PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors recently rejected a zoning change request made by a massive corporation seeking to create a $3.2 billion railway logistics hub in Wittmann, a rural community about 35 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix.
The railroad operator, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, which is chaired by Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest men on Earth.
The company sought multiple delays, but the board denied its latest request and held the vote on Wednesday, unanimously rejecting BNSF’s Intermodal Comprehensive Plan Amendment, which proposed changing the land use north of U.S. 60 between 211th and 235th avenues from single-family to mixed-use development.
“I believe economic vitality depends on a shared commitment between taxpayers and business to strengthen and expand the community infrastructure needed for growth,” Thomas Galvin, the board’s chair, said in a Wednesday news release. “Without the necessary infrastructure in place, I cannot support a land use designation change at this time.”
What does this mean for the BNSF railway hub project in Wittmann?
The proposed 4,320-acre facility would have been the largest intermodal facility in the nation, according to Keep Us Rural LLC, a group of Wittmann residents who have long resisted the project.
One member of the group, Kirby Anderson, celebrated the board’s vote at a local eatery.
“What we’ve done in Wittmann today is protect the citizens for future generations,” Anderson told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “The significance of this vote today was that Debbie Lesko, Chairman Galvin and the rest of the Board of Supervisors heard the voice of the people.”
He said that the BNSF railway project may be suitable for another part of Arizona — just not the Wittmann area, which is characterized by a culture of agricultural living and a strong appreciation for nature and the outdoors.
“At the end of the day, this project’s site location does not belong where BNSF is proposing. It is too much a burden on society,” Anderson said. “It’s like putting a nuclear bomb facility at downtown Phoenix.”
Why have West Valley residents opposed the proposed BNSF railway hub?
The board’s vote marked a big step forward in one of the biggest zoning battles in Maricopa County history. The project would have impacted not only Wittmann, but also Sun City, Sun City West, parts of Phoenix and Surprise, which recently voted to oppose the project.
“If you think about the elevation of where we are and Wittmann, we’re about 900 feet above downtown Phoenix. When you think of smog and pollution, it tends to settle in low urban areas in lower valleys. That is what would happen: Phoenix would have even been affected by air quality — and Phoenix is already under air quality constraints,” Anderson said.
Residents who have opposed the BNSF railway hub cite a few key concerns, including:
- Lack of a safety plan for worst-case scenarios, such as hazardous material spills.
- Increased crime, traffic, noise, and air pollution.
- Addition of 18 million square feet of warehousing space.
- Strain on emergency services and groundwater supplies.
KTAR News has reached out to BNSF for a response to these claims, but a spokesperson did not immediately respond.
One concern that resonated with Supervisor Debbie Lesko was the risk of heavier traffic near Grand Avenue and Loop 303, which she spoke about during the meeting.
What does the future of the Wittmann railway logistics hub look like?
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors warned that this doesn’t spell the end of the massive project. It means BNSF will need to make changes to better match the county’s development guidelines for the area.
Furthermore, attorney Susan E. Demmitt, who spoke to the board on behalf of BNSF during Wednesday’s meeting, said the vote would not stop the project from moving forward.
Anderson also doesn’t believe this is the end of BNSF’s efforts to create a massive hub near Wittmann.
“BNSF might try and use preemption,” he said. “Then the Surface Transportation Board becomes involved.”
If the company takes this route, it would trigger a required environmental impact statement and a study mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act — both of which take several years, he added.
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