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City Council approves resolution to advance land deal; adjacent outreach not yet conducted
Summary
The El Paso City Council unanimously approved a resolution to advance a land transaction tied to a larger development. City and developer representatives said the change will not reduce planned commercial acreage; outreach to adjacent residents has not yet occurred and the purchasing agency plans public meetings.
El Paso City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution to move forward with a land transaction tied to a larger development, a measure council members said will allow the purchasing entity to begin planning and engineering work ahead of seeking construction funding.
Council members and project representatives said the developer does not expect the agreement to reduce the commercial acreage originally planned for the area and that the parcel includes land already reserved for schools and regional parks. Council voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
The resolution advances a contractual step that the city described as needed to settle land acquisition so the sponsor can pursue building funds at the next legislative session. A council member summarized the legislative approach described by project proponents, saying the initial appropriation was intended to buy land first and then seek construction money later so inflation would not erode a future building budget.
City and developer representatives said the developer had set aside extra acreage within the 300-acre area they are developing to accommodate public uses while still meeting commercial obligations. A representative for the developer’s contracting partner said, “We are currently just under contract with DPS,” and that the land is zoned for mixed uses and offers flexibility for siting public facilities.
Council members asked whether adjacent neighborhoods had been notified about the change. A representative identified in the record as a representative of FSW said, “We have not. This is very early on in the process.” The same speaker said officials with the purchasing agency intend to hold public meetings and work with the city on development of the site.
Council members who spoke in favor highlighted anticipated job gains and economic-development benefits. Speakers at the meeting said the project would create roughly 200 permanent jobs and about 1,500 temporary construction jobs, figures discussed by council and staff during the item.
Following the vote, councilmembers and staff reiterated that outreach to adjacent residents remains outstanding. One councilmember urged a proactive approach: “I think it would behoove everybody to be a little bit more proactive in speaking with the adjacent neighbors.”
The presenters said schedule estimates for building depend on when construction funding is obtained; one speaker said the project team hopes to complete the building within two to three years after funding and contracting are secured. The council approved the resolution without amendment and called for follow-up engagement and public meetings as the planning process continues.
Notes: The record shows the motion passed unanimously. Specific technical, environmental or design details beyond those discussed at the meeting were not provided.
