Planning Council Approves CSX DRI … Video, too!

Posted by Bob Gernert on August 13, 2008 at 11:54 am

The Central Florida Regional Planning Council has approved the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) for the Evansville Western Railway Inter-modal terminal on 318 acres of land south of Winter Haven. The 10 - 1 vote sends the matter on to the Winter Haven Planning Commission and ultimately the Winter Haven City Commission for final consideration of a development order. 

At the beginning of today’s public hearing, Evansville Western Railway and CSX officials presented a video animation of what the proposed inter-modal rail terminal will look like. It explains how the site will be laid out, buffered and accessed. Forward your email notification with this link to your friends and neighbors so they may see the potential for this great new Winter Haven project. The video is less than four minutes long. Just click on the arrow to view.

Cheryl Beckert

See other entries filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, City of Winter Haven, Commercial Developments, Economic Development, Success Stories, Transportation

REMARKS   8 Total remarks on this post. Add your own remarks below

  • August 13th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
    Howard King

    This is great news. What a boost to our community and economy the ILC will be.

  • August 14th, 2008 at 8:46 am
    Sal Moraco

    The video is well done in telling the CSX story. Needs to be on a few more local websites. Think Jobs!

  • August 14th, 2008 at 9:49 am
    Poindexter

    Bob – congratulations to you and CSX on yesterday’s vote by the CFRPC. Polk County is the winner here!

    One thing struck me as I was reading the media’s coverage of the meeting. How can two groups (East Polk County and Lakeland) be looking at the same project and see such a different picture? My conclusion is that one is looking at the forest and the other is looking at the trees. This opinion is borne out by yesterday’s vote. Lets remove the two RPC members who could be biased in their respective views – Commissioners Potter and Wiggs. That leaves nine members, each well informed on the project (did you see the staff report) and not subject to local political wrangling. How did those nine members vote? Unanimously in favor of the project! My conclusion is that when the larger picture is considered, this project makes sense and represents an economic home run for Polk County.

    As with any development project, there will be those that are impacted. But as yesterdays vote indicated, the far reaching benefits outweigh the isolated cons.

    P.S. I wonder if Lakeland’s opposition would be as vigorous if the project were proposed in its city limits?

  • August 14th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
    sam killebrew

    It’s unbelievable that Commissnor Reed STILL can’t see the huge econmic benefit to Polk County. If she would listen to what is being said, like all the other folks, it should be as plain as the nose on her face.
    Thank goodness there are folks who can understand.

  • August 14th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
    Bob Gernert

    Actually, as CSX was presenting the project overview and the video, Commissioner Reed left the room on her cell phone and did not return until well after they finished.

    She continued to express concern about air quality even though the Central Florida Regional Planning Council staff and the experts they consulted found that with the inter-model site in full operation their computer models found the effect on air quality would be negligible.

    It’s interesting that the Planning Council, after reviewing the 198-page staff report voted 10 - 1 to approve (virtually unanimous if you remove specific community reps from Winter Haven and Lakeland — as noted by Poindexter above) and still Commissioner Reed remains tentative in her support.

    Was the Regional Planning Council wrong?

  • August 18th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
    Steven Elias

    What a great victory for Winter Haven and Polk County. This will result in exactly the kind of economic stimulus our local community needs right now to create jobs and tax revenue for us all to benefit from.

  • August 25th, 2008 at 10:02 am
    Ulysses Jackson

    Was the RPC wrong? There isn’t a wrong and right for them. They went through the process that is afforded to them. What’s wrong is the amount of pressure put on the staff to get this done. Aren’t DRI’s suppose to take 3 to 5 years? Wasn’t that we were told? What’s wrong is now it’s up to Winter Haven to patrol and enforce their own project. What a farce that will be.

    So be happy with all those “quality” warehousing jobs and all that tax money you think you’re getting. In twenty years those of you who are now in love with this project will be complaining about the industrial ashtray you’ll be living in and questioning where did it all go wrong. God bless you.

  • August 25th, 2008 at 10:22 am
    Bob Gernert

    Mr. Jackson,

    The length of time necessary to complete a DRI depends on its size and complexity. You are correct, the Regional Planning Council went through the established process and ten of the eleven members present voted to approve the project with conditions. No one present at the hearing mentioned any “pressure” and the DRI process is structured with specific time frames allowing staff to do their due diligence.

    Anyone taking the time to investigate the actual economic impact, job quality and business park at Alliance/Gateway in Texas could hardly use your terms to describe the outcome of a well planned center. You can read more here: http://blog.winterhavenfl.com/2008/05/28/polk-leaders-visit-alliance-see-hub-firsthand/

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