The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) and the City of Brisbane have reached a settlement on a lawsuit filed by the city.
The lawsuit focused on land use, environmental, and public health concerns associated with the planned high-speed rail maintenance facility in Brisbane’s Baylands.
The settlement now outlines several actions the CHSRA and the City of Brisbane will take to resolve the conflict:
- Light Maintenance Facility (LMF) Redesign: The CHSRA will study and propose a revised design for the LMF that reduces its footprint by over 50 acres and avoids interference with the city’s infrastructure and facilities.
- Environmental Review of Brisbane Baylands: Brisbane will conduct an environmental impact review (EIR) of its Baylands Specific Plan, ensuring the avoidance of land use conflicts with the high-speed rail project.
- Collaborative Design Efforts: Both entities will work together on the aesthetic design of the LMF, ensuring it aligns with community standards and mitigates potential impacts.
- Funding for Environmental Improvements: The CHSRA and Brisbane will seek joint funding for environmental and safety improvements in the Baylands, a site previously used as a landfill and rail yard.
“The City of Brisbane is pleased to have reached a settlement with the High-Speed Rail Authority. For the better part of two years, the City and the Authority reviewed complex issue after complex issue, consulted experts and agreed on responsible paths forward. We will continue to meet regularly in the years to come recognising that we both have a duty to protect the health and welfare of the current and future residents of the Brisbane Baylands.”
The agreement marks an important step in advancing the high-speed rail project, which aims to bring electrified rail service from Merced to Bakersfield, with future extensions planned to the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
The settlement between CHSRA and Brisbane ensures that the high-speed rail project can proceed while addressing local concerns and contributing to sustainable development in the Bay Area.
