Planning staff previews 'Envision El Paso' comprehensive‑plan update, seeks ongoing engagement

City planning staff presented an overview of Envision El Paso, the comprehensive plan update that will replace Plan El Paso (2012). The presentation covered project timeline, engagement to date, draft place types for the future land use map, and next steps toward adoption planned in spring 2026.

Casey Schnell, urban planning and design, summarized outreach that produced roughly 805 survey responses, multiple workshops and focus groups, and input from developers, utilities, ISDs and community organizations. Staff said the plan emphasizes five themes identified in earlier visioning: housing affordability (broadly defined to include market and subsidized housing types), mobility choice, sustainable living, economic development and fiscal responsibility.

Schnell described how the team has translated survey and workshop results into draft place types for a future land use map and a community priorities framework intended to guide investment toward neighborhoods with the greatest need. Staff said additional workshops and focused outreach are planned and that department teams are coordinating to align Envision El Paso with related efforts such as the climate action plan and parks master plan.

The presentation was informational; commissioners asked questions about engagement metrics, coordination with other plans, and how housing strategy and implementation responsibilities will be assigned. Staff said housing implementation will be managed across departments and that additional budget or program commitments would be considered in future strategic planning sessions. No formal action was requested.