Coalition of Neighborhood Associations Overwhelmingly Passes Resolution Supporting Natural Open Space

Last night at their monthly meeting, the Neighborhood Coalition of El Paso voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution for preserving the Transmountain Scenic Corridor by rezoning it as Natural Open Space. 79% of registered City of El Paso neighborhood associations present supported City Council's direction to staff to rezone the land and to seek a conservation easement to preserve that land in perpetuity.

The resolution also called for modifying the TxDOT plans by moving Paseo del Norte west toward Gas Line Road and expanding Transmountain east of Gas Line at grade - no overpasses or interchanges. They also called on the City to modify the Westside Master Plan.

Coalition President, Mark Benitez, called the resolution "perfect". He told me that he has signed it and, once I have a copy of the signed resolution, I will publish it. For now, here is the text:

Resolution Supporting Re-Zoning Land in the Transmountain Scenic Corridor as Natural Open Space

WHEREAS: the Transmountain Scenic Corridor in northwest El Paso is the only scenic corridor and can be preserved by rezoning it as Natural Open Space and by creating a conservation easement which will keep the land as Natural Open Space in perpetuity;

WHEREAS: the City Council of El Paso, Texas directed City staff to initiate the process for rezoning at its regular meeting on October 12, 2010;

WHEREAS: amenities such as open space, parks, additional outdoor recreational opportunities and scenic beauty will attract quality businesses and industries to re-locate to El Paso and offer higher-paying, quality jobs;

WHEREAS: the PSB’s selling land for the Westside Master Plan will not significantly affect or reduce our water rates and, in fact, additional infrastructure costs associated with land sales, result in a net loss to rate payers;

WHEREAS: more development especially on the mountain side requires more additional City services in the way of fire, police, schools, roads and more and those services become a heavier burden on us as tax payers;

WHEREAS: all of our neighborhoods and all of us benefit from natural open space and scenic beauty;

WHEREAS: preserving the Transmountain scenic corridor by rezoning approximately 800 acres as Natural Open Space will not hold up the TxDOT proposal for improvements to Transmountain from I-10 to the entrance to the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park nor jeopardize the $80 million for the project as some have misrepresented;

WHEREAS: the Open Space Advisory Board of the City of El Paso has recommended moving the proposed Paseo del Norte interchange west toward Gas Line Road and expanding the current two lanes to four at grade only from Gas Line to the State Park entrance as a further means of preserving the scenic corridor;

WHEREAS: that expansion can be done because of right of ways given to TxDOT by the Public Service Board in exchange for conduits under Transmountain;

WHEREAS: necessary major and minor water utility infrastructures can be built on land zoned as Natural Open Space so that our fellow El Pasoans in adjacent areas can be provided with water and sewer services;

WHEREAS: the Westside Master Plan was created one year before the 2006 floods and needs major revision;

WHEREAS: the City, since 2006, has adopted Smart Growth policies and made other major changes to land planning that were not available when the Westside Master Plan was created and which are beneficial to all El Pasoans;

WHEREAS: Transmountain Road and the Westside Master Plan will impact our family’s and neighborhood’s quality of life for decades to come and those plans should be modified to protect the scenic corridor of Transmountain Road and reflect principles of Smart Growth, Green Infrastructure and Low Impact Development which are better for the environment and for protecting the cherished beauty of our mountains;

THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY:

RESOLVED: The Neighborhood Coalition of El Paso strongly supports the City Council’s direction to staff on October 12, 2010 to rezone land in the Transmountain Scenic Corridor as Natural Open Space and to seek a conservation easement which will keep the land as Natural Open Space in perpetuity;

RESOLVED: The Neighborhood Coalition of El Paso supports moving the Paseo del Norte interchange to a location closer to Gas Line Road and expanding lanes east of Gas Line Road at grade only.

RESOLVED: The Neighborhood Coalition of El Paso asks City Council to direct City staff and the PSB to modify the Westside Master Plan in light of newer ways to protect natural open space while maximizing the use of developable land;

RESOLVED: The Neighborhood Coalition of El Paso requests that TxDOT modify their plans for improvements along Transmountain from I-10 to the entrance to Tom Mays Park to comply with the conditions of this resolution and do so immediately so that money for the project will not be lost.