Gilbert’s mayor puts commuter rail ordinance on town agenda

Gilbert Town Council could once again vote on a commuter rail ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting, for the second time in as many weeks. This time at the request of Mayor Bridgette Peterson.

Peterson is introducing a watered down version of what council members Chuck Bongiovanni, Bobbi Buchli and Jim Torgeson pushed for during a February council meeting that wanted to restrict town staff time, funds and anything of value to study or construct any light rail or commuter rail stations.

That version of the commuter rail ordinance was shot down by the rest of the council who worried it would prohibit the town from making informed decisions about town-owned land near existing freight rail lines.

The council is set to discuss the newly introduced ordinance during a public hearing on Tuesday, March 7.

The ordinance digs in on prohibiting the town from assessing a new fee or tax for the construction, maintenance or repair of rail lines or trains for either commuter rail or light rail.

However, it doesn’t not make reference on the use of town funds to study or construct a commuter rail station.

Residents will be able to address council on about their stance during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

Commuter rail systems use railroad lines to move passengers across metro regions like the Valley. Maricopa Association of Government’s studies identified two stops in Gilbert, the first at Cooley Station and the second in the Heritage District, as part of a proposed x-shaped network connecting suburbs in the East and West Valleys with central Phoenix.