By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-893380.mp3
Dallas, TX – Tonight, the town of Southlake begins public hearings on its first natural gas drilling permit. KERA's BJ Austin says Southlake's decision could be very important for its neighbor, Grapevine.
XTO Energy wants to drill on undeveloped land near Southlake's border with Grapevine.
The proposed well is more than one thousand feet from the nearest Southlake home, as required. But it's only 800 feet from Grapevine High School.
What happens if a proposed well meets all requirements in one city, but not in the neighboring town, only yards away? Mike Eastland, with the North Central Texas Council of Governments, says it's a dilemma that needs to be solved.
Eastland: Somehow determine legally if zoning laws and rules and regulations that either city might put in place could somehow be considerate of, or at least consider, the impact it's going to have on neighboring communities.
Eastland says, so far, a standardized, "regional" drilling ordinance has not been brought-up - and a solution is up to the cities and citizens involved.