough information for review have been resolved. [ Tom Palmer can be reached at 863-802-7535 or tom.palmer@theledger.com. Read more views on county government at http://county.theledger.com ]