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City Plan Commission approves Inglewood Valley plat, allows exception on Via Maria improvements
Summary
The El Paso City Plan Commission approved the Inglewood Valley major combination plat and granted requested exceptions under Title 19, while commissioners and the applicant discussed vacating a 35-foot Via Maria right-of-way to avoid an unimproved remnant that has attracted debris.
The El Paso City Plan Commission approved the Inglewood Valley major combination plat and the applicant's exception requests, planning staff said, while commissioners discussed concerns about an unimproved segment of Via Maria Drive that currently would serve only the proposed development.
Planning staff presented the Inglewood Valley application, describing a subdivision of roughly 4.82 to 5 acres with stormwater managed by on-site ponding and noted the application is being reviewed under the current subdivision code. Staff said the exception requests — including a waiver for right-of-way improvements along Via Maria — meet criteria under El Paso City Code Title 19, and recommended approval of the plat and exceptions.
The presentation showed that Via Maria would not be extended and, as presented, would serve only the private development. Commissioner Masood and others queried staff about access for nearby parcels and whether adjacent subdivisions would ever extend improvements. Staff said the adjacent Abbotting subdivision has been platted and currently provides no access that would justify extending Via Maria; staff called the chance of future improvements from that subdivision "minimal." Commissioners raised concerns the unimproved right-of-way could become a maintenance and dumping issue if left as a remnant.
Jorge Escarte, representing the applicant (CA Group), told commissioners the applicant originally included a request to vacate the entire Via Maria right-of-way but had been advised to contact abutting property owners. Escarte said the applicant had been unable to obtain all consents during the five-day review process, but later that day the city indicated consent might not be required and the applicant said it was willing to initiate the formal vacation process for the 35-foot right-of-way to avoid the "no-man's land" condition and attendant illegal dumping.
City staff cautioned commissioners about conditioning approval on the vacation. Kevin Smith (Planning and Inspections) told the commission he did not believe vacating could be made a condition of plat approval if the plat otherwise met Title 19 requirements, though the applicant had expressed interest in pursuing the vacation.
After discussion, a motion to approve the Inglewood Valley major combination with the exception requests passed on a voice vote.
