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Rim-Area Neighborhood Plan

Follow this link to see the complete neighborhood plan

The Rim-University Neighborhood Plan represents a unique opportunity for homeowners in the Rim-University Neighborhood to have a say in how the Neighborhood adapts to issues that arise from increased traffic, changes in property ownership, and the growth of nearby medical complexes and the University of Texas at El Paso. It offers a thoughtful strategy to protect the residential character of the Neighborhood while acknowledging the increasing demand by business owners and professionals to locate their offices here.

 

It sets out in writing some simple guidelines that the neighborhood informally has lived by over the years and establishes design standards that will enable the Rim-University Neighborhood to remain one of El Paso’s most interesting places to reside.

 

This Neighborhood Plan is the culmination of months of collaboration between the Rim Area Neighborhood Association, interested residents, and the City Planning, Research & Development Department staff.

 

The need for the Plan became evident when the number of rezoning applications to convert old homes along Stanton Street to offices began to increase. For more than 30 years, the Neighborhood has opposed such changes, viewing them as incompatible with a peaceful residential existence. With each new application, the Neighborhood has been forced to mobilize its opposition and attend City Plan Commission and El Paso City Council meetings to voice concerns about plans to pave over yards, use alleys to access parking lots, and further intensify traffic.

 

Seeking a proactive way to protect the Neighborhood, the Rim Area Neighborhood Association has put in hundreds of volunteer hours to articulate its position in the development of this Neighborhood Plan, so that rezoning and permit applicants, Planning staff, the City Plan Commission, and the El Paso City Council can factor them into their decision-making processes from the outset, rather than face vocal opposition at the end. It is hoped that this plan will alleviate the necessity of multiple trips each year to City Hall to fight yet another rezoning application that threatens the livability of the Rim-University Neighborhood.

 

With this Neighborhood Plan, everyone will know at the outset what the rules are for those who wish to convert a home to an office or construct an outbuilding on property. It simply articulates what changes we want to promote and those that we think will cause the Neighborhood to decline. Besides land use, this Neighborhood Plan also guides decisions by property owners that affect the streetscape, harmony and diversity of design, building details, signs and lighting, landscaping, and maintenance.

Everyone won’t agree with everything in this Plan, but our consensus is that it is the best way to protect, promote, and enhance the Rim-University Neighborhood without getting overly involved in our neighbor’s business. We have tried to strike a balance that works for all property owners, who along with the City of El Paso must adhere to these guidelines to preserve a neighborhood, that is worthy of protecting

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