Canutillo ISD wants current zoning restrictions kept in place, developer disagrees
For the second time in a month, the Canutillo ISD school board finds itself in the middle of a land development issue.
The Upper Valley 120 project is located near the southwestern boundary of the district at Artcraft and West Side Drive.
Current zoning calls for density not to exceed two and a half dwelling units per acre, but developers would like more.
Thursday night, the CISD board voted 4-2, with one abstaining, to approve sending a letter to the city plan commission supporting the current zoning.
“That’s where the next area of available land is on the West Side,” said Scott Winton of Winton Homes who supports a zoning change. “It just happens to be in the Canutillo school district. It’s discouraging because we’ve been working on this for a number of years and we’ve made multiple presentations to the Canutillo school board.”
Winton was not allowed to speak at Thursday’s meeting when the letter upholding current zoning conditions was approved.
“I understand what you’re trying to do, you want to save the valley, we all want to save the valley,” Winton said. “At this point, all we’re asking for is the right to go forward to allow us to develop a plan that can show how we can do things to preserve the valley.”
Winton talked about providing irrigation and developing pecan tree groves.
“School district staff and school district attention is being spent on land development issues,” Winton said, “and that’s time not being spent on kids.”
Annette Brigham, vice president of the CISD Board, voted for the letter and to uphold the current zoning.
“The City of El Paso came up with a plan, we’re just saying stick with that plan,” Brigham told ABC-7. “There were community members there. I’m not going to upset the apple cart just because somebody with a bigger pocketbook comes in.”
CISD Board member Stephanie Frietze voted against approving the letter to the City Plan Commission.
“The school district has no business meddling in development,” Frietze said. “I think it’s really important that we stay away from development completely. There’s personal agendas that some of the board members have such as saving the valley.”
Last month, led by CISD Board President Laurie Searls, some members of the Canutillo board attempted to approve a resolution against a low income development in Vinton.
Those against the development argued the district cannot afford to take in more low-income students and the social problems they bring with them. The measure failed after Frietze and others spoke against it.
