The City of El Paso is looking to rezone a historic area of El Paso's Mission Valley to SmartCode and will consider the item at an upcoming City Council meeting. The target area is centered around the Nestor Valencia Transit Center at the intersection of Alameda Avenue and Zaragoza Road and stretches roughly 3,000 feet in each direction.
The Illustrative Plan in the rezoning application makes multiple suggestions for improving land use in the area. This includes creating more density towards the center of the neighborhood, nearest the Transit Center. It also suggests that this transfer center could be leveraged to increase access to the nearby Ysleta Mission, part of the Mission Trail.
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| Concept of view of Zaragoza Road across from the existing Transit Center. |
Green spaces and pedestrian connections can also be created by using large, undeveloped areas at the center of many of the blocks. These green spaces can also be used as frontage for new residential units. Also, the plan suggests lining large parking lots in front of retail buildings with commercial or residential uses to enhance the pedestrian environment.
In all, 528 acres could be divided into three different SmartCode transect types. Around 44.3% of the area will be designated as T3 Sub-Urban, 41.6% will be T4 General Urban, and 14.1% will be T5 Urban Center. A total of 42.46 acres would be created as green space, including squares, playgrounds, plazas, and greenways.
The rezoning application was introduced at this week's Council meeting and will be reviewed at the April 2, 2013, meeting.
Rezoning Application (PDF):
http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/03-26-13/03261309G.pdf
