Chapter 15, Article II of the City Code, as amended in 2009, regulates gas drilling in Fort Worth. Staff recommends that the ordinance be amended to require City Council approval of any gas wells or freshwater fracture ponds within the boundaries of an urban village. Substantial taxpayer dollars have been and will be invested in urban villages for infrastructure and streetscape and pedestrian enhancements in order to spur private development. City Council review and approval of drill sites and freshwater fracture ponds will ensure that key properties remain developable as commercial and mixed use projects in order to maximize the return on the taxpayer's investment. This is consistent with the City Council's efforts to balance the goal of promoting orderly growth and development with the rights of property owners to produce their minerals. Urban village boundaries are currently identified in the 2009 Comprehensive Plan and highlighted in the attached exhibits. These boundaries may be amended from time to time in future updates of the Comprehensive Plan as adopted by the City Council.
The proposed ordinance grandfathers sites within urban villages that currently have an approved gas well permit or gas well pad site permit. In addition, any property in an urban village that is owned, leased or controlled by a gas well operator and has received approval of a drilling and development plan by the Planning and Development Director prior to the adoption of this ordinance will not be required to receive City Council approval for drilling permit applications.
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