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North Coast Railroad Authority and city of Novato will meet to possibly settle yearlong lawsuit

NOVATO, Oct. 1, 2008 – A special city council meeting was called tonight to consider settling the lawsuit the city of Novato filed against the North Coast Railroad Authority.

The discussion will include the conditions the NCRA is being asked to meet to settle the suit. These items are:

$1.25 million for quiet zones in Novato

No night trains until it has established the quiet zones

Welded rail throughout Novato

Fencing on both sides of the tracks through Novato

Landscaping to dampen the light from the trains

$100,000 toward dual-pane windows and other noise mitigation

$300,000 for attorney fees

In September of 2007, the city of Novato filed a petition against the NCRA and the California Department of Transportation, the California Transportation Commission, the California Department of Fish and Game, Kemen Construction and Mass. Electric Construction Co., claiming they were in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act regarding the proposed upgrades to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Line.

The meeting was announced yesterday.