The St. Joseph County Council voted 9-0 Tuesday to rezone four parcels of land from agricultural to industrial use to enable a future freight rail terminal on the South Shore line just east of New Carlisle. The council also voted 9-0 to allow a special use to establish a rail switching yard.
Local officials say the freight trains would alleviate growth in truck traffic while also serving growing development in the Indiana Enterprise Center.
But a representative of the rail company has said that it has yet to secure customers for the terminal.
June 1, 2024: County looks to clear the way for a new freight rail terminal near New Carlisle
Illinois Indiana Development Co. operates the Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad, which is separate from the more familiar South Shore passenger line. Three other parcels at the site are already zoned industrial.
Two people spoke against the measures Tuesday. Although this represents a relatively small portion of land, Charlotte Wolfe, a Democrat seeking the District F seat on the council, argued it could lead to a “domino effect” of the loss of farmland.
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