During their meeting on March 10, the Churchill County Planning Commission reviewed an application for a Special Use Permit from Fernley Business Park LLC for the rail park located at 11000 Reno Highway. The facility is comprised of two large parcels totaling over 163 acres. Previously referred to as the Western Nevada Rail Park, the park is located on the Churchill/ Lyon County line near Hazen. Numerous applications have been submitted to split parcels in that area, but only two lots have been created due to applicants failing to follow through with the application process. One previous owner wanted to split two of the lots along the tracks, but the lot east of the tracks (105.61 ac.) would not have legal access to a public road. Instead, the owner was required to have a small portion extend to the west side of the tracks – which is where the existing facilities are sited. The remaining area west of the tracks is the west lot (58.2 ac.), which lies along the highway and surrounds the existing facilities.
In 2002 and 2005, approvals were granted for metals processing and asphalt storage at the rail park facility; however, both businesses have subsequently closed. At the time, the asphalt company made use of the entire existing facility and included a propane tank farm, a propane-powered boiler, an asphalt storage tank farm, and extensive piping. Black Gold Terminals later rented the entire property on the west side of the tracks (on both lots) and obtained a Special Use Permit (SUP) to develop and lease space for a multi-tenant rail site. The multi-user leasing arrangement complicated the project and required consideration of different businesses locating on the site.
This year, the property was purchased by Industrial Realty Group LLC, a national company specializing in rail properties. They purchased this site (both sides of the tracks) and adjacent lands in Fernley and created the Fernley Business Park LLC, the current owner. Long-range plans for major development of the larger site are in progress. The most recently submitted SUP approved by the Planning Commission on March 10 is limited to a rail track expansion and redesign with a minor expansion of the trans-loading area. In meetings and through correspondence with the County, Fernley Business Park LLC clarified that these plans are the first step in the larger development of the Churchill County and Fernley areas of the project site. Future development will require additional permitting and reviews for different land-uses, especially those that may generate high volumes of traffic. Any uses that may impact public health and safety will also require new applications and reviews, such as storing large quantities of flammable materials outside. Approvals for those parts of the development will be requested and pursued at later dates.
Fernley Business Park LLC has hired a contractor to handle the onsite rail car movement and trans-loading operations, and they also have two employees onsite. The number of employees will change as needed as new trans-loading customers come onboard.
Churchill County’s Master Plan for 2020 includes sections for rail access. It notes that having access to rail infrastructure would provide a significant economic boost to local economies. Churchill County is served by two class one railroads; Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). Union Pacific is the primary railroad, and it operates the “Fallon Branch” as well as the “Mina Branch” that runs to Silver Springs, Yerington, and Hawthorne. Both lines branch off the main railroad line at Hazen. BNSF has trackage rights on the UPRR, and at this time, only serves a small portion of Churchill County called Darwin at the County line near Hazen.
There are also several existing railroad sidings within the County along the mainline. Sidings are low-speed sections of track separated from main lines, branches, and spurs. These are important because it is extremely difficult and costly to build new sidings but substantially less to upgrade or rehabilitate, Churchill County would eventually be able to advertise its ability to provide rail service for various industries, including, the Western Nevada Rail Park, the planned Churchill Hazen Industrial Park (CHIP) just south of Hazen, the Trento Lane area which already has rail spurs, and other large properties along the rail corridor as the rail services expand. Maintenance and upgrade of the railroad crossings to accommodate the increased traffic, primarily from residential development, is very costly, so upfront planning becomes very important to minimizing rework. Alternative rail design and locations may be identified to minimize the costs of maintenance and upgrades of these crossings and to ensure safe and effective pedestrian and traffic routes.
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