Tim Coon (standing, left) gives the initial presentation of Old Dominion’s permit application for the truck terminal.
WESTFIELD- The City Council hosted a public hearing Thursday at City Hall to discuss the details of a proposed Old Dominion Freight Line truck terminal on Medeiros Way.
The hearing drew many residents who argued both for and against the proposed terminal. Old Dominion submitted plans last fall but withdrew them without prejudice and submitted new plans this spring.
Tim Coon, a professional engineer for J.R. Russo & Associates LLC presented the new plan for the terminal. Coon said that the facility would encompass a 14.6 acre area and the building itself would be around 33,000 square-feet. It would include 22 tractor spaces and 129 trailer spaces as well as nearly 70 parking spaces for employees.
The access to the site would be on Medeiros Way with a one-way entrance. There would also be a one-way exit on the opposite side of the property. Coon noted that a traffic study had been conducted regarding the area surrounding the property. He said that the study found that there would be no traffic impact from the additional trucks in the area, a conclusion disputed by several residents later in the hearing. Coon made a point to note that the facility would be a fraction of the size of truck terminals used by other major companies. The expected level of traffic from the facility is 26 trips in a 24 hour period, including both local and long distance delivery trucks.
Coon and the assistant general counsel to Old Dominion were unable to specify what routes in and around the city the trucks would be taking on a daily basis. They did say that during the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and 8 p.m. to midnight, there would be an average of about five deliveries going in and out of the terminal. As far as local employees, the attorney said he expects them to hire 43 people at the beginning, and if they experience growth that number could go to 60. They said they plan to hire employees mainly from Westfield and the immediate area.
The attorney said that the location in Westfield would allow their company to be more environmentally friendly in general. He argued that the extra terminal would reduce the driving distance for trucks already making deliveries in the area.
He also claimed that there would be no way for the trucks to make a right turn out of the facility, a point of contention when they submitted an application last year. Several residents disputed that fact, and some said that the traffic in the area for another trucking terminal on Medeiros Way is nearly impossible to navigate at times already.
Several residents asked what the company plans to do to mitigate the diesel exhaust from the trucks affecting the surrounding area, which contains a school. The attorney said that they follow the emissions standards of California, the strictest in the country. Their trucks also have software installed that prevents them from idling without a driver for more than three minutes.
One resident asked what kind of lights would be used to illuminate the property. The Old Dominion representatives produced and image of their facility in Memphis, Tenn., which is much larger than the one planned in Westfield. They said that the LED lights they use will produce no “light leak” into the area off the property.
Another resident asked if the trucks would be able to turn out of Medeiros Way on to Route 10 without cutting into the lanes of opposing traffic. Old Dominion’s representatives answered that yes, they could. He was immediately answered with the man saying no, he had observed trucks from another company try to do the same thing and cutting into opposing traffic. The man brought up what he said was other trucks “queuing” on Medeiros Way. The attorney maintained that there would be no queuing on the part of Old Dominion trucks, and that the other existing trucking company would not impact Old Dominion’s ability to use the road. Several residents disputed that claim during the questions of fact and statements in opposition during the hearing, citing the behaviors of those same other trucks that already use the road.
A few people did speak in favor of the permit being granted, although they were slightly outnumbered by those who spoke in opposition of the plan. Kate Phelon, executive director for the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, submitted a letter from another individual who spoke in favor of the plan. She also argued that the truck terminal would be a positive for the Greater Westfield economy over time.
Another man, who said he and his wife own property on Medeiros Way, said that the permit should be approved to allow for the next generations to have more job opportunities.
Those who spoke in opposition of the permit maintained that the truck traffic would negatively impact themselves and their neighbor’s ability to travel in the immediate area. Others said that they have seen examples of the other truck company’s employees leaving trash and pollution in the wooded areas nearby. One resident requested that the air in the area of Medeiros Way should be monitored and tested for its quality. She said that if the air is found to have pollution consistent with heavy truck traffic, another terminal should not be allowed.
Several letters to the editor of The Westfield News have been written against increasing the truck traffic in the area and urging people to come to the public hearing. One letter was also written in support of the commercial enterprise.
The City Council narrowly voted to continue the public hearing to the next meeting on July 8. The City Council advised the Old Dominion representatives that they should provide data from the city engineer, the fire department, and the zoning and planning department at that time.
The special permit application from Old Dominion is available for review at www.cityofwestfield.org under City Council, Special Permit Applications.
