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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001/12/18-Minutes-HEDC City of Fort Worth City Council Economic Development Committee Highlights of the Meeting Held Tuesday, December 18, 2001 Committee Members Present: Jeff Wentworth, Becky Haskin, Jim Lane, and Frank Moss City Staff Present: Jay Chapa, Bette Chapman, Craig Eaton, Dale Fisseler, Sarah Fullenwider, John Garfield, Kristin Glass, Vida Hariri, Randle Harwood, Tom Higgins, Skip Krueger, Joe Paniagua, Harold Pitchford, Kirk Slaughter, Clint Spruill,Jesse Torres, Peter Vaky, Ardina Washington, Richard Zavala Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Chairman Wentworth at 2:54 p.m. Approval of the Minutes from the Meeting held November 27,2001: Committee Member Moss made a motion to approve the minutes from the meeting held on November 27, 2001. Committee Member Haskin seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Discussion Related to Conceptual Development of the Walsh Ranch Properties: Mr. Jim Dunaway, of Dunaway Associates, Inc., representing the Walsh Companies, briefed the Committee on the Walsh Ranch development, a 7275-acre master-planned community west of Fort Worth. He said that LDR of Columbia, Maryland,has been chosen as the project planner, ERA of Dallas has been selected to work on the economic and marketing information, and Sverdrup of Dallas has been chosen as the traffic consultant to work with Transportation/Public Works and TX DOT. The development will be a predominantly residential and open-space plan, with more than 18,000 residential units and a population of more than 48,000 at build out. The proposed plan will not exceed 2.5 dwelling units per gross acre. The development features five villages, each with its own neighborhood-services type community center, and also includes seven miles of interstate frontage. Nine elementary schools and two middle schools are also included in the development's plan. Aledo ISD has asked for another high school north of I-20, but it is not on the plan at this time. Committee Member Haskin asked if all the development is in Aledo ISD. Mr. Dunaway replied that all of the development west of the county line would fall in the Aledo ISD. Mr. Dunaway then presented the following information from the market study: (1) single family acres total about 3070, or 41% of the area; (2) multi-family acres total about 383 or 5% of the area; (3) business and retail acres equal about 13% of the area; (4) school sites, parks, trails, golf areas and open spaces equal about 2750 acres or 37% of the area; and (5) thoroughfares account for the remaining 3 or 4 %. Mr. Dunaway added that the plan complies with Transportation/Public Works MTP, and there will be no thoroughfare amendments made with the applications. The two primary issues facing the developers at this time are the TX DOT improvements that are needed to make the development accessible and extensions of water and sewer service. Mr. Dunaway explained the various interchanges that would be needed to access the Page 1 of 3 Ovelopment and said that meetings with COG, Commissioner Williamson and Ms. Granger had occurred to start the process of working on the interchanges. In addition, the developers have been working with the Water Department, and the water extensions are now being planned. A 30-acre site has been set aside for a water treatment plant. The Walsh Group has made a commitment to be annexed into the city of Fort Worth, and the city is making commitments to provide utility service to the area. The concept plan application and all other required information are to be presented on Friday, December 21, 2001, to the Plan Commission for a January hearing. Mr. Dunaway added that the extension of the sewer system on Mary's Creek will open up almost 25,000 acres of potential development on the west side of Fort Worth. The ad valorem tax value at build out is estimated at $4.5 billion. Committee Member Haskin asked Mr. Dunaway to point out the floodplain areas in the plan and to clarify the location of the multi-family areas. He did so. Ms. Haskin said that density clusters was the issue, because if the units were all put in one place, it could eventually cause concern. Ms. Haskin then asked who was going to pay for and maintain the park areas. She wanted to know if there was a PID, a homeowners association or some private entity who would maintain the parks. Mr. Dunaway said a PID was planned, and there would be a homeowners' association or multiple homeowners' associations. He added that the park development phase was just beginning. The developers hoped to structure the park development to make donations on some of the land and have matching grants with the Parks and Wildlife Department. Ms. Haskin said that part of the problem was that any unrequired access land that was given to the city comes with no development dollars. She added that to make the development successful the developer would need to be prepared to explain how this land would be developed and maintained. Mr. Dunaway said they were prepared to do that, but they were also considering the option of giving the city the land it requires and keeping the rest as open space, which they would develop and maintain themselves. Ms. Haskin then asked if the entire area would be in a PID. Mr. Dunaway said that it would. Chairman Wentworth asked for an explanation of the star in the center of the map. Mr. Dunaway said that it was the Town Center. He then pointed out the three public use tracts on the plan. Mr. Wentworth asked when actual development and the first phase of annexation would begin. Mr. Dunaway said that would depend on how rapidly the highway issues were moving, but he estimated the first houses would be built in late 2003. Mr. Wentworth then asked Mr. Dunaway to return in the spring or summer of 2002 with a more definite schedule. Mr. Dunaway said a schedule would be built into the economic analysis, which would probably be available in January or February, and would outline all of the private and public requirements for financing and other details. Mr. Wentworth said he knew the Water Department was having discussions with the developer and that such long range issues as the treatment plant would be beneficial for this development as well as future developments. Mr. Dunaway said he had asked Mr. Groomer if another strip could be annexed so that the ETJ could be extended another 3 or 4 miles to protect the city's rights to the 20,000 acres of sewer area that has been created. Mr. Groomer is researching the issue. Mr. Wentworth thanked Mr. Dunaway and the Walsh family for the presentation and said the development would be a tremendous asset to the city. Committee Member Lane suggested Mr. Dunaway share the information with the Parker County Commissioners' Court, since the development will affect them. Page 2 of 3 qatus Report on the Administration of the Fort Worth Herd: Because of time constraints, Chairman Wentworth suggested that the discussion of the administration of the Herd be moved to the next EDC meeting. Committee Members Lane and Haskin agreed. (Mr. Moss had left by that time.) Discussion of the Cultural District and Will Rogers Memorial Center Master Plan: Public Events Director Kirk Slaughter presented an update on the master plan of the Cultural District. He said that the sewer and water connections to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame have been completed, tested and approved. The asphalt in the area has been patched and phase one of the storm water project has been laid from Harley to Burnett Tandy. In addition, the Cowgirl Hall of Fame parking lot is about one-third complete, and Mr. Slaughter said he anticipates it being complete by the end of the week. He said that the project is on schedule. Executive Session: There was no executive session Requests for Future Agenda Items: Committee Member Lane said he wanted to be sure the discussion of the administration of the Herd was on the next agenda. Adjourn: Chairman Wentworth adjourned the meeting at 3:21 p.m. Page 3 of 3