SOUTHLAKE -- The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to deny a permit for the Joe Wright gas drilling site without prejudice, meaning that XTO Energy can reapply.
The city's 180-day moratorium on new gas drilling applications expires July 17. XTO may have to wait longer than that because council members have said they might extend the moratorium.The vote came after months of contentious debate. The council voted three times Tuesday on XTO's request to drill up to 21 wells in a pasture off Brumlow Avenue near Texas 26. The proposal includes a new pipeline route. Because the Planning and Zoning Commission rejected the application in February, a supermajority vote of the council was needed. Councilman Jeff Wang recused himself because he owns property near the site, so five votes constituted a supermajority.The first motion, to deny the application without prejudice, was 3-3. XTO agreed to some conditions, and a motion to approve the permit was made. It failed because the vote was 4-2, not a supermajority. On the third vote, again a motion to deny the drilling application without prejudice, the measure passed 6-0.It was a setback for XTO, which in February won a permit for up to 18 wells on Milner Ranch. City staff has not yet issued a final permit for that site.The Wright drill site was first proposed in February 2010. Many residents opposed the original proposed pipeline route.Nicholas Sakelaris, 827-431-2231, ext. 36Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
