Colleyville could mandate air testing at proposed drill site

COLLEYVILLE — An upscale Tarrant County community wants to know why drilling for natural gas is being proposed near homes and next to a park.

The Hills of Monticello's lease specifies "....in no event shall a well be located less than 1,000 feet from the land without lessor's written consent."

Titan Operating, however, is proposing a well site 400 feet from the tennis courts in the neighborhood's park. The drill site would be the first in Colleyville.

The Hills of Monticello spans both Southlake and Colleyville. When homeowners considered allowing gas drilling under their land a couple of years ago, they had one big concern, according to homeowners Laura and Shawn McCaskill: Keeping the drilling rigs away from their park and their homes.

News 8 checked and found Titan Operating is following City of Colleyville rules, putting wells at least 1,000 feet from homes surrounding the property in that city.

Unfortunately for the McCaskills and half a dozen other families, their homes are on the Southlake side of the two cities' border. So, essentially, they don't count.

The McCaskills and other homeowners learned of the proposed site around the time the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality talked for the first time about concern over benzene levels in the air near some drilling operations in the Barnett Shale. That news added to homeowners' concern.

"We're just too close for comfort," said Shawn McCaskill.

The City of Colleyville is concerned about air quality as well. They plan to require Titan Operating to pay for air emissions testing during all phases of drilling if the pad site is approved. It would be the first time a Barnett Shale city has been known to take that step.

Titan Operating representatives say they'll agree to the testing, but want to further discuss specifics of how it would be conducted.

Titan Operating contends that the proposed site affects the smallest number of homeowners. The Colleyville Planning and Zoning Commission considered the proposal on Monday night, but decided to table the issue after hearing numerous comments from residents both supporting and opposing the drill site.

After the commission's decision, Titan Operating's president, Mark Schumacher, said in a written message: "We look forward to working with Monticello Estates HOA regarding their concerns."

E-mail chawes@wfaa.com