El Paso City Council Regular Meeting – May 28, 2025

The El Paso City Council convened on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers and virtually. The meeting included proclamations, public comments, approval of a consent agenda, first readings of ordinances, public hearings on zoning changes, adoption of a rideshare ordinance, and several resolutions. The council also entered executive session and later returned to deny a utility rate adjustment.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes of the May 12, 2025 Work Session and May 13, 2025 Regular Meeting.
• Excused Representative Lily Limón from the meeting.
• Approved temporary street closures for Sal y Limon 2025 (June 6–8, 2025) on Mesa and Texas Streets.
• Authorized purchase of 0.5062 acres at Westside Community Church Center for $129,000 (District 1).
• Approved a $77,500 budget transfer from Parks and Recreation operating budget to Parks Master Plan.
• Reappointed Matt Kerr, Rene D. Pena to the Employees Retirement Trust Board; Lauren Hanson to the City Plan Commission; Gilda Wilson to the Americorps Seniors Advisory Council; Silvia Serna to the Fair Housing Task Force; Cecilia Ochoa Levine to the Committee on Border Relations.
• Appointed Elizabeth M. Badillo and Rodolfo Rodriguez to the City Plan Commission; Kenneth “Ken” Gorski to the Greater El Paso Civic, Convention and Tourism Advisory Board; Margie Aguilar to the Ethics Review Commission.
• Approved tax refunds over $2,500 per state law.
• Noted discretionary fund expenditures for March 21–April 20, 2025.
• Awarded bid for Wainwright, Nashville/Byron and Wadsworth Pedestrian Improvements to BLACK STALLION CONTRACTORS, INC. for $845,338.60 (Districts 2 & 4, Community Development Block Grant).
• Awarded a Service Agreement to Avenu Insights & Analytics, LLC for Hotel Occupancy Tax Audit ($60,000/year, 3-year initial term, 2-year option, total $300,000).
• Awarded Hotel Occupancy Tax Administration Services to Avenu Insights & Analytics, LLC ($32,500/year, 3-year initial term, 2-year option, total $162,500).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Elizabeth Crawford spoke against abortion, citing the Dublin Declaration and arguing that direct abortion is never medically necessary.
• Ron Como criticized Animal Services for mismanagement, stating that in 2016 the city euthanized 100–300 animals daily and that a vet certification timeline was misrepresented. He noted 20,730 fewer strays went out to return-to-owner, adoption, and rescue.
• Barbara Valencia (Huckleberry Hound Dog Rescue) alleged that Animal Services systematically fails to register microchips implanted at free clinics, preventing reunification. She stated that 18 of 19 dogs microchipped by the city had unregistered chips, and that Animal Services changes the default “yes” (share contact info) to “no” in the registration portal.
• Emma Lloyd Callendine expressed opposition to Pride Month, stating that taxpayer money should not fund rainbow flags or events that promote LGBTQ+ agendas, which she described as sin.
• Claudia Contreras Siller (by phone) called for more volunteer help with kitten season, urged reporting animal cruelty (311 or 911), and said a drone would help gather evidence. She noted that she has spoken seven times without seeing change.

Discussion Items

• First Readings of Ordinances (Items 21–26): Introduced six rezoning and special permit ordinances (zoning changes from R-F to C-4, R-3/sp to R-4/sp, A-2 to A-3, parking reduction special permit, R-5/c to C-1/c and R-5 to C-1, and a special privilege license for balconies over right-of-way). Public hearings set for June 10 or June 24, 2025. Approved unanimously.
• Item 27 – Downtown Zoning Amendments (C-5 District): Adopted amendments to Title 20 to support downtown redevelopment. Changes remove incompatible uses (recycling collection, gas/oil drilling, shaft mining, outdoor shooting ranges, drive-throughs, warehouse clubs, large laundromats), add definitions for corner stores and self-storage warehouses (limited to 80% of area, mixed-use context), and allow child care facilities (type three). City Plan Commission recommended approval. Unanimously adopted.
• Item 28 – Rezoning 9649 Dyer Street: Rezoned from R-4 (Residential) to C-1 (Commercial) to consolidate with adjacent commercial uses. One email of opposition cited traffic concerns. Council approved unanimously.
• Item 29 – Rezoning Gateway Blvd. East and Americas: Rezoned from C-3/sc to C-4/sc. Approved unanimously.
• Item 30 – Rezoning 422 S. Yarbrough Drive: Rezoned from R-F (Ranch and Farm) to C-1 (Commercial) with conditions. Approved unanimously.
• Item 31 – Rideshare Ordinance: Adopted amendments to Title 12.48 to create rideshare zones within existing loading zones, with a 5-minute maximum for pick-up/drop-off. The first rideshare hub will be at the 200 block of Baltimore, adjacent to UTEP and Cincinnati entertainment district. Signs will be installed within two weeks. The SAMI campaign (Stop, Ask, Match, Inform) aims to improve passenger safety. City staff will work with ride-share companies on geofencing. Unanimously adopted.
• Item 32 – District 2 Graduate Intern: Authorized up to $3,000 from discretionary funds for a part-time graduate intern for 15 weeks (12 hours/week). Unanimously approved.
• Item 33 – Father's Day Meal at Wellington Chew Senior Center: Authorized $700 each from Districts 2 and 4 ($1,400 total) for meals on June 12, 2025. Unanimously approved.
• Item 34 – EPIA Iron Dust Off Bypass: Awarded bid to Dan Williams Company for $3,658,121.92 to construct a vehicle bypass for non-secured traffic to William Beaumont Army Medical Center (270 consecutive calendar days, Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant and Airport Enterprise Fund). Unanimously approved.
• Item 35 – Padel Paso Properties Economic Development Agreement: Approved a Chapter 380 agreement for a paddle court entertainment district and full-service restaurant near N. Mesa and Helen of Troy. The $3.685 million project will create 3 full-time jobs (avg. salary $58,000) and 20+ part-time jobs. City incentives total $45,425 (50% property tax rebate for 5 years, sales tax rebate on materials, development fee rebate). The net benefit to the city after incentives is estimated at $258,000 in property taxes. Unanimously approved.
• Item 36 – Safe Routes to Parks Intersection Improvements: Approved reprogramming $5.8 million from the 2022 Community Progress Bond intersection safety program to implement intersection safety improvements around 92 priority parks and recreation facilities. The program is data-driven, focusing on crash data (2014–2024), park usage, and socioeconomic factors. Improvements include sidewalk gap closures, pedestrian refuge islands, lighting, HAWK signals, rapid rectangular flashing beacons, curb extensions, and mid-block crossings. Construction expected to begin January 2026. Unanimously approved.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
• First Reading Ordinances: Introduced without discussion; public hearings scheduled.
• Downtown Zoning Amendments (Item 27): Adopted unanimously.
• Four Rezonings (Items 28–30): Adopted unanimously.
• Rideshare Ordinance (Item 31): Adopted unanimously; first hub at 200 block of Baltimore; implementation within two weeks.
• Discretionary Fund Items (32, 33): Approved unanimously.
• Airport Bypass Contract (Item 34): Awarded to Dan Williams Company, approved unanimously.
• Padel Paso Economic Incentives (Item 35): Approved unanimously.
• Safe Routes to Parks (Item 36): Approved unanimously.
• Executive Session: Council retired at 11:24 AM and returned at 1:10 PM.
  • EX1: Denied Texas Gas Service interim rate adjustment for the West North Service Area (Test Year 2024) – motion carried.
  • EX2, EX3, EX4: No action taken.
• Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 1:10 PM.