I'll save the discussion about the full page ad in Friday's "Messenger" for another day. If I hadn't used all my "special interest" money on a campaign contribution, I'd buy an ad to rebut all of the uh..."inaccuracies" in it.
Well deserved congratulations to Al and Virginia for running a clean campaign. It is an honor to know them.
Wonder why Jody felt it necessary to put up signs at the last minute--all strategically placed between the Dixon and Levenick signs?
45 votes. Wow. Every vote really does matter. Virginia ran a heck of a campaign even though it started late and didn't have the "influential" backers that her opponent had.
Kudos to Virginia for bringing the drilling in highly residential areas issue to the forefront. I'm sure the seniors won't mind.
Lastly, for those of you that think the drilling issue is going to just "go away" now, be forewarned. I just got 400 new "Just say NO to urban drilling" signs. We're just getting started.
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What does it say about an incumbent when the Mayor won't publicly support him? Hmmmm...wonder what she knows that we don't.
My guess would be that the incumbent isn't in the back pocket of the gas people like she is.
What are youi implying when you write "back pocket"
Yes, many many thanks to Virginia for bringing the issue of URBAN drilling into the campaign. Before that, it seemed that the candidates just wanted to gloss over it.
In response to "what does it say about an incumbent" I have to say, what does it say about a Mayor, running unopposed, that will still be on council for two years, publically supporting candidates, sending a message that I won't work with these people? Who said, (not exact wording)in the article in the paper, she wasn't saying much because she doesn't want to seem like she is endorsing certain candidates? Long question with a short answer. Says one thing does another. This is the problem we have with our current government. In regards to the "back pocket" remark.Okay maybe she is getting anything financial out of this RIGHT NOW.If she was, I am sure it would be hard to prove. But, if she decides someday to run for a higher office, she will need her developer and gas buddies to foot her campaign bill.
These comments are ridiculous and if they were not so inflammatory they would be comical.
Sounds like the mayor found this blog!
It is funny- if anyone ever disagrees with you- you always call out the gas company or a town councilman. There are those of us who live in this town (in your neighborhood in fact) that support drilling and the current council. Not everyone is anti-gas drilling, anti-council, anti-development. There are 65,000 of us with differing opinions that find it offensive that you insinuate that our town counci is personally benefitting from or in the back pockets of developers. Most likely you have never even spoken to one to know where any of them stand on these issues, yet you slander them with insinuations- it is shameful!
I don't think any of us are really against gas drilling. If you read the top of the blog it states exactly what this is about. It is against drilling in the middle of neighborhoods. Having gas wells in the middle of town. If you support drilling within a 1000' of your home or your neighbor's home, why are you even on this site? I personally am sick of hearing that all of us should just shut up and sign for the good of the country and our neighbor's little itty bitty financial gain. Take one in the "you know what" so to speak. The only people drilling is good for is the one's who THINK they will be far enough away that drilling won't affect them. But, when all is done and they are drilling everywhere, we are rationing water while the gas companies are using 70,000 gallons per well a day (this is documented on the texas railroad commission website)and we have multiple ozone days because of trucks and drilling equipment(copy and paste this article) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/rural_pollution&printer=1;_ylt=ApBgPoD5LO1ggH2zpulSA_NH2ocA
we will know who to blame. By the way. I have talked to the members of the town council and the mayor. Since we are suppose to believe they are not gaining financially, they must be either clueless or plain ignorant for not planning ahead for urban drilling issues. Let's hope for all of the town resident's they start addressing this issue NOW!
What I find funny is that Cherokee Horn hasn't even filed for an application to drill- they are signing leases, but as of right now, no one really knows where they propose to drill since they have yet to file. But everyone presumes to know exactly where they are going to drill. However, I hardly think they will drill in the middle of our neighborhood. You can't even see into the Northshore Club as it is. If they were drilling at our community park or on the green belt, then I would say that is in the middle of our neighborhood. I am not for drilling "within" 1000 feet of my home, but 1000 feet or more from it, doesn't bother me. I read the ordinance and unless the driller gets a variance, there won't be drilling within a thousand feet. I believe with the pressure the neighborhood is bringing, the Oil and Gas Board won't grant that variance. So I am on this site because I do not want it within 1000 feet, but if the driller can find a spot 1000 feet or more from our neighborhood and I can capitalize on some of that revenue- so be it. I've talked to many of our neighbors that feel the same way and have already signed gas leases. They are also equally concerned that drilling doesn't occur within the 1000 feet. I am just thankful that the council increased the ordinance to 1000 feet as it was 500 only 10 months ago. But no one ever mentions that!
You need to do some more reading.
The recent change made to the Town O&G Ordinance, which was approved last year (3/15/07) was to allow drilling within 300 feet of a residence (as opposed to the prior requirement of 500 feet) if the residence had mineral rights--meaning they had leased their minerals--and if the Town O&G Board approved the variance.
Here's the link to the minutes: http://www.flower-mound.com/agenda/TCarchive/minutes_031507.pdf
The Council did not increase the setbacks to 1,000 feet. They were always at 1,000 feet and they could always be decreased to 500 feet as long as the O&G Board approved the variance.
That is right. It was 1000' feet and has been changed. If you don't have mineral rights, they have to ask for a variance to bring it
500'. If you do have mineral rights, and don't sign they can ask for a variance to 500'. If you sign, they can and will ask for the variance to change to 300'. This is from the center of the nearest home. Not the property line. So all should be concerned about Northshore. That will put it 800' closer to all our homes. Also, there are a lot of trees in Northshore but, because of fire danger and access to the site, they will have to clear many of them. I read that they need 5 to 8 acres of clear land. You will be able to see what is going on there. Just drive around and look at some of the drill sites. They are big open dirt lots. A friend of mine signed in Double Oak and said they had no idea what it was going to be like. They are more at least a 1/4 mile from the site. That is more than 1320' away and have had to complain about the noise 24/7 during the drilling process and the worst was the lights. During the winter when the leaves where off the trees it was so bad, they couldn't sleep. The brightness and the sound was bad. This is where they have the buffers on the rig out off of 407. The buffers have not helped much. Think real hard before you sign anything.
Is Double Oak's ordinance the same as Flower Mound's? Set backs, noise, light etc???
I am unaware of Double Oak's ordinance. I am not sure it matters because my friend is over a 1/4 mile away. I do know there are lights on all the rigs, traffic with all the drill sites, drilling 24/7 (FM allows that), fracking (FM allows it during the day). Also, they can put the rig back up each time they drill a new well. Some of the drill sites can have at least 6 or more wells drilled from the one site. My friend said the gas company told them the buffers would help but it wasn't enough. The noise and lights were still a problem.
Thanks. The reason I asked was because I think FM has some noise and light restrictions. Shouldn't this take care of at least some of the problems your friend had in DO?
If it is 300', 500' or 1000' away from a home, even with the buffers, I am sure there will still be an impact. Some of the residents that live out in west Flower Mound told us they could still hear the noise from the Scenic drill site and they were much farther then 1000'.
The problem is the variances. If you sign, you are in agreement with the gas company and they could ask for a variance. It is possible it would be granted because you signed. Remember, they measure the distance from the center of the nearest home. Not the property line. The O & G ordinance is long but I have read through it a few times. Each time I see something I missed during the previous reading. Whether you are for, against, or undecided, you should try to attend the FM Council Meetings and the Oil & Gas Meetings, you will learn a lot about the ordinance and drilling.
They don't grant variances for noise or light restrictions do they? I thought the variances were only for setbacks. How does that work?
The way I read the ordinance, it does look like it is only for distance from homes, flood plains etc. But of course, the closer you are the more noise and light you will get. In the ordinance, it gives the levels of noise that are allowed during the day and at night. The people we talked to that lived out in West FM said there were times it was over what it is suppose to be and they called and complained to the town. But who answers at the town hall during the middle of the night? That is when one lady said she could hear this awful sound about every 45 minutes. It would wake her up. She was pretty far away too.
Did your friend call the FM Police?
In reading the ordinance, it looks like there are setbacks from several areas-not just houses. You explained that the measurement is from the house not the property line. How are the other setbacks (parks, property line, streets) measured?
The ordinance is on line at the town website. It is long and I am not sure where the answer is to that question. I have read through it many times but do not have it memorized. I suggest you look through it. Most of your questions will be answered. Everyone should take the time to read it at least once. When you attend the O & G meetings, you will have a better Someone actually brought a printed copy to the last meeting I attended just in case they had to look something up. The answer to your question is... I am not sure if they called the police after they tried the town. I did not ask that question myself.
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