The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday is expected to vote on one of a couple of issues dealing with a controversial development proposal in the far West Valley.
BNSF railroad wants to develop a rail hub in Wittmann, an unincorporated community northwest of Surprise. The over $3 billion project would include a logistics park, a logistics center and an intermodal facility; the overall Logistic Park Phoenix, or LPP development, would incorporate more than 4,000 acres. The railroad says having all three of those facilities in one place would increase efficiencies, and supporters tout the project’s economic benefits.
But critics worry about the impact it’d have in that part of the Valley. That includes some Wittmann residents, as well as a nearby school district and the Surprise City Council, which approved a resolution opposing the development.
Kevin Sartor is the mayor of Surprise. He joined The Show to discuss his main concerns with the facility in Wittmann.
Full conversation
KEVIN SARTOR: You know, I've been in office for about 10 months now, almost 11, and really our concerns have been the same since I've been in office and probably a few years before that. But specifically, it's about wastewater, transportation and public safety. I think those are the three things that will truly impact the city of Surprise if this project is completed.
MARK BRODIE: All right, so let's talk about each of those. Wastewater, are you concerned about the facility generating wastewater or its excess use of water in your community?
SARTOR: Well, you know, we're a rapidly growing city, and, you know, as we're growing, we're working with developers to come up with, you know, smart growth solutions. And one of those solutions is to, you know, have regional, you know, in this case, water solutions. And so BNSF acquired Type 2 water rights, which doesn't require them to put the water that they pump out of the ground back into the ground.
And so our concern is that it will impact, you know, the aquifers' impact, you know, our regional solution. And so we've, you know, try to work with them, to come up with, you know, bring them into our regional solution, but we just haven't been able to get to that point yet.
BRODIE: All right, so you also mentioned transportation. What are your concerns there?
SARTOR: Well, again, Mark, with our city growing as quickly as we have U.S. 60, or Grand Avenue, that runs through our city, and we also have Loop 303 that intersects with that. And so the northwest part of Surprise is where our main growth is at. And with the growth that we have, it already has become an issue with transportation, people getting in and out of the area, emergency response, those types of things.
And so, you know, when we talk about BNSF and, you know, full build-out, they'll add 20,000 truck trips. If we were to do that with the current infrastructure we have, it would just be a complete mess. And so, you know, we're trying to work with them to come up with solutions. And again, we just haven't come to anything concrete yet.
BRODIE: All right, and thirdly, you mentioned public safety. What are your concerns with that?
SARTOR: Well, it's in Wittmann, and it's county out there. And so the way that, you know, police and firework, especially fire, it's the automated, you know, aid system. And so the closest, you know, that's available would respond. Our concern is that, you know, if you have this huge railplex and industrial area or something were to happen, that our police and fire would called out there and not be ready to respond here in the city of Surprise.
And so we just want to work on a solution that fixes that or at least helps support the city and accomplishing that.
BRODIE: Do you have any measure of optimism that the folks at BNSF can come to an agreement with the Surprise officials and come up with something that can work for everybody?
SARTOR: You know, I think it's really just about, it's not just about talking about it. It's about, you know, I always, from my perspective as mayor, it's about deeds, not words. And so, you know, we've been talking about since I've been in office, a few years before I took office, you know, the city staff, elected officials have been working with BNSF and we just haven't really come up with any concrete solutions.
And so I don't think it lies solely with the city of Surprise. I mean, the decision is ultimately with the county at this point. And so I think they really have to do a lot to work with, you know, the local municipality, I think, work with county and state to come up with solution.
It's a, it's a regional impact, and we just haven't heard that or any solutions from BNSF.
BRODIE: Have you heard anything from folks at the county about which way they're leaning or whether they share your concerns?
SARTOR: Yeah, I mean, I've talked with Supervisor [Debbie] Lesko on the matter. We've met a few times. But, I mean, I don't want to speak for her and what her opinion is, but as far as I'm aware, the way that the project sits right now, she's not supporting it.
BRODIE: Do you think there is a way to get Surprise on board? Like you mentioned, you know, sort of those three areas of concern. Can there be enough movement both from BNSF and maybe some movement from you and your colleagues on the City Council to get to a place where this facility can go up and everybody can at least live with it?
SARTOR: Well, you know, the city of Surprise, you know, we support thoughtful and responsible economic development, and we're pro-business and we're good with growth, but it has to be responsible growth. And so, and we have to have good partners. And so that's really our concern with BNSF is that, you know, we've talked about a lot of things, but nothing has really been put into any, you know, concrete developmental agreements, anything like that.
And so I think until we get to a point where we're actually coming up with solutions, and I know the city staff has worked a lot on this and tried to reach out, and we're still talking to BNSF, but until there's an actual solution on the table, I just don't see us coming to support it.
BRODIE: So you mentioned that you are pro-business and not opposed to economic development, and supporters of this project point out that this could potentially have a pretty significant economic development for the northwest Valley. Do you see this project that way, assuming that you can come to an agreement on addressing the concerns that you've addressed?
SARTOR: You know, Mark, I think when you look at a city and its profile and when we talk about economic development and workforce, you know, they're going to have jobs at the BNSF, you know, facility, but I just don't know if it fits with the profile of our city.
You know, we're a young, up and coming city, highly educated, skilled workforce. And so I just don't know if it's, if it's the right alignment between what jobs they're going to bring and what the residents of Surprise in their, in their talents. I just don't think it's in alignment.
So there, there will be jobs for sure. But again, I just, I think it's a misalignment of what the city of Surprise has to offer and what BNSF is it's going to offer as far as employment goes.
BRODIE: Well, it kind of sounds, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but it kind of sounds like even if BNSF is able to address your concerns, you're not fully convinced this is the best use for that space and maybe the best project for your community.
SARTOR: You know, I think for the city Surprise, you know, again, we're a growing community, and so there's a lot of, of land. We're about 320 square miles of land. And while this is in our planning area, it's not in our city limits at this point. And so I think, you know, as we're growing, we have to evaluate all projects and you know, how much of a benefit it's going to be to the city of Surprise.
BRODIE: You kind of alluded to this, but I want to ask more specifically. It sounds like there are still conversations going on between city officials and the railway. Is that correct?
SARTOR: Yeah, absolutely. We're not, we're not, again, we're not opposed to growth. We're not opposed to working towards solutions. It just, as a council, we realize we weren't making any progress on any of those solutions. And so we just wanted to come, come together, stand united as a council and say, this is our perspective when we have the resolution.
We outlined some of the very specific things that have occurred and what we'd like to see happen. And we're looking forward to continuing working with BNSF to find the solutions.
Full statement from Lena Kent, general director, public affairs at BNSF
"Although the Logistics Park Phoenix (LPP) project falls under the jurisdiction of Maricopa County, BNSF recognizes its broader regional impact and remains committed to working collaboratively with regional partners, including the City of Surprise. For more than a year, we have actively engaged with the City and other stakeholders through ongoing communication with City staff and recent in-person meetings focused on water, wastewater, and transportation.
I’d also like to clarify that at the upcoming Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting on November 5, the Board will not be voting to approve the LPP project itself. Instead, the item under consideration is a correction to a mapping error made by County staff. This correction would restore the industrial land use designation for 839 acres owned by BNSF—land that has been part of the LPP acquisition. The industrial designation had been in place for over 20 years but was mistakenly changed approximately 18 months ago.
In November 2024, the Maricopa County Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved this same request, acknowledging in the public staff report that the industrial designation had been “inadvertently deleted” and that BNSF’s application would “rectify this error.”
Meanwhile, discussions continue with ADOT, MCDOT, MAG, and the City of Surprise to identify traffic mitigation strategies. Once finalized, we will present these significant commitments, which will complement the substantial economic benefits of the LPP project—including the creation of over 76,000 jobs, nearly $4 billion in labor income, and $258 million annually in state and local tax revenue supporting schools, community colleges, flood control, and other public services in Maricopa County.
Support for the project continues to grow. In addition to endorsements from more than 18 chambers of commerce, over 11,000 Arizonans—including nearly 6,000 from District 4—have expressed their support for LPP.
BNSF remains committed to advancing Arizona’s future through the LPP project and maximizing the benefits of rail for the region, the state, and the nation."
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