Council approves gas drilling ordinance
In an unusual turn of events, property owners and gas well drillers came together Tuesday night calling for the Grand Prairie City Council to table the proposed Gas Drilling and Production ordinance so the city, gas drillers and residents could have more time to study the comprehensive revisions to the current ordinance.
The City Council meeting that lasted almost 4 hours had dozens of speakers addressing the council expressing their concerns about gas drilling in the city.
A vote to table the proposal to give more time to study the measure failed.
With Councilman Tony Shotwell making a motion to vote on the ordinance, Councilman Jim Swafford urged fellow council members to approve the proposal saying the city's Environmental Services department has worked very hard for several months to develop an acceptable ordinance. Councilman Swafford went on to say revisions to the current ordinance could be discussed for several more months and there would still be objections. He added that if something in the new ordinance is found to not work, the council can always come back and make changes.
The measure passed 6-2 with Councilmen Thorn and Hepworth voting no and Councilman Jensen removing himself due to a conflict of interest.
