A second attempt at acquiring property in Dakota County by Knife River has once again received a cold shoulder from residents living near property that would house their proposed aggregate-storage facility.
At Monday’s Public Works Committee, local landowner Martin Hohenstein came before the committee for a conditional use permit request on property at 1600 E Avenue that would allow installation of a private rail line spur, sand extraction and aggregate material handling and storage in an Agricultural Transitional District.
The railroad spur would connect with a rail line that runs across Highway 77 south of South Sioux City and allow for up to 100 train cars to be moved into the facility to bring the material in to assist in the company’s work in Dakota County and the surrounding area.
A similar proposal was requested by Knife River Construction on property near the intersection of Highway 110 and Highway 20 earlier this year and was ultimately rejected by the Dakota County Board of Commissioners after residents in the area expressed concerns about pollution and dust that would negatively impact the quality of life in the area.
Hohenstein, who is chair of the county board, is owner of the property that is under consideration and came before the committee to make the request. He conceded that the project would bring additional traffic to the area, but noted that the area is already surrounded by industrial projects in the area, including a grain elevator to the west and and industrial park to the east.
Clark Meyer, representing Knife River, said that the company researched the area and found that the land they were looking at belonged to Hohenstein and they contacted him about purchasing the property.
“We had another site in Dakota County that we looked at and were encouraged to go to the industrial area rather than a site in rural Dakota County,” he said. “We found this area zoned right on a major highway and it was a very good fit for what we’re trying to do.”
Meyer said that the site would allow the company to reduce the number of trucks it has on the road that delivers the aggregate that is used for road construction. Trucks come to the area from points in South Dakota, central Iowa and eastern Nebraska, and a facility with a rail spur would reduce the traffic that would be coming to the facility.
Residents near the proposed site were not enthused about the idea and argued against the request.
“We live with the (grain) elevator noise every day and we’ve gotten used to the humming,” local resident Tammy Christman told the committee. “Seventy-five-foot piles of concrete with shakers will create noise. Adding to the noise pollution, it will impact the air that we breathe with all of that (aggregate) blowing toward us.”
Michelle Anderson added that the traffic, already a concern in that area along Highway 77, will also create problems if this is approved.
“I can see an accident happening because of truck traffic turning in there,” she said. “As it is now, train traffic blocks E Avenue and it’s not far away from the spur they want to put in. It’s going to increase traffic no matter what they say.”
Rosie Torrez, whose family just moved into the area a couple of years ago, worries about the potential for a traffic accident that ends in a fatality.
“We just moved to the area 2 1/2 years ago. I have children, including a teenager who drives to high school every day,” she said. “As a nurse, I know what air pollution is about, and the traffic out there is horrible. I pray every day my child doesn’t get killed in a traffic accident.”
The proposal will be discussed by the City Council at its Monday, July 13 meeting. It was moved to the Council agenda without a recommendation.
