The potential for hundreds of new jobs sounded magnificent to the Joppee residents gathered inside the Peace of God Missionary Baptists Church Thursday night.
What it would take to bring them to the southern Dallas community, though, raised a few eyebrows.
Residents listened to a consultant working on behalf of Union Pacific explain the company's long-term plan to turn nearly 100 acres immediately north of Joppee into a hub of distribution centers for large retailers.
"They want to come here because it's the most prosperous area in the United States," said Dallas Cothrum, consultant for Masterplan.
But before those warehouses can be built, Union Pacific wants the land to house two concrete batch plants that would provide the materials used to continue revitalizing the southern sector of Dallas.
Residents are now weighing whether the potential for hundreds of new jobs is worth living next to a bustling industrial site for a currently undetermined amount of time.
"You're putting it this close to a neighborhood that's growing, but it (will cause) more congestion," said Delveeta Thompson, a lifelong Joppee resident.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Some residents are concerned with air quality, noise and the impact on the area's infrastructure, but the potential for new jobs could be enough to persuade them.
The city hopes it will because the long-term plan aligns with the priorities of the city's GrowSouth effort. It brings economic development and jobs, which pushes back against the myth that there are no jobs in southern Dallas.
Cothrum told residents the batch plants would allow materials to be mixed on site, keeping approximately 385 trucks a day from coming into the area to transport materials. He admitted to residents that it's a tough choice, but Union Pacific wants their support.
"I'm not going to say that I would necessarily want to live by a batch plant, but I also don't think that living by not-a-batch plant in this instance is the better outcome," Cothrum said.
The City Council will make the final decision on the short-term plan for the batch plants. Councilwoman Tiffanni Young, who represents the area, did not return calls asking for a comment.
