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Council hears details of proposed Trammell Crow warehouses; electric-vehicle infrastructure and truck traffic raised as concerns
Summary
Woodland officials discussed two large warehouse proposals by Trammell Crow near I‑5 and the electrical and traffic infrastructure they would require, including state EV-parking requirements and expected utility upgrades.
City officials and council members discussed March 17 how two proposed warehouses by Trammell Crow could affect local infrastructure needs, traffic and electric utility capacity.
City staff said the developer has proposed a 300,000-square-foot building and a 600,000-square-foot building near Interstate 5’s Exit 36. The project descriptions discussed at the meeting included about 91 loading docks and roughly 546 parking spaces.
Mayor (name not specified) summarized the electrical and EV-charging implications: "They have to have generation capability. Cowlitz PUD needs to be able to serve that load," he said, and he described Washington’s EV-parking rules as requiring a portion of spaces to be ready or built for charging. The mayor explained the formula discussed with staff: a share of parking spaces must be constructed with stations, another share must be wired for future stations, and an additional share must have conduit installed to allow future expansion.
Why it matters: Large distribution facilities can drive high daily truck trips and significant peak electrical demand. Council members asked staff to research whether the city should seek flexibility in timing for EV-infrastructure installation, and whether granting phased compliance would make the project more feasible for the developer.
Council members voiced particular concern about truck traffic. One member said truck movements and freight impacts would be a primary worry and requested trip-generation estimates; staff agreed to return with technical details.
No land-use decision was made March 17. Council members reiterated that the sites are zoned for warehouse uses and that any approvals would follow standard planning and permitting processes. Staff said the next steps include technical follow-up with the city attorney and the local public utility district (Cowlitz PUD) to clarify infrastructure timelines and possible conditions for phased EV-infrastructure installation.
The council instructed staff to pursue additional information before formal action.
