El Paso City Council approves controversial Upper Valley development
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El Paso City Council has approved a controversial amendment to the Northwest Master Plan.
The amendment calls for higher density residential areas as a tradeoff for open space in the Upper Valley.
The current Northwest Plan calls for no more than 2.5 homes per acre, but the amendment allows more homes as a tradeoff for 30 percent open space.
The first area where this change is being proposed is a 120 acre plot of farm land on the corner of West Side Drive and Artcraft.
Scott Winton of Winton Homes plans to develop the land. He says the Northwest Master Plan has not accomplished its intent, to preserve the character of the Upper Valley.
“It’s a tough argument because for some people it is an emotional thing,” Winton said. “You might end up getting some large lots, but you don’t necessarily end up with a sense of open space.”
There were a few people who spoke against the amendment at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
“I’m scared and afraid because I am an immediate neighbor over there,” said Blanca Trout, who opposed the amendment. “We have children – all of us. And that’s the opportunity that we have to go through with our families, through those green areas.”
“I would like to think that there is tons of farmland there, but most of the land that has been built from Artcraft to Country Club road down Upper Valley, has already been developed,” El Paso City Rep. Peter Svarzbein said, “A lot of it has been accelerated because of the 2.5 units to the acre condition that was placed.”
A couple of the new city council members wanted to postpone the item so they could get more information. District 8 representative Cissy Lizarraga was sworn into office at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The vote to postpone, which failed, was a tie broken by Mayor Dee Margo.
The amendment passed with five approval votes.
