Battle Ground Mayor Troy McCoy and county residents shared concerns with The Reflector last week regarding the county’s plans to use its railroad for industrial shipping, saying they have seen no studies that show the benefits.
The Chelatchie-Prairie Railroad spans 33 miles within Clark County and passes directly through Yacolt and Battle Ground. A “freight-rail dependent use” development proposed by the county would expand the railroad’s use to include industrial and allow the shipping of aggregate materials, including sand, rock and gravel. In a March 18 resolution in opposition, Battle Ground City Council cited concerns of trains causing traffic, noise pollution and delays to emergency response vehicles.
Battle Ground mayor’s concerns
Battle Ground Mayor Troy McCoy told The Reflector that Battle Ground’s resolution in opposition of the proposed shipping of aggregate is its possible effect on city residents. McCoy and council members expressed their concerns of potential traffic increases, noise pollution and delay of emergency vehicles.
In a March 26 County Council meeting, Medvigy told residents that the Columbia River Economic Development Council told the county of the project’s economic benefits. McCoy, who is a director of the organization, denies this.
“What CREDC gave the county was essentially a list of all the companies that have expressed interest in a site that has access to rail,” McCoy said.
“...There’s never been a cost-benefit analysis. There’s never been an economic study. I still contend that throwing county and state money at a project where we have not even done a cost-benefit analysis is irresponsible.”
McCoy also disagreed with comments Medvigy made March 19 about the March 18 City Council resolution.
“Resolutions are a poor way to communicate, and I don’t get it,” Medvigy said at the time. “The city administrator has not talked to the (county) manager. Their planners have not talked to our planners, and yet they’re coming up with a resolution with things they don’t really know (is) happening.”
McCoy told The Reflector he believes it would be incumbent upon the county to reach out to cities impacted by the industrial-use of the railroad.
“We’re citizen legislators. We don’t have the time to watch every single county meeting to be apprised of that,” McCoy said. “And just as a good neighbor, you think that’s what they would do…”
McCoy said that prior conversations with Medvigy before the council’s resolution against the industrial use of rail did not boost his confidence in the project.
“(He) tried to convince me that it still would be in Battle Ground’s interest to do it,” McCoy said. “Having talked to several of our business owners, and those looking to expand in our industrial park, none of them are interested. In fact, it would be a detriment to their plans… (Medvigy) believes it would be an economic benefit to Battle Ground and bring jobs in. I would ask ‘where?’ ”
McCoy said Medvigy told him that a consultant would communicate with cities affected by the changed use of rail.
During a March 26 meeting, Clark County Council voted to postpone approving a contract with BERK, a consulting company, which would work with the county to implement development regulations for heavy-industrial shipping through the rail line. The decision delays the possibility of preliminary studies.
Clark County Manager Kathleen Otto told the council that details regarding the contract arose, and she would look into them before bringing the matter before council again at a later date. Otto told the Reflector they had no more details regarding the delay at this time.
“I would just comment, of all the reasons why (the contract) was pulled, the resolution from Battle Ground was not among them,” Medvigy said regarding the delay during proceedings.
The council has not brought the contract back as of press time.
Proposed industrial overlay in Brush Prairie
Members of the Woo Lit Sierra Club, a local branch of the environmental advocacy organization, have opposed the proposed increased use of rail since 2018, when the County began to examine options. Wendy Cleveland, the organization’s conservation chair, said in an interview with The Reflector last week, it has concerns about the project’s safety.
The railroad’s proximity to schools and houses has been a point of contention for Cleveland and supporters. In Brush Prairie, Glenwood Heights Primary and Laurin Middle schools are adjacent to a proposed heavy-industrial overlay, which would change the zoning of 400 acres of land west of the schools to heavy-industrial use and allow for the construction of heavy-industrial factories near the schools. Beyond the zoning change, local residents currently do not know what the land would be used for, which leaves more questions than answers.
“We’ve never been given a true cost-benefit analysis,” Cleveland told The Reflector last week. “Even if they’re saying [the overlay] provides jobs, what jobs does it provide? Can we guarantee that [a] factory is coming in and wanting this heavy-industrial overlay? Can we guarantee they’re going to hire Clark County residents ?… We don’t have answers. We only have questions, and we’re the ones living here.”
The Loo Wit Sierra Club is currently working with local organizations, including Friends of Clark County and the Coalition of Sustainable Land Management, to educate local residents about the proposed use of the rail line. Cleveland said Sierra Club members recently handed out more than 100 fliers to parents picking up their kids from Laurin Middle School, informing them of the proposed heavy-industrial overlay. Clevland said most parents were surprised and had not heard of the proposed use.
