Photo: Brax-VPC |
More Farmland to be Re-Zoned.
Two tracts of pristine farmland are ready for rezoning and finaliziation of re-zoning, according to George Sarmiento, Director of Planning.
Country Club Road
One tract of 8.6 acres is on Country Club Road near the intersection of Country Club Place and Love Road. This beautiful tract, which has recently grown corn, alfalfa and cotton, is adjacent to a pecan orchard. This tract was presented to the El Paso City Council on August 2, 2005 and a R-1 with Special Permit was approved.
R-1 is a zoning category that allows for one home per every 20,000 sq. ft. or about one half acre. This tract is right in the heart of the old residential area surrounding the El Paso Country Club. Plans call for a Planned Residential Development and the subdivision plate map will be presented to City Council in the near future.
Upper Valley Road
Another tract of farmland containing 25.5 acres is on the corner of Upper Valley Road and Artcraft and runs along Artcraft to Strahan Road. This re-zoning request if for a Rio de la Luna subdivision.
This parcel abuts a large drainage canal which flows through the valley from near Mesilla, New Mexico. The only exit would be on Strahan which has only access to Borderland Road. There may be plans for a bridge over the drain which would allow traffic to enter Upper Valley Road. The developers are attempting to obtain a R-3A zoning classification ("High" density, with almost 8 homes to the acre).
Due to the past efforts of the Upper Valley Alliance and more recently the Save the Valley group; signs are now posted throughout the valley to insure that residents are not kept out of the re-zoning loop.
Prior to this change of notification, only residents within 250 ft of the tract were even notified of a re-zoning hearing. In the past, huge areas of farmland were re-zoned to R-3A without even one resident being notified due to the Planning Department adhering to the 250 ft. limit.
R-3A or "R-5".
Residents have long contended that in the past, the Planning Department along with some Westside City Council Representatives were in the pocket of the developers.
Apparently, residents contend, the R-3A zoning classification which should be more appropriately called R-5 because it allows for higher density than R-4 was meant to confuse the residents and is one example of this alledged "cooperation" between the Planning Department and the developers. Some residents have also assured the Upper Valley Beacon that past Planning Department staff are now, current employees of some developers.
Both R-3A ("R-5")and R-4 are "High" density classification. Residents complain that this type of high density rezoning would be appropriate for subdivisions found in the desert for low to low/mid-priced homes and not where there is water to grow crops, pastures or orchards.
All of the R-3A classification re-zoning near Artcraft was approved during the four-term tenure of Jan Sumrall, Westside City Representative who had such solid backing from developers that she ran uncontested more off than naught. More recently, former Rep. Susan Austin attempted to continue that trend of destruction by allowing for more R-3A ("R-5"). Austin ran into stiff opposition by the Upper Valley Alliance and Save the Valley, and lost the recent election by a landslide.
This re-zoning case was before the City Plan Commission on August 11, 2005 and was tabled for two weeks. It will come before the CPC again on the 25th of August at 1:30 PM.
Residents are encouraged to fax or send letters to the City Plan Commission c/o Planning Department, City Hall. Residents may also attend the zoning hearing at the CPC.
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Editor, Upper Valley Beacon
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