A proposal to build an Amazon distribution warehouse in Cottage Grove could boost the local economy, but it has also raised concerns amongst local residents about the noise and traffic.
In December, commercial real estate developer Trammell Crow Company, also known as TCC, submitted a proposal to build a 3.4 million-square-foot warehouse on 145 acres located north of Interstate 94, at the intersection of County Highways N and TT, as first reported by the Monona/Cottage Grove Herald-Independent.
With a predicted $200 million investment, the proposed Project Silver Eagle says the warehouse will stand 93 feet tall, including four levels with mezzanines. The building’s surroundings will consist of 60 loading docks, 326 trailer parking stalls and about 1,700 car parking stalls, according to TCC’s FAQ.
According to the FAQ, the company took sustainability, sound, visual impact and traffic into consideration while molding the general development plan for Project Silver Eagle. The project was unanimously approved by Cottage Grove’s Plan Commission and village board back in January.
The building will be in operation 24/7. Peak traffic hours for client distribution will range from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. These hours take into consideration peak commuter hours, which occur from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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The warehouse is predicted to bring 1,000 to 1,500 full-time jobs to the community, Cottage Grove Village Administrator Matt Giese said. The warehouse will also impact the local economy by increasing the local tax base, Giese said.
“Within a decade, the village could experience a total of 40% to 50% increase to its overall tax base when you factor in both the new facility and other development opportunities that may open up largely due to the new distribution center,” Giese said.
A facility of this scale will improve nearby roadway and utility infrastructure, which will make room for additional development opportunities in the future, Giese said.
Though Project Silver Eagle could improve the local economy, not everyone shares Giese’s optimism. Erika Walker, who lives in the area, worries about how increased noise and traffic will affect her disabled son.
Walker is also concerned with the level of information she’s received about the project so far. Though she has asked many questions about Project Silver Eagle, many of them have gone unanswered. It feels like the village is more focused on the economic aspects of the project than how it will affect local families, Walker explained.
“In the meeting that I was able to attend, I asked: ‘When can you have an answer for us?'” Walker said. “They seemed to skip over that and just focus on how this is going to be such a great contribution to Cottage Grove.”
Pat Stauffacher, another resident in the area, has also raised concerns about the warehouse project. She’s worried about how the project will affect traffic and whether there will be any roadway updates on County Highway N that will pose a threat to where her house is located.
Like Walker, Stauffacher says she hasn’t had her questions answered at the Village’s public hearings.
“Why are they not letting the people along N and TT know if they’re going to leave the road exactly the same or change the wideness?” Staffaucher said. “That’s what I want to know.”
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According to the developer FAQ, a “comprehensive” traffic impact analysis has been submitted to jurisdictional authorities, and a traffic study is currently under review pending feedback. TCC has also outlined several construction goals to “result in full compliance with acoustical code and aim to minimize the impact of site sound emissions.”
Stauffacher’s husband, David, is more optimistic about Project Silver Eagle. As someone who owns and rents out land in the project site’s surrounding area, he sees it as an opportunity to increase his property value.
The Village of Cottage Grove will hold two more public meetings where residents can ask questions and provide input about the project. Trammell Crow Company will also produce an additional FAQ sheet to supplement the current one.
The start dates for the warehouse’s construction are not established yet, but the details of the project’s implementation plan will be discussed at the next Plan Commission meeting on Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m., Giese said.
