Members approved most of a new drilling ordinance Tuesday night.

But they were divided on what sort of setback to impose on sites with multiple wells and on which buildings should be protected by the setback provisions. They opted to hold another workshop before voting on that section.

"I don’t want to get in a hurry and shoot ourselves in the foot," Mayor Mike Moncrief said.

Contentious provisions

The council appointed a task force in November 2007 to review the drilling ordinance amid public outcry that drillers were encroaching on homes, parks and other sensitive areas.

The task force recommended tougher noise standards for wells and compressors, reduced emissions from drilling sites, city permits for pipelines through residential areas, restrictions on open pits and a new board to review permits for wells near homes. The task force also exempted the Trinity River trail system, stores, restaurants and malls from the setback requirements.

Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks asked to reconsider protecting some of those buildings.

Members voted 7-1 to approve all the ordinance except the provisions on multiple well sites and public-building definitions. Councilman Carter Burdette voted "no," saying he didn’t want to reopen discussion.

Under a multiple-well permit, a site can be drilled multiple times after getting approval from surrounding property owners just once — even if new homes are built inside the setback. The trade-off is that the setback — 600 feet unless all surrounding landowners agree — is much larger because it is measured from the boundary of the site instead of the well itself.

The task force wanted to make the multiple-well permits mandatory for drillers that put more than one well on a site, rather than allow multiple permits for individual wells. Existing sites would be grandfathered.

Setback reduced

City staffers decreased the setback around the pad sites from 600 feet to 525 feet, though, touching off protests from neighborhood groups.

"This is an issue about how many homes . . . have the opportunity to participate in a public process about something that’s about to happen in their neighborhood," said Jim Bradbury, a neighborhood representative. "Please keep it at 600 feet."

Tolli Thomas of the Southwest Fort Worth Alliance urged the council to strengthen the board that will oversee gas drilling.

"This is an industry that absolutely will affect our neighborhood property values, health and safety," she said.

Greg Ricks of the Woodhaven Neighborhood Association said the regulations might hurt neighborhoods by cutting off the money and jobs that drilling produces.

"I think we need to be an example of a community that does not have a NIMBY attitude: 'not in my back yard,’ " he said.

Some council members, echoing gas industry representatives, questioned whether requiring the pad site permits might lead operators to simply drill on more sites.

"I’m going to have to find . . . another 20 to 30 well sites," Councilman Jungus Jordan said.

Hicks said the grandfathering provision would mean more wells at a contested site on Scott Avenue without more input from surrounding neighbors. Lowering the setback for multiple well sites would also affect residents near sites along Berry Street and at the old Masonic Home.

"We’ve gone and said to people over and over, if there are more wells, they’d have the right to come talk to this council," she said.

The council will vote on the setback issue next week.

Other council business

Jeff Halstead, Fort Worth’s new police chief, was sworn in by Moncrief. Halstead starts work this week.