The Colleyville Commuter Rail Committee updated the Colleyville City Council during a workshop meeting Tuesday. Several residents spoke on the issue during the citizen comment period at the regular council meeting.
John Gooding, CCRC chairman, said four citizen input meetings were held in June and July to get resident’s reaction about having a commuter rail station in Colleyville.
"The input from citizens has been overwhelmingly negative," he said.
Gooding noted that many of the people who attended the input meetings are opposed to a proposed rail station at Colleyville Boulevard and John McCain Road. But he said it may be necessary to conduct a survey of all Colleyville residents to determine the overall on the issue.
Gooding said the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, which plans to start commuter rail service between Fort Worth and the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in 2012, has delayed releasing the environmental impact study on the rail service. Gooding said the study is now expected to be released in mid-October.
Gooding said the rail station planned at Main Street in Grapevine will have limited parking and will probably not have overnight parking.
The T wants Colleyville to pay about $1 million a year, or the equivalent of 3/8 of a cent sales tax, if the city determines that it wants its own rail station.
A source of funding for the station has not been identified. Gooding said increased sales tax revenue from potential commercial development, grant money or a property tax increase are some possibilities.
"I would suggest that you don’t focus too much right now on the funding," Mayor David Kelly said to Gooding.
That didn’t sit too well with Colleyville resident Lisa Bernardo, who spoke during the citizen comment period.
"Funding is a huge issue on this, and I think it is a bit irresponsible to direct the committee not to look at that, because if you can’t fund it, everything else is a moot point."
Manny Rosenfeld, who lives in the Timarron Cascades subdivision, said those who live near the proposed rail station, like him, have concerns about the station.
But Rosenfeld said one issue that all residents should be concerned with is the lack of economic development plans associated with the rail station.
"I’m not sure I understand the benefit to Colleyville," he said.
George Dodson, also a resident of the Cascades, has been working in the efforts to oppose the station. He said a phone survey that the city commissioned earlier this year did not inform residents that a station could mean a tax increase.
"I wish Colleyville would bring in businesses to the city that would bring tax revenue instead of banks and other things that bring no return [with sales tax]," he said.
Some council members have said the rail station issue may be placed on the ballot to allow residents to vote on it.
In other action: Colleyville Assistant City Manager Kelly Cooper was named interim city manager. Colleyville City Manager Bill Lindley took the job of Highland Park town administrator, and he starts in that position on Monday. The city plans to conduct a search for a permanent city manager.