Surprise clears way for BNSF
The Surprise City Council approved a general plan amendment to designate 3,500 acres of land as employment instead of residential, clearing the way for railroad giant BNSF to move forward to rezone the land and build an intermodal facility.
The land is not within Surprise city limits, but BNSF plans to pursue an annexation case to bring the land into the city. The plan amendment was required before BNSF could submit a zoning or annexation case.
BNSF bought the land at an Arizona State Land Department auction in March 2022. It is adjacent to another parcel the railroad company has owned since 2004. That site was designated for employment near the time of the purchase, almost two decades ago.
Adamant public opposition
The general plan amendment has been subject to vehement opposition from neighbors, especially those who live in nearby Wittmann and Circle City. Six members of the public addressed the council at the meeting, all in opposition to the change. Concerns from residents included pollution, noise, traffic and disruption to the rural way of life that residents of the area enjoy.
Many said they worried about a disaster like the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which has spewed toxic gases. That train, operated by Norfolk Southern, derailed in early February, causing a chemical fire.
Residents had also expressed similar concerns at a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing last month. Despite the vocal opposition, six members of the commission voted to recommend the city council approve the change. Residents took issue with the lack of detail provided about BNSF’s plans. No site plans, designs or other details about what the development will look like have been provided to the public.
City staff said they had received more than 850 emails asking the council not to annex the site.
More details promised later
At the March 7 meeting, Nick Wood, an attorney with Snell & Wilmer representing BNSF, said residents’ questions and concerns will be addressed as the zoning case moves forward, when details about the development and other studies, like traffic and environmental impacts, are released.
According to city documents, BNSF plans to develop a regional industrial rail facility on the site, which would include warehousing, distribution and intermodal transfers.
Vice Mayor Chris Judd asked Wood what would happen with the property if Surprise chose not the make the change and then later annex it. Wood responded that BNSF would instead pursue the case with Maricopa County and move forward that way instead.
Both Judd and Councilwoman Aly Cline said they believed Surprise retaining local control and having some say in how the BNSF project is developed would be preferable to leaving the job to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
“If we at the city of Surprise are not at the table, then we have no say in what happens going forward,” Cline said. “We’d have to count on people in downtown Phoenix to decide what will happen here.”
Now that the general plan amendment has been approved, BNSF will move forward with its annexation and zoning case. Both issues will require council approval.