Council approves revised letter supporting Tidelands Avenue truck electrification; mayor voices safety concerns

The National City Council approved a revised letter of support for the proposed Tidelands Avenue Electric Truck Hub after a contentious discussion over whether the document should foreground full support or explicitly acknowledge safety concerns.

City manager Doug Schulz presented a draft and recommended edits discussed during council briefings: move a clear statement of support to the first paragraph and remove a second paragraph staff and some councilmembers considered duplicative. Several councilmembers argued the edits would better convey the city’s position in time for an imminent hearing. “I would disagree with doing that…to basically just say that we’re wholeheartedly supporting this without addressing the concerns, I think, is rather disingenuous,” Mayor Morrison said, urging the council to retain language about risks including battery‑fire hazards and insurance implications.

Mayor Morrison and other members described recent briefings about lithium‑ion battery fires and emergency response, noting that risks to adjacent neighborhoods and the fire department’s capacity should be considered before an unconditional statement of support. “It was entitled the escalating crisis of lithium ion battery fires,” the mayor said, referencing information heard at an industry roundtable.

Council voted to accept the manager’s suggested edits and send the revised letter; the motion passed 2–1 with Mayor Morrison voting no. Councilmembers who supported the change said the edit would better position National City to compete for project benefits while allowing staff to continue raising and addressing the council’s operational concerns with the project partners.

The council asked staff to return with a final copy and to continue coordinating with stakeholders on safety measures and operational requirements related to electrification.