The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday unanimously rejected a land-use proposal near Wittman submitted by BNSF Railway.
The company says the move won’t prevent a freight facility from being built.
BNSF plans to build a roughly 4,300-acre freight rail facility in the northwest Valley. The company’s request was for the board to change the land-use designation for some of its property from single-family rural to mixed-use employment.
Supervisor Debbie Lesko said her big worry about the project is shared by many: "the additional traffic that this site is estimated to produce. [The] Grand Avenue and Loop 303 area are already near or at traffic capacity."
Dozens of people spoke against the proposal, while three labor union representatives spoke in favor.
BNSF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The board also turned down a request by BNSF to delay voting on the company’s proposal.
Speaking to the board on behalf of the company, attorney Susan Demmitt urged members to do the opposite of how it voted.
“Either of those actions today does not stop the project from moving forward. It doesn’t create clarity for the community,” Demmitt said.
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