Should We Worry about PSB Agenda Item 15?

Item 15 on tomorrow's Public Service Board agenda reads:

"Discussion and action on direction received from the El Paso City Council, made on March 18 2014, for the City Manager to coordinate with the Public Service Board to determine the feasibility of selling property in 100 acres parcels or less, for property located in the Northwest Regulating Planned area." 

Anytime anything comes up about the Northwest Master Plan, some in the environmental/conservation voice concerns. They should. The questions are always the same: Will the arroyos be preserved? Will bridges be used and not culverts? Will smart code be followed? All as agreed upon following a successful petition to preserve the land.

City Council asked for a study to determine the cost of the development if divided among smaller developers versus the cost should just one developer do the entire planned area. URS was contracted to do the study.

The URS study found that one developer is the best way to go. City Planning recommends this finding and my sources tell me that the PSB will do so also.

EPWU/PSB General Attorney, Lupe Culler, said that the item will not circumvent the Master Plan.

Must See Video: The Face of the Franklin Mountains

Special Report: The Face of the Franklin Mountains

[If  you receive elpasonaturally by email, you will not be able to see the video. Go to www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com to view it.]

Thank you KTSM-9 El Paso!

WTUFC Contributes Apple Tree to Community Garden

On hand were Jim Tolbert, President of WTUFC, El Paso City Council Representative Emma Acosta, Brent Pearson , Oscar Mestas and members of the Cielo Vista Neighborhood Association

The West Texas Urban Forestry Council (Los Tree Amigos) and the Cielo Vista Neighborhood Association celebrated Texas Arbor Day today by planting a tree in the Community Garden of the Cielo Vista Neighborhood Association. Oscar Mestas, Texas A&M Urban Forester, and Brent Pearson, City of El Paso Arborist, demonstrated the correct way to plant a tree. 

City Arborist, Brent Pearson, finishes planting the apple tree.

On hand to help plant the tree were City Council Representative, Emma Acosta, WTUFC Board President, Jim Tolbert, and WTUFC Treasurer, Joanne Burt.

Jim Tolbert, Brent Pearson, Emma Acosta

Arbor Day was founded in 1872 in  Nebraska. By the 1920s, each state in the United States had passed public laws that stipulated a certain day to be Arbor Day. In Texas, Arbor Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday in November, the best time of year to plant trees in our climate. The customary observance of Arbor Day is to plant a tree. On the first Arbor Day, an estimated one million trees were planted.

Trees produce oxygen and clean the air. A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. Trees act as a giant filter that cleans the air we breathe. Trees absorb carbon dioxide which promote climate change.

It is the mission of Arbor Day to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.

The Friday Video: Texas Arbor Day 2015 [The proclamation is well worth listening to.]


For more information:

West Texas Urban Forestry Council (especially tree care page)

EPWU Desert Plant List

City of El Paso Tree Care Manual

Register by Tomorrow for Discounted Price for Sun Country Landscape Conference

Los Tree Amigos of the West Texas Urban Forestry Council are bringing you 3 great opportunities to learn about trees in your community.

2015 Sun Country Landscape Conference is near.

Thursday November 19,  All of the presentations on Thursday will be in Spanish.

Friday November 20, is the professional day, with presentations geared more for the Arborist, Urban Forester, Landscape Architect, Architect, Engineer, Planner, Landscape contractor and other Natural Resource Professionals.    ISA CEU’s  5 CA, 1 BCMA Sci, 4 BCMA Mgt, 1Utility, 1 Muni, & 1 TW Climber.

Saturday November 21, is the homeowner’s  turn to learn how to keep their homestead green and lush while conserving water and our desert resources.

Please save these dates and please pass this on to anyone whom you think would be interested.

Register at   www.wtufc.org

Click on images below to enlarge.

Improve Connectivity at FMSP Soon To Start

TxDOT calls it simply "Improve Connectivity at FMSP". It's an animal corridor and a separate hike and bike trail. It is the means to connect the south and north sides of Franklin Mountains State Park at Tom Mays Park now cut off by Transmountain Road. 

The project has been a possibility for a long time. The problem has been funding but it looks like the funds are now there.

TxDOT opened bids yesterday and there were six. Three of them came within the acceptable 10% range above estimate. The lowest was 1.07% over estimate. Regional Engineer Bob Bielek reports: "Without doing a complete review for an unbalanced bid, 1.07% over is very close to the estimate.  Absent any abnormalities with the bid I would think that a contract will be awarded to the low bidder at the next Commission meeting.  In fact, the three lowest bids are all within, or close to, the 10% that we typically look for.  That said, given the time to get the contracts signed, etc. and the upcoming holidays, I would expect a construction start shortly after the first of the year."

Former PSB member, avid mountain bike rider and a major driver throughout the years for this project responded: "Very Cool! Woohoo!"

Very cool indeed.

Support Alternative Transportation

Definitely click on image to enlarge

In addition to participating in one of the above sessions, be aware of three amendments to the federal transportation bill which would scuttle funds for walking and biking infrastructure. You can sign an online petition HERE.

Save the Sierras

Here's another Derek Spear video produced yesterday and uploaded to his YouTube page, Adventure Drone. About this video, Derek writes: "Flight over the eastern slopes of the Franklin Mountains. The site is currently being studied for a planned development called Sierra del Puerte. Save Our Sierras was formed as a committee of the Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition in an effort to preserve the area in its natural state."

The Knapp family has been trying to sell the property to the City for several years now. My understanding is that they want a very reasonable price. The land including arroyos is beautiful. I have hiked there and I can tell you that there is a spot which always makes me stop and keep silent. It is a place where I have experienced the numinous as Rudolf Otto named it in his book The Idea of the Holy: mysterium tremendum et fascinans. 

This land is powerful and beautiful. We have already developed too much of our mountainsides. The family that owns it wants to preserve it also. The City needs to step up and care.