2014-090 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

RESOLUTION NO. 2014-090 WHEREAS, FECR has license agreements with local governments for most, if not all, of the railroad crossings along FECR's corridor, 32 of which are within Indian River County; and WHEREAS, due to the language in the license agreements, local governments, such as Indian River County, will bear both the maintenance costs of upgrading the railroad crossings to allow All Aboard Florida to operate a high speed passenger rail service and the costs of installing and maintaining any additional equipment to implement one or more quiet zones; and WHEREAS, instead of being a high speed passenger rail service provided by a private company, using solely private resources, it is now clear that a significant portion of the financial burden of the proposed passenger rail project will be borne by the taxpayers through assistance from the federal, state and local governments; and WHEREAS, according to Draft Environmental Impact Statement issued by the Federal Railroad Administration, FECR currently operates up to 16 freight trains per weekday and 11 freight trains per weekend day, and by 2016, it expects to be operating up to 26 freight trains per weekday and up to 17 freight trains per weekend day with an anticipated annual increase of 3%; and WHEREAS, the upgraded railroad crossing will also allow FECR to operate its freight service at speeds of up to 70 mph through populated areas of Indian River County, including Vero Beach, Sebastian, and the communities of Gifford, Roseland, Wabasso and Winter Beach; and WHEREAS, there will be no future stops within Indian River County by All Aboard Florida unless the plans are first approved by the Central Florida Expressway Authority, which is comprised of elected officials representing the interests of Central Florida and unelected individuals appointed by the Governor, and the Central Florida Expressway Authority bond counsel; and WHEREAS, the first priority of the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners is the health, welfare and safety of the residents of Indian River County; and WHEREAS, All Aboard Florida's proposed high speed passenger rail service will increase railroad traffic, railroad noise and railroad vibrations within Indian River County thereby creating a genuine detriment and threat to the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of Indian River County as well as an irreparable harm to Indian River County's natural resources and historical resources; and WHEREAS, representatives of All Aboard Florida have continually misled our community as to the true nature of the project, the extent of the support of the federal government subsidy, the significant benefit to the freight business and the real detrimental impacts to the health, safety and welfare to the communities of Indian River County and the entire Treasure Coast; and N