El Paso City Council Work Session: Meta Community Agreement and Vision Zero Updates (September 14, 2026)

On September 14, 2026, at 9:01 AM, the El Paso City Council held a work session in Council Chambers and virtually, with Mayor Renard Johnson presiding and a quorum present. The council received staff updates on the Meta Platforms community agreement and the FY26 Vision Zero program, heard public comment on both topics, and later acted on executive session claim items.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Muniz opposed the way the Meta community agreement had been politicized and criticized several council members by name for rhetoric he said drives business away. He warned that the city faces rising contractual obligations of nearly $30 million split between unions, while property tax exemptions reduce revenue, and urged council to act on public safety data and recommendations from deputy city managers.
• Patricia Osman, speaking on the Meta item, expressed opposition to the project and called the presentation 'double speak and gaslighting.' She said Meta is the wrong type of business for El Paso, will harm residents through pollution and lower property values, questioned the claimed household savings and job numbers, and criticized transparency, including NDAs. She stated her family has been on the land over 400 years and she will continue to protect it.
• Patricia Osman, speaking on Vision Zero, said the presentation lacked full data on the effectiveness of completed improvements. She cited resident and business opposition to roundabouts and bike lane changes, and asserted that work sessions are being used to 'slide things under the rug.'

Discussion Items

Meta Platforms Community Agreement Update

• Fernando Berjano and Omar Martinez of Strategic and Legislative Affairs presented an update on the council's June 23, 2026 directive to draft a community agreement and regional framework with Meta. Staff held technical work sessions at UTEP on August 21, 2026 with UTEP, EPCC, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, El Paso County, El Paso Electric, and El Paso Water, using the city's Climate Action Plan as a framework.
• Stakeholders identified priorities including hiring and training El Pasoans first for Meta's 300 permanent positions; residential energy-efficiency weatherization to lower utility bills; energy efficiency in public facilities; water conservation and green infrastructure; expanding the 915 Tree Keepers program; neighborhood mini-grants; and resilience hubs.
• Omar Martinez reported that Meta released its $1 billion 'Future Is for Everyone' grant fund that morning. Staff plan to bring a city application in two weeks; applications are due October 19, 2026. Each entity may submit one application, projects must be implementable within one year, and the program is administered by the third-party platform Change X with internal evaluation. Eligible applicants include local governments, nonprofits, school districts, and universities.
• City staff had proposed a replenishing annual program fund and an oversight committee of regional stakeholders, but Meta's current program uses an internal evaluation committee; staff will continue advocating for community representation.
• Staff stated Meta has made no commitments, specific allocations, or implementation schedule. Meta indicated intent to increase local staff, participate in stakeholder meetings, and hold community meetings across all council districts. Mayor Johnson's letter to Meta and Meta's response helped shape the application strategy.
• Rep. Cynthia Boyar Trejo gave a statement describing prior council actions on data centers and noting that terminating the 380 agreement could expose taxpayers to liability and would not guarantee ending construction because Meta already owns the property. She asked that partner agencies and Meta present when the community agreement comes back to council. Council members also asked about expanding stakeholders to include ISDs, neighborhood associations, and nonprofits, and about who controls fund decisions; staff said invitations to ISDs and nonprofits are coming, and they will ask Meta about local control.

FY26 Vision Zero Program Update

• Ana Zendt of the Capital Improvement Department presented the FY26 Vision Zero update. Vision Zero was adopted in 2023 to end roadway fatalities, with Safe Routes to School adopted in 2024.
• FY26 education and outreach included two walk-to-school days, five bike rodeos, participation in La Nube STEAM Discovery Day, and the third annual May bike safety event at the plaza with roughly 920 attendees.
• The city's bike plan, adopted in 2016, is being updated. Staff surveyed at 14 community events and collected more than 1,000 survey responses; a draft will come back to council before the end of 2026.
• The National Center for Safe Routes to School awarded $10,000 for a quick build project at Lydia Patterson Institute, including curb extensions, crosswalks, and signage.
• Safe Routes to Parks bond projects are in early design, with construction estimated to start in summer 2027.
• Quick build projects are being implemented under Vision Zero at locations including Sun Valley, Edgemere, Northwestern, and Ford Boulevard; the first quick build, at Canes Middle School, is becoming permanent. A public call produced 53 applications; about 26 qualified based on crash history or the high-injury network, and about 8 projects were selected within budget for design and spring construction. A five-way intersection in Sunset Heights with a recent fatality was among the selected locations.
• The FY23 Safe Streets and Roads for All grant of about $9 million, plus match, was delayed by the federal discretionary freeze but has now been signed; it includes safe routes to school, intersection safety, quick builds, education, and a signature reconstruction of North Yarpur Drive.
• Fatalities declined from 83 in 2023 to 70 in 2024 and 53 in 2025. The pedestrian fatality rate from 2020 to 2024 fell to 2.33 deaths per 100,000 people. Mayor Johnson praised the city's progress from being ranked the 17th most dangerous pedestrian city to one of only 20 of the 101 largest cities.
• In response to council questions, staff said they are working with Streets and Maintenance and ESD on bike lane cleaning and maintenance, considering an adopted bike lane program and minimum standards, engaging all three school districts, and treating Alabama as a priority corridor under the bike plan and Safe Streets and Roads for All funding.

Key Outcomes

• No action was taken on the Meta community agreement update or the Vision Zero update; both were informational.
• The council voted unanimously to enter executive session and later returned.
• EX1 – Claim of Lorenzo Diaz, Claim #720: Motion passed unanimously authorizing the City Attorney's Office, in consultation with the City Manager, to deny the claim and take all necessary steps.
• EX2 – Claim of Menda Wangchuk Dorji, Claim #881: Motion passed 7-1 authorizing denial of the claim; Rep. Acevedo voted no.
• EX3 – Cities of Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso v. State of Texas: no action.
• EX4 – Virtual currency kiosk/ATM regulation ordinance: no action.
• The work session adjourned at 11:07 AM.