Developer gets court OK for industrial park on former Grand Prairie golf course

A Tarrant County judge on Thursday said a developer can move forward with plans for an industrial park on the former Great Southwest Golf Course east of Texas 360 in Grand Prairie.

In her ruling, state District Judge Melody Wilkinson said the developers of the Dallas 360 Global Logistics Park were not required to comply with a state statute that governs the redevelopment of golf courses. She approved a plat, site plan application and a clearing/grubbing permit application pending with the city of Grand Prairie.

“We are gratified by the Court’s decision,” developer Steven Bradford said in a statement. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the city of Grand Prairie and our neighbors.”

Wilkinson, who heard testimony Monday from the developers, city officials and residents who live along the property, said the golf course “is not a subdivision golf course” and that the statute did not apply.

The developer had sued the city, which was denying needed permits for the project, citing the obscure state law. The law was designed to protect the value of residential property next to golf courses set for redevelopment.

Residents of the neighboring Fairway Park development also intervened in the case in an attempt to stop the development.

In March, Bradford bought the 164-acre golf course, which is east of Texas 360 between Avenues J and K. The private course opened in 1965 and closed April 1. The land is zoned for industrial use.

A decade after the golf course opened, 50 town homes were built in the Fairway Park development, with many of them backing up to the course. Few of the homeowners or renters knew about the industrial zoning.

“I can assure you that if I had known, I wouldn't have bought there,” said Fairway Park resident Charles England, a former Grand Prairie mayor.

The developers have offered about 90 acres as a public amenity, as well as additional land to the homeowners to create a landscape buffer.

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.

This story was originally published June 25, 2015 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Developer gets court OK for industrial park on former Grand Prairie golf course."