(The following story by John Chambliss appeared on The Lakeland Ledger website on July 20.)
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — CSX will begin talks with a state oversight committee in August to allow construction of a rail transfer center to begin while a development of a regional impact review is under way, project officials said at a community forum in Winter Haven on Thursday.
After the August meeting, it should take about 90 days for a pre-development agreement to be reached with the Central Florida Regional Planning Council. A specific date for the meeting has not been chosen.
Some residents are upset about starting construction during a comprehensive planning review.
CSX took center stage Thursday night at a Polk County commissioners community forum at Chain of Lakes Elementary School in Winter Haven.
The school, located about a mile from the proposed facility, was packed with residents and officials from around the county who voiced their concerns and questioned the construction of the 1,250-acre rail center.
Lake Ashton resident Wally Krouson asked commissioners if the county was ready for the massive facility.
“I would like to ask the commissioners where the evidence is to support the adequate public infrastructure at the site requested for use by CSX,” Krouson said.
“Given our existing system of roads and infrastructure needed to build any railroad logistics center, where are the suitable roads, overpasses, grade and guarded crossings, and power upgrades?”
Lake Wales City Manager Tony Otte told commissioners that Winter Haven city officials should hold public meetings any time changes are proposed or needed for construction of the facility.
State planning officials said in June the project should be considered a Development of Regional Impact (DRI), which would mean months of reviews and approvals while agencies examine issues such as traffic, water use, endangered species and drainage.
Without DRI review, only local planners would review the project.
A week later in a letter to CSX, the state Department of Community Affairs said it would consider an agreement with the company that would allow CSX to begin construction on the Winter Haven project while a DRI review is under way.
The letter said the state agency would work with CSX on a pre-development agreement that “would allow CSX to construct a substantial portion of the overall project prior to the issuance of a Development of Regional Impact Development Order.”
Brian Sodt, a contractor for the Regional Planning Council, told the audience that heavy building during the pre-development agreement would be unlikely.
“I would be very surprised if a lot of construction occurs (during the pre-development agreement),” Sodt said.
Companies involved in pre-development agreements normally don’t begin building, Sodt said. Clearing land or creating a stormwater system are normal procedures for companies that have entered into these agreements.
The agreement may allow a proposed commuter rail system to begin operating in 2009 in the Orlando area that would use 61 miles of CSX tracks the state plans to buy, said CSX spokesman Gary Sease.
The sale of the tracks would require CSX to replace a freight facility in Orlando. The new facility would be the transfer center in Winter Haven.
Before residents voiced their concerns, Tom Deardorff, Polk’s director of long-range planning, told the audience the railroad could bring a huge economic windfall but increase traffic.
Traffic from trucks coming in and out of the terminal and employees coming to work could be as high as 7,900 vehicles a day.
Also, Deardorff said more buffering may need to be considered for surrounding residential areas such as Wahneta and the Sundance subdivision.
Two CSX representatives were available to answer questions from residents after the meeting.