Fort Worth officials approved an agreement to guide development for about 1,476 acres in the city\u2019s extraterritorial jurisdiction to the west.<\/p>\n
Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday approved the development agreement with Hines Acquisitions LLC for land known as Brown Ranch in Tarrant and Parker counties. The area is north of Old Weatherford Road, south of White Settlement Road and northeast of the booming Walsh Ranch development.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, Hines Acquisitions will develop the property with single-family homes, urban residential units and commercial uses. The agreement will also help protect open spaces and provide public and private amenities, according to a city staff report.<\/p>\n
Dana Burghdoff, a Fort Worth assistant city manager, described the document to council members as \u201cwin-win\u201d for the city since Hines agreed to a number of concessions, including the preservation of parkland, while helping to build roads in the area. She added that Hines would not have eminent domain authority when it comes to building roads.<\/p>\n
Fort Worth will provide water and sewer services to the area since public infrastructure is not currently available to the property. The developer will design, construct, install or make financial contributions for public improvements, including extensions of thoroughfares to improve regional mobility.<\/p>\n
City officials said Hines Acquisitions plans to file an application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to create a municipal utility district for the area. That district would collect sales taxes to help finance roads, water, sewer, drainage and other improvements for the development.<\/p>\n
The city council will consider agreements for strategic partnership and utilities at a later date, officials said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The partnership agreement will set conditions for the city to conduct limited and full-purpose annexations of the land in the proposed district and help control development of commercial areas. The utility agreement would address easements, road repair standards and provisions relating to water conservation and water pretreatment standards, according to the report.<\/p>\n
Council members also approved owner-initiated annexations of nearly 500 acres in Tarrant, Parker and Denton counties to Fort Worth. Those annexations include 232 acres of the Walsh Ranch area west of the city.<\/p>\n
Council members decided to authorize a joint ordinance with Burleson to adjust extraterritorial jurisdiction boundaries between the two cities. Under that agreement, Fort Worth would cede about 108 acres known as Animal Pancakes Roadway Tract to Burleson. That tract includes portions of the Chisholm Trail Parkway, County Road 915 and FM 1902.<\/p>\n
Zoning cases<\/p>\n
Council members delayed consideration of a site plan for a proposed $10 billion, 187-acre data center by Black Mountain Energy<\/a> that is opposed by a number of residents who live near Lon Stephenson Road and Anglin Drive. That case will go before the council next month.<\/p>\n Fort Worth City Council also delayed a proposal to rezone a 61-acre site at 2204-2400 Cantrell Sansom Road. Developers seek to rezone the property from agricultural, intensive commercial and medium-density multifamily to light industrial in order to build warehouse and distribution buildings. That case will be heard in August.<\/p>\n A rezoning proposal to allow an outdoor sales and recycling center at 7640 Jacksboro Highway in north Fort Worth was denied by council members. A developer sought to change the zoning from one-family to neighborhood commercial with a conditional use permit.<\/p>\n Council approved a zoning change on 4.5 acres for uniform residential development. The land at 8715 and 8801 Wagley Robertson Road was changed from agricultural and one-family residential to one-family residential.<\/p>\n Council approved a proposed rezoning for a 2-acre tract at 151 Huguley Blvd. from agricultural to community facilities to allow for a medical office parking lot.<\/p>\n A proposed conditional use permit for an oil change facility was approved at 9700 Oxenfree Drive. A waiver was approved since the business bay doors face a one-family residential district.<\/p>\n Zoning changes for two Fort Worth ISD properties were also approved. Council member Mia Hall, the district\u2019s executive director of strategic recruitment, recused herself from voting to rezone the now-closed De Zavala Elementary, 1419 College Ave., and a related school overflow parking lot at 1405 Alston Ave. under community facilities zoning, with the latter property also receiving a Historical and Cultural District overlay.<\/p>\n Council members also approved a request to add the Historic and Cultural Landmark overlay to the former North Fort Worth Baptist Church building and additions located at 1519 Circle Park Blvd. on the city\u2019s North side. Developers want to use the building for Irma Park<\/a>, an 84-unit project for seniors 55 years and up from Austin-based O-SDA Industries.<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n