City Asks for Public Comment on Gas Drilling Ordinance Changes

In an unusual move, the Southlake City Council will accept public comment on a work session item at the September 6, 2011 City Council meeting. The item concerns the revision to the City’s gas and oil drilling ordinance 880-B.

Southlake is currently in the midst of a moratorium on gas drilling applications. After extending the moratorium in June, the Council came back in August and held three work sessions concerning the proposed changes.

The changes include procedural, plan submittal, and operational modifications based upon the conversations between the Council and former applicants, as well as the ordinances of other cities.

The September 6 work session discussion will include the topic of setbacks and a review of the changes that have been discussed to date. While the work session will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, the City Council will not begin discussions on the gas drilling ordinance item before 7:00 p.m. Prior to taking comments from the public on the issue, the City Council will first convene in a closed executive session.

All speakers will be allotted three minutes. Giving up that time to others will not be allowed. Those with outside interests will have an opportunity to speak after Southlake residents speak, if time permits.

Comment cards will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. Interested parties will have until the start of the gas drilling work session item to submit their cards to City Staff.

For more information on gas drilling in the City of Southlake, please visit www.CityofSouthlake.com/GasDrillingInSouthlake.