Insights Should Give Dino-Track Land to Experts

Photo from www.geo.utep.edu

Once upon a time, Insights Science Museum was fairly successful. Since then, the Insights Museum has been torn down and most of its meager exhibits have gone to storage. In 2003, Stanley Jobe bought land in Sunland Park from American Eagle Brick Company and gave it to Insights because the land is a valuable paleontological asset. In 2002 a young geology student (now Ph.D.), Eric Kappus, discovered dinosaur tracks on it. Unfortunately, in spite of Eric's expertise and his building a hiking trail from one of the dino sites to Ardovino's Desert Crossing, Insights ended their relationship with him.

Insights board members are (we guess) volunteers. I'm sure that they are good and well-intentioned people who care about our community and have served it well. However, they are also amateurs who have little, if any, knowledge about managing land and, in particular, managing land with dinosaur tracks. Dino footprints at one site are slowly eroding because there is no protection from modern day footprints all over the site.

The President of Insights, Ellen Esposito, told me that they have had no success finding benefactors to help them provide free tours, for instance, with Celebration of Our Mountains. Apparently they have also reached out to 13 companies including Western Refinery. They have not had any success with sponsorships. 

Esposito told me that "liability insurance, expense of tour guides and taxes must be covered by program fees." Insights recently advertised through the Trans-Pecos Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists for people willing to be trained to be docents. Of course, there would be no expense for tour guides if they are volunteers. 

An owner of commercial property in Sunland Park pays significantly less tax on his 24 acres than on his house in El Paso. The approximately 200 acres on which there are dino tracks is not commercial nor is it any longer a quarry operation.
What exactly is Insights' business plan and their goals for this very valuable paleontolgocal treasure? If they truly cared about the preservation of this site, why not turn it over to the Bureau of Land Management and let the Las Cruces office of the BLM manage it? The BLM people are experts. 

In fact, turning over the land to New Mexico to make it part of a 500-mile Rio Grande trail has been proposed by Esposito and renowned UTEP geology professor, Phil Goodell. "The State Parks Division of New Mexico’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resource Department will facilitate discussions about the dinosaur tracks property," David Crowder of the El Paso Inc. recently reported.

Today one even wonders what the purpose of Insights is any longer. The City of El Paso will soon have a Children's Museum. Insights, more so then than now, will be a relic of the past. An indication that that is true is the fact that they cannot find any serious donors. 

It is time to admit what many have already realized: Insights has no business managing the Dino Tracks. They should turn it over to the BLM or another NM State agency that knows how to manage land and parks.

(I have reached out to Ellen Esposito for comment but have not heard back yet.)

City Council Appears Ready to Seal the Deal on Kern View Estates

Hikers get exercise and enjoy the trail where Kern View Estates II could have gone.

City Council seems poised to pass an amendment to Title 19 which will seal the deal on Kern View Estates II. (The amendment is stated in agenda item 16.2 for tomorrow's meeting.) The amendment allows the owners to get a refund on a park dedication fee that they had to pay. That reimbursement is part of the deal to purchase the land from the owners and re-zone as Natural Open Space. Without the reimbursement, the sellers would call the deal off.

Last week Representative Noe said that he would oppose the amendment on the grounds that it was giving money to rich west siders. Will the politics of envy never stop in El Paso? Will the forces that eternally seek the lowest common denominator rather than the best for El Paso ever quit? The land to be preserved is for all El Pasoans. People from all around the city are doing more and more hiking in our mountains. For a city with such a high rate of diabetes and obesity, the increased outdoor activity is good news and should be encouraged.

Of course, Noe may see what some owners are doing: threatening to develop land on the mountainside so that the City will buy and preserve that land. So what? The land only has value as developed or preserved. As owners, they have a right to be recompensed if turning the land to the City for preservation.

There are also other good reasons for supporting the amendment and, thus, closing the deal. The development would have negative impact on stormwater and emergency services. It's not a matter of protecting "rich west sider's" view of the mountains; it's about safety and recreational opportunities.

Dr. No strikes again - oops - I meant Dr. Noe.

However, there are clear indications that the amendment has at least 5 solid "yes" votes. It may turn out that only No - I mean Noe - and Limon will be the only negative votes.

Here is an email from activist, Ellen Esposito, sent out yesterday evening:

"On Tuesday, April 28th, City Council will vote on an ordinance which directly impacts the approved purchase of Kern View Estates II.  One of the conditions of the purchase is that the owners receive a refund of the fees already paid to the city. These fees must be paid when the development plan is submitted for approval if park lands will not be dedicated in the development. Because the owners are conveying the property to the city, the City Planning Commission supports this refund to the seller. 

"There will be discussion and dissension is expected at the city council meeting. Because it is next to impossible to build a park in mountain development zoned property, a landowner would be required to pay these fees.  Many of us recognize that this reimbursement will encourage landowners of mountain development zone properties to abandon their plat and convey the property to open space.  In the interest of protecting open space as designated in Plan El Paso, we believe that City Council's approval of this ordinance is vital. The Franklin Mountains are ecologically sensitive areas which we have a responsibility to protect for future generations of El Pasoans. 

"Please mark your calendar to attend the city council meeting this Tuesday. It is important that city council see that their constituents care about protecting the mountains from development. It is important that they pass this ordinance to facilitate the purchase of Kern View Estates II.  The meeting begins at 8 AM, though I am sure this will not be addressed until later in the meeting."  

Next time Noe wants something for the east side, maybe it should be voted down because all the rich east siders have too many new and fine restaurants. Hmmm? No, Noe, it is better never to play the politics of envy.

City Council Postpones Kern View Estates Item for 60 Days

I just got word from Ellen Esposito that City Council has decided to postpone the item about the Kern View Estates site plan for 60 days. I suspect that the great work by Esposito and Mission Hills, Kern Place and Sierra Crest neighborhoods is having an effect. I know that elpasonaturally's post the other day has led to action. Read that post again and follow the links. There isn't any need to go to City Council tomorrow morning but certainly emailing or calling your City Rep and signing the petition still will have a big impact. 

If you want to get involved or get on Ellen's email list, email her at eldesposito@gmail.com.