What's the Big Deal About Southlake??

SUPs (Specific Use Permits)~ Of Course!!

Tracking Drilling Cases - Understanding the Process



Obtaining permission to drill a well in Southlake is a two-step process. First, the gas company must file an application for a specific use permit (SUP) - this process is outlined below. Second, the gas company then must obtain a gas permit from the City. Obtaining a gas permit requires compliance with Chapter 9.5, Article IV of the City Code which regulates oil and gas drilling as well as approval of an SUP.



SUP Process:



1. SUP Application filed with City

2. Staff Review of SUP

3. SPIN Meeting(s) - Public Input

4. Planning & Zoning Commission (Public Hearing)

5. City Council (Public Hearing)



If the SUP is approved by the City Council, the gas company is then required to obtain a gas permit for any well that is drilled on the site. Approval of gas permits is an administrative process that is handled at the staff level.



Please watch this video (next post) presented by Planning and Development Services Director Ken Baker. In it, Mr. Baker provides a brief explanation of oil and gas drilling process in Southlake as well as the drilling application process.[City of Southlake, Texas Web site]

Southlake, Texas: The Model

As of September 29, 2010, there is no gas drilling in Southlake.

Sales Assistant job in Yonkers

Seeking Confident Sales Associate: A full service commercial management, maintenance & cleaning company servicing customers for almost 15 years is seeking a full time sales associate. Our corporate office is located in Yonkers, NY.

The successful candidate should have exceptional communication skills and be able to successfully interact with commercial property managers, educational facilities, banking institutions, assisted living facilities, etc

Responsibilities:
- Ensure the highest level of customer care is provided.
- Establish strong customer relations, continually prospect in new business and resolve customer complaints.
- Set up personal sales expectations with Upper Management.
- Develop written estimates for clients.
- Office duties such as; setting up appointments, mailings, cold calling, etc.
- Educate new/potential customers in features and benefits of services provided.

CLICK HERE TO READ COMPLETE JOB DESCRIPTION

be aggressive but talented too

Biking is never going to become an acceptable means of travel and recreation until folks doing it learn to think about the other folks on the roads and become talented and skilled riders. I see large groups of fast cyclists riding together and basically taking up the entire lane. Often times, they are 4 abreast and unaware of any cars behind them or even the scare of death they give to a slower cyclist that they might pass on the road.

This just happened to me last weekend. I got passed by a large group of cyclists and they wizzed by very close and not one person in the group announced "passing on the left." It was unnerving to say the least and very poor form. I saw others speeding over large gravel piles and taking no precautions for safety. I see cyclists make sudden turns or stops. I had a female cyclist miss hitting me by inches going downhill. She did not think about the rain and her brakes.

Biking is a fabulous activity and lots of fun. I have discovered the joys of solo cycling this year and find it the most relaxing activity. But I have also learned how to be a better cyclist. I spent a lot of time riding with my 26 year old son. He is now commuting 60 miles a day to center city Philadelphia so he is doing some serious riding. Getting into the city from an outlying suburb takes some serious skills on the bike and tons of experience biking on highways and busy streets.

But what I have learned from my son is how to bike and be in charge on the road. He stays way over on the side, never dominates the car lane and follows all the rules of the road. But he also is in charge of himself in relationship to the cars. At intersections he gets right out in front of a car if he needs to take a lane to make a left turn. He is dominant on the road but not to the point of being stupid. This is a fine line and I have learned from watching him bike that he can be aggressive but at the same time show talent and confidence on his bike. The cars KNOW exactly what he is going to do next.

His model of cycling has helped me immensely on the roads. I feel more confident and more skilled on the road. But like my son, I never take this for granted. I constantly think about what I am doing on the road. I constantly use my rear view mirror. I constantly look for gravel or pot holes. Cycling is fun but it also demands vigilance on the road.

So be aggressive but be skilled at the same time. Take care and you will not find yourself hitting gravel and flying over your handlebars.

Chesapeake's Big Boy

He's BIG. He absolutely adores his Frac Pond.

He's bitten everybody twice.

He Just Wants to be Our Neighbor.

Room with a View

CHESAPEAKE PRISON



Gotta love the barbed wire. Very nice touch, Chesapeake!

Thornwood Company seeks Admin Ass't

Administrative Assistant in the Fiduciary Department in support for fundraising development office personnel. Banking & Finance experience; Superior interpersonal communication skills, written and oral, on a daily basis, in urgent situations and in under-pressure situations; Strong organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to prepare donor base analysis running queries & reports.

Complete respect and enthusiasm for the Catholic Church and the Legion of Christ.

Compensation D.O.E. with an Excellent Benefit Package

Click Here to view Job Requirements

The Frac Pond Cometh

And the Frac Pond Taketh Away



But not without a Black Vinyl, 6-Foot Privacy Fence...





Surely, this is simply a placeholder until the really nice Chesapeake FRAC fence arrives??

The Closest Residential Frac Pond in the Barnett Shale

So, Chesapeake must be mighty proud of their work-in-progress handiwork rammed up against our beautiful neighborhood. But Oops! Not only did the City of Grand Prairie fail to tell anyone about this lovely "pond," but they forgot to officially notify the Westchester Association of Homeowners (2,295 homes) about this High Impact Gas Well Permit now known as the Corn Valley Pad Site.



According to the Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance, it's a requirement.

Page 11



Sec. 13-507. High impact gas well permit.



(a) High impact gas well permit shall be required if the proposed well is to be located within six hundred (600) feet of a protected use for which a building permit has been issued on the date the application for a permit is filed. Notice shall be sent to all registered neighborhood associations within one-half (1/2) mile of the proposed drill site. [emphasis added.]

What? No mention of how close all other gas drilling pad site activities may be? And no mention of Frac Ponds?? Oops! Again. What was our City thinking??



(And why does the Grand Prairie Gas Drilling Ordinance refer only to a "well," when in fact, most of these drilling operations involve "multiple wells," on Pad Sites?)



Alright. So, if you are confused and don't have any idea what any of this means, Join the Club!! It's free.



In the meantime, we would like to suggest naming this monstrosity the "Chesapeake Frac Bowl." It's not exactly like the Grand Prairie Football Stadium in North Grand Prairie known far and wide as the "Gopher Bowl," and we think gophers and other rodents might eventually drown in it, but hey, a bowl's a bowl. And this one is HUGE!! Yay, Team!





Day 1 ~ August 25, 2010







Day 2 ~ August 26, 2010





Still Day 2. Wow. That Didn't Take Long.

The truth about "facts" from the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council

The truth about "facts" from the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council

GASLAND Trailer 2010

Barnett Shale Land Farm

Bike Communting with $450 worth of lights

I know a fella who is bike commuting to Philadelphia from the outlying suburbs. The round trip runs around 60 miles. So this is a substantial commute. On the advice of his trusty friend, the Internet, he decided to invest in some high powered lights. The lights require that the cyclist attach the battery packs to the bike frame.

So armed with a huge backpack and his huge body (he is 6'6") and the fabulously powered lights, he said biking became a whole new adventure. On his way in, during daylight, he turned the lights on as he approached the city limits. He said all of a sudden, he noticed that cars and buses started giving him a wide berth. Coming home it had become dark and he had both the front and back lights blaring, he said the wide berth experience was even more pronounced. Buses hung back and passed him slowly as the drivers gave him the OK sign. On four lane roads, cars moved over to the passing lane.

People stared at him. He passed a high school soccer game and he said they all turned to look. So the investment in the high powered lights was worth every penny. No one buzzed him. No one gave him the finger and swore. Apparently the motorists had no idea who or want he was. Being a large male certainly helps but he has been hassled and buzzed on his bike. The big difference seems to be the lights. They create an impression that he is either a police officer or someone important. No matter what, the lights seem to keep him safe.

Here is the link to the company he used to buy lights: DiNotte Lighting. My son bought a tail light with 240 lumens. So spend some serious cash. It's cheaper than an ER visit.

If you are a commuter and plan on doing it regularly, go get some good bike lights. I want them now. Although an old lady on a bike with high powered lights might not elicit the same response as a huge 20 something male on a bike.