Plan for apartment complex in the Paschal Neighborhood delayed for more negotiation
At its meeting Wednesday afternoon, the Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted to grant a 30-day continuance to a developer with plans to build a 130-unit apartment complex in the neighborhood near Paschal High School, despite local residents showing up in large numbers to oppose the project.
The Chicago-based developer CRG asked for the continuance to allow the company more time to meet with the surrounding neighborhood associations and iron out any concerns.
The plan is to build the complex between Forest Park Boulevard and Wayside Avenue, from West Cantey to West Lowden streets. The complex will be four stories with an on-site parking garage for the residents. The apartments will likely cater toward TCU students, though it is open for leasing to the public.
The continuance, however, wasn’t enough for the residents who came to the hearing to protest the project.
J.D. Barnes, the president of the Paschal Neighborhood Association, said the greatest concern was the amount of traffic that already goes through the neighborhood, brought by TCU and Paschal High School students. He wanted the commission to deny the case with prejudice.
“This has become every homeowner’s nightmare,” he said at the meeting.
Rick Garcia, the vice president of the Paschal Neighborhood Association, also said that the project could interfere with the quality of life of neighboring homeowners. He said there was a fear that a massive structure like the one proposed would overshadow the single-family homes and leave less daylight. Additionally, he was worried that the noise level would be a nuisance.
Though the continuance was granted, Commissioner Wanda Conlin said she still had concerns about the project. She said it seemed like Fort Worth was no longer choosing to support single-family neighborhoods.
“I support the motion for a continuance, but I probably won’t support this when it comes back,” she said.
Commissioner Rafael McDonnell agreed.
He said he understood that the neighborhoods in Fort Worth are changing, but he didn’t think that the plan for this apartment complex currently works. If the plans come back as is without major changes, he said he ultimately wouldn’t vote to approve it.
Since the case was granted a 30-day continuance, it will come back before the commission in February.
