By Phillip Shinoda 

Even before the Dallas Planning Commission meeting on reconsideration of three permits for gas drilling in Dallas parks  that were denied in December,  there were complaints that there would be no citizen input in the process.  Speakers spoke in the Flag room before the start of the meeting.

Joe Alcantar (in the center of the photo ) the Chairman of the Commission moved the reconsideration of the permits to the top of the agenda.  The commission voted six to five to approve  reconsideration  (Two commissioners had voted against the permits were absent ) The meeting of  erupted of shouts of "Shame"

The manuvering was noted by a commissioner who voted for the permits in the December meeting. ( Dallas Morning News Blog )

Prior the vote, several commissioners said they were opposed to bringing the permits back for reconsideration. Commissioner Sally Wolfish, who voted for the permits in December, said she saw no reason to reconsider the commission’s vote.“In my six years on the city plan commission I’m only aware of two motions for reconsideration before this body…We are being asked to reconsider our vote because denial of this body requires more votes to approve the (permits) at the City Council level and the denial by the City Council may lead to lawsuits by the applicant,” Wolfish said.“While these are extremely important issues they are issues that properly lie in the venue of the City Council, not the (plan commission),” she said.

The commission also voted 11 to 0 to have a public meeting of the Dallas Planning Commission on the gas drilling permits.  It  will be held Thursday, Februry 7, 2013.

There are several sources of information to keep up to date with the  the controversy. Including

The Dallas Morning News  http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com

Environmental sites  

Dallas Drilling  http://dallasdrilling.wordpress.com/

Dallas Residents at Risk http://dallasresidentsatrisk.com/

Watch the CBS News story here.

Read the Dallas Morning News story here.

Listen to the KERA story here.

Read the Dallas Observer story here.

Frac Dallas  http://fracdallas.org/

Photos: Phillip Shinoda

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