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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSPRING CREEK FARMS NORTH FOURTH FILING - PDP - PDP130014 - CORRESPONDENCE - PRIVATE ENTITIESCity of Fort Collins May 9, 2013 railroad's nor the public's best interests, including land use conflicts due to the nature of rail operations that may cause mechanical odor, noise and vibration. Additionally, any increase in vehicle or pedestrian activity may result in interference with train operations and trains may be forced to proceed more slowly through the City, and/or make more frequent emergency stops, which would make rail service less effective and efficient. In the event of train slowdowns or stoppages, train cars may be forced to block at -grade roadway intersections, causing traffic disruptions. UP's rail operations generate the noise and vibration one would expect from an active railway. UP requests that, as a mitigation measure, the City should require the developer to disclose to the general public the daytime and nighttime noise levels naturally occurring with UP's long-standing freight rail service, as well as the pre-existing and predictably -occurring vibration. The City also should require appropriate mitigation measures, such as construction of sound barrier walls or landscape buffers, and/or use of sound -proofing materials and techniques. UP appreciates the City giving due consideration to the above concerns, as this Project may result in significant impacts to land use and public safety. Please give notice to UP of all future hearings and other matters with respect to the Project as follows: Schia M. Cloutier Assistant Manager, Real Estate Union Pacific Railroad Company 1400 Douglas Street - STOP 1690 Omaha, NE 68179 Please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, fQXI _;�� Patrick R. McGill Senior Counsel — Real Estate Union Pacific Railroad Company cc: Schia M. Cloutier UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD 1400 Douglas Street, Stop 1580 Patrick R. McGill/UPC Senior Counsel -Real Estate, Law Dept Omaha, Nebraska 68179 P 402 544 5761 F 409 997 3603 prmcgill@up.com May 9, 2013 VIA EMAIL ONLY City of Fort Collins Planning Department Attn. Jason Holland PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Re: Comments to Development Plan Application of Spring Creek Farms North Case No.: PDP 130014 ("Project") Dear Mr. Holland: Union Pacific Railroad Company, a Delaware corporation ("UP"), is delivering this letter in opposition of the above -referenced Project. The Project location is next to UP's main line rail corridor. Accordingly, UP wishes to raise the following issues. UP believes that maintaining industrial use areas along existing rail corridors reflects good land use planning. Locating residential uses next to the rail corridor results in increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic near and over the railroad tracks and at nearby, at - grade rail crossings. Increased likelihood of trespassing on the railroad right-of-way should be expected as well. Due to these issues and other safety concerns, UP asks that you examine the safety risks associated with the Project. If the Project is approved, we ask that the City require the developer to mitigate the safety risks and the impacts of the railroad's 24-hour operations on the proposed residences. In particular, the City should require the developer to install barrier walls or block fences, and/or "no trespassing" signs designed to prevent local residents from being too near or trespassing onto the railroad tracks. Buffers and setbacks should also be required adjacent to the right-of-way. Any residential development near operating right-of-way can negatively impact freight rail service and create unintended consequences that are in neither the www.up.com BUILDING AMERICA!