North Fort Worth development plans derailed by council after neighbors voice concerns
The Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday night shot down a hotly contested residential rezoning request in far north Fort Worth following months of resistance from nearby residents.
Council members unanimously denied a motion to reclassify 80 acres of “light industrial” land along Willow Springs Road for “low density multifamily” use. Had it been approved, the change would have cleared the way for a housing development.
“I’ve had more than a few zoning cases now that I’ve been on council, and I’ve never seen one that has generated so much opposition from so many people,” said District 10 council member Alan Blaylock, showcasing a thick wad of printed opposition emails from constituents.
A group of investors led by businessman Rick Farnoush petitioned to rezone 12650 Willow Springs Road in August. Earlier that month, the cohort unveiled plans to replace the grass and thicket just north of U.S. 287 with nearly 300 two-to-three bedroom homes.
The development, dubbed “The Villas at Willow Creek,” triggered vocal pushback from residents of a neighboring housing estate. Community leaders of Spring Ranch feared that the denser development with smaller homes would dilute their property values and increase traffic in the already congested streets in and around their subdivision.
City zoning commissioners, sympathizing with their worries, recommended the city council reject the rezoning plea in December.
Around two dozen Spring Ranch residents, all sporting red, attended the Tuesday meeting to reiterate their concerns.
“We moved to our home at the end of a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood, where we’ve watched our family grow,” one resident told the council, holding his 2-year-old son in his right arm as he spoke. “The proposed rezoning being considered tonight would almost certainly bring a significant increase in both construction and residential traffic right to the end of our driveway.”
In his first public appearance before city officials on the matter, Farnoush insisted that the “luxury townhome community” he envisioned wouldn’t endanger the value or safety of Spring Ranch. He pointed to buoyant neighborhood housing prices and a traffic study he’d commissioned as evidence. Farnoush wouldn’t confirm whether the homes he planned to construct would be rented or sold.
Ultimately, the last-ditch effort failed.
“I think the community was given a sack of beans,” District 8 council member Chris Nettles said. “If you’re going to bring a housing development, they should know if it’s for seniors or for families; they should know if it’s for lease or for sale.”
Farnoush can reapply for a zoning change after a year. Council members suggested that a revised plan, better suited to the demands of Spring Ranch residents, could fare better.
“I do think that there’s an opportunity to come back to this in time,” Blaylock commented. “I also think it needs some cooling off, and we need to start a clean slate.”
This story was originally published February 13, 2024 at 10:20 PM.