Council holds vote on proposed truck drop yard on East Shelby Drive after residents raise safety, traffic and theft concerns

Council members on the Memphis City Council on a pending planned development for a truck “drop yard” on East Shelby Drive agreed to delay a vote for two weeks after extended public comment and debate about traffic, safety and cargo theft.

The item, a planned development application under chapter 9.6 of the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code, drew callers from the neighborhood and back-and-forth between council members, Division of Planning and Development staff and the applicant’s representatives. Councilwoman Walker urged a no vote; ultimately the council chair announced, "Without objection, this item will be held for 2 weeks." (Council records show the item was held.)

Residents at the meeting urged the council to reject the proposal, citing heavy existing traffic on Shelby Drive, safety risks to motorists and pedestrians, and skepticism that conditions such as a no-idling rule would be enforced. Mary Donald, who said she attended the community meeting, told the council that the application’s 700-foot description did not reflect proximity to a church and nearby homes and said, “Basically, the residents aren't for this project.” Devaron Johnson told the council the proposal risked more traffic accidents and asked the body to vote no.

Planning staff and the applicant said the site could provide secure parking for trucks now parked on neighborhood streets and at shopping-center lots. Brett Ragsdale of the Division of Planning and Development said a traffic study would be required as part of the development review and acknowledged “there is some concerns relative to the impact to Shelby Drive. However, we won't actually get that until we get the traffic study from the developer.” Ragsdale also confirmed engineering comments include traffic considerations.

The applicant's team argued the drop yard could reduce idling and improve security for trucks that now park in unsecured lots. David Bray, the applicant’s representative, said the site would allow drivers to “turn off their engines” because the facility could provide shore power and that the site would be secured, unlike trucks currently parked overnight in church or shopping-center lots.

Proponents and the applicant presented security and anti-theft measures they intend to install: perimeter fencing, cameras and an initial 40 hours per week of manned security with a plan to ramp to 24/7 staffing as demand grows. Steven Crestedes of Capital Drop Yard cited cargo-theft statistics and a heat map he said shows high incidence in the proposed area, arguing secure parking would reduce theft.

Council members pressed for more evidence. Council members asked the applicant for proof that large numbers of trucks currently park in the neighborhood and for data showing that secure parking would lower theft and neighborhood impacts. Councilman Smiley said he wanted to “see some proof for myself” and proposed a two-week hold so council members and staff could review data offered by the applicant and the city’s theft statistics.

The record shows other contextual factors raised by speakers: the site’s proximity to Jackson Landfill, a nearby railroad, a gas station and heavy commercial uses; an applicant-added community garden and a food-truck park were noted as newly proposed features; and a transit/traffic estimate cited by staff noted about 48,000 vehicles per day on Shelby Drive as a baseline volume the developer must consider in any traffic study.

Action: the council held the item for two weeks to allow staff and the applicant to provide additional traffic and cargo-theft evidence and for council members to review the revised materials.

Next steps: the item will return to the council after the applicant and staff submit the requested traffic study and any supplemental evidence about cargo theft and truck parking patterns in the area.