Planning commission recommends conditional use permit for aggregate transload yard at Union Pacific site

The Denison Planning Commission recommended approval on June 10 of a conditional use permit to allow an aggregate sales (transloading) yard on roughly a 41–42 acre tract within Union Pacific Railroad property north of Ray Drive and east of U.S. 75.

Staffer Miss York said the applicant intends to repurpose a former locomotive maintenance area to handle aggregate arriving by rail that will be unloaded, stockpiled and reloaded onto trucks for sale and distribution. "Hours of operation will be consistent with those currently being utilized by UPR, which is 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Miss York said, adding that truck loading typically occurs between 4 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday but that some projects may require overnight operations.

The request drew questions about truck access, dust, noise and signage. The applicant said it is working with Union Pacific and TxDOT on a new access road from the site to Katy Memorial Expressway; that access is intended to be the sole customer/operational entrance and would remove truck traffic from West (Old) Morton Street and Ray Drive. The applicant's engineer, Andy Ardmore, said the project will keep the existing vegetated buffer along the north side of Ray Drive and use water-based dust suppression and a dedicated spray system; he described the backup alarms the company intends to use as quieter, localized "white-noise" alarms designed to alert only nearby workers.

Miss York told the commission that civil engineering plans for the access and utilities are under review and that the applicant must obtain applicable Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) permits. Staff recommended approval with several conditions, including: acquisition of required state and local permits; continuous abatement of dust and noise; maintenance of the existing tree line along Ray Drive; civil engineering plan approval and construction of the access road connecting under Highway 75 to Katy Memorial Expressway; placement of barriers along Ray Drive to prevent customer/operational traffic from using the existing Ray Drive/Old Morton entry; replacement of the east‑side Ray Drive gate for emergency access only; and civil engineering plan approval and construction of necessary utility infrastructure (water).

Commission discussion included whether signage would be provided to direct trucks to the new entrance, traffic impacts at the busy Highway 75/FM 120 corridor and an applicant-provided estimate of truck volume in the project narrative (staff noted the narrative lists roughly 100 trucks per day and asked the applicant to confirm). Miss York said staff and TxDOT had reviewed a traffic impact analysis and that TxDOT was comfortable with the proposed access and mitigation measures; she said staff would continue to coordinate with TxDOT during civil plan review.

The commission voted to recommend approval with the stated conditions. The recorded outcome was three in favor and one opposed; commissioners did not record individual named votes in the transcript. The Planning Commission's recommendation will be considered by Denison City Council at its June 16 meeting for final action.