City Council Unanimously Passes NOS Ordinance

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Slide show courtesy of Rick LoBello, Education Curator El Paso Zoo

By a unanimous vote, the El Paso City Council passed the Natural Open Space Ordinance this morning. A compromise was struck between representatives of the Open Space Advisory Board and City Staff on conditions for setbacks and buffers between protected wildlife refuges and certain industrial/recreational uses of land abutting the protected areas.

The original OSAB proposal called for 10 foot walls to be paid for by land owners wishing to use the property for commercial, industrial or manufacturing purposes when that land abuts an NOS zoned property designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Depending on the type of usage, the buffer between the property and the sanctuary could have been as much as 100 feet. The compromise struck was for an 8 foot wall and a buffer of no more than 25 feet. Council was acting on confidential advice given it by legal counsel as part of their fiduciary responsibility. All sides were happy with the final "product".

A number of people spoke for the NOS ordinance including the El Paso Zoo Education Curator, Rick LoBello, and Wildlife Biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Lois Balin. Both Rick and Lois gave power point presentations as did OSAB Chairman, Charlie Wakeem. You can see Rick's powerful presentation above.

Keystone Heritage Park was represented by attorney, Alex Neill, and Bernie Sargent as well as Kevin VonFinger, who is the principal author of the ordinance.

Also on hand were Robert Ardovino, member of the OSAB Board, John Moses of Texas Parks and Wildlife and yours truly.