A Greater Threat Than Any Quarry

When it appeared that Avispa Quarry would swallow a portion of FEMA 41A, the arroyo long designated as the mountain to river corridor, there was an outcry not just from environmental groups but all those who desire to preserve the natural beauty of the Franklin Mountains. The Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition began an information campaign and promoted a petition. The issue was finally resolved and quieted when Stanley Jobe worked with the GLO to grant an easement to the PSB that would preserve the arroyo as it passes through the land that Mr. Jobe had leased for mining. It appears now that the Jobe quarry was a far smaller threat than what is being proposed by TxDOT and quietly promulgated by Ed Archuleta, the President and CEO of the El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board.

On Tuesday, the City Council agreed to an $80 million TxDOT plan to convert a portion of Trans Mountain Road into a freeway that would include 4 overpasses. For the El Paso Times story, go here. Also, check out the excellent slide show presentation given to Council by Open Space Advisory Board chairman, Charlie Wakeem. I will refer to certain slides in this post.

Transmountain - Wakeem

As slide 3 shows, the first 1.5 miles of land from I-10 going east on Trans Mountain is privately owned. Those landowners have vested rights and can develop under the ordinances in place when they applied to develop. However the land also had a mountain development area overlay which allowed some concessions for developing this area. These concessions mean that land must be re-vegetated, well landscaped and there must be a hike and bike trail that matches the Pat O'Rourke Trail along Resler. Although TxDOT does not have to follow those conditions, I have learned that Chuck Berry of TxDOT has pledged that he will.

But here is where the real concern is: beyond that first stretch of 1.5 miles is another stretch of 1.7 miles most of which falls east of the gas line road. Mr. Wakeem pointed out that the gas company picked a good place for the road as it navigates flat land for the most part. It is beyond that point that we come to beautiful foothills on PSB land below the Franklin Mountains State Park. Also just beyond the gas line road to the east is Paseo del Norte - a "line" that could become a major thoroughfare with a freeway overpass built where it intersects with Trans Mountain as part of the $80 million project.

Take a look at Charlie's slide 8. It looks east along Trans Mountain and he has identified where gas line road is. Note the lovely hills just beyond that. Now imagine plenty of residential areas and some commercial all lining the Paseo del Norte thoroughfare serviced by a 24 to 28 foot freeway overpass. Say goodbye to the beautiful Franklin Mountains. Now, when people enjoy the view from the Upper Sunset Trail or Mundy's Gap, they will look down on rooftops and concrete and asphalt and interchanges and more. It's all part of the Northwest Master Plan (See slide 4) and the Archuleta plan to make more money for the utility (to buy more water outside of El Paso because it won't be that many more decades when we will have to find more water because we are encouraging unsustainable sprawl and destroying our natural mountainside in the process.)

To prevent the PSB plan from going further, City Council Representative Steve Ortega proposed on Tuesday that the entire PSB area beyond gas line road be rezoned NOS - Natural Open Space. That immediately got the reaction from Ed's buddy, Mayor John Cook, that they would have to run that by the PSB first. Really? What about the Open Space Advisory Board? What about CPC? What about the fact that the decision is really City Council's. Ever hear of the tail wagging the dog?

But here are the real rubs: Nothing has ever been zoned NOS and Ed Archuleta has always opposed a Natural Open Space zoning designation. There is no bigger threat to his plans. I have learned that already some on Council are backing off the idea of rezoning the PSB land NOS. If that is the case, why are OSAB members wasting their time reviewing this matter per their charge to do so under ordinance, when it appears that members of Council will capitulate anyway?

Note that the proposal for a freeway never came before OSAB in the first place even though its enabling ordinance clearly states that it has purview over all MDA cases. In addition, one wonders how well this TxDOT freewau would fit into the overall plan that is being developed by the one of the best consulting firms in the country, Dover Kohl: Plan El Paso. A presentation by Representative Byrd revealed that she understands modern traffic planning. However, others didn't quite seem to get it. But let's keep spending big bucks for excellent consultants and just not do what they suggest. I can hear it now when Dover Kohl comes back with their plan - "Oh had we only known this before the freeway vote!"

I sincerely hope that a line will be drawn in the sand - Gas Line Road and nothing beyond it that is public land can ever be developed which means there is no need for an overpass at Paseo del Norte. Besides, imagine how much traffic will be generated if the Berry/Archuleta scheme goes forward. Also consider that fact that, before the $80 million, there was no need for doing anything at Paseo del Norte. Suddenly under the new plan, something must be done; after all, we have $80 million to spend.

It would be good for the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition to muster its forces again and launch another campaign to save the mountains. After all, a bigger threat than the Avispa quarry is before us now. A threat, by the way, that will soon be duplicated by the powers to be on Castner Range - count on it.