Council Report: Meacham grant, name change, Camp Bowie district expands, Race Street, goat farm

council chamber

MEACHAM GRANT

The Fort Worth City Council, at Tuesday’s meeting authorized acceptance of a grant up to $225,000, if awarded, from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Aviation Division. The funding would go to updating the Master Plan at Meacham International Airport;.

The council also authorized a transfer of $25,000 from the Muni Airport Capital Project Fund into the Muni Airport Grants Federal Fund for the city’s 10% percent grant match.

TxDOT has announced funding is available for the update of the Master Plan, which has an objective of determining the role of the airport in the community, the relationship the airport has to other system airports, and the requirements and resources needed to fulfill the airport’s role, along with documenting the vision for the airport.

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This Master Plan update will encompass the expansion and numerous changes the airport has experienced over the past 15 years and provide a better vision

for the future of Meacham International Airport.

PART OF HWY. 183 RENAMED TO HONOR CÉSAR CHÁVEZ AND DELORES HUERTA

A pair of renowned labor and civil rights leaders were honored at Tuesday’s Fort Worth City Council meeting with the renaming of parts of Texas Highway 183 after them.

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Cesar Chavez was a United States Navy veteran, and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association which later became the United Farmworkers Union. He was also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Delores Huerta is co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farmworkers Union. She is a champion of women’s rights, an advocate for workers to earn living wages and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Several citizens expressed their gratitude at the council’s decision. Felix Alvarado noted that Fort Worth was the largest city in Texas to not have a street named after Chavez.

“No Mexican-American or Latino can stand up and say they did not benefit from the struggles of Cesar Chavez – no one,” Alvarado said.

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Richard Gonzalez added, Just that sign would say, ‘Howdy pardners, from whatever part of the world you live in. It affirms that we belong.”

State Highway 183 is an important east-west arterial in the city from the city limits at Beach Street on the east to the city limits at State Highway 199 on the west. It is also a gateway to the Historic Stockyards and several Fort Worth neighborhoods with strong

Latino communities.

The newly named Cesar Chavez Avenue was formerly Northeast and Northwest 28th Street from Beach Street to U.S. 287 Business/North Main Street. Delores Huerta Avenue includes what was Northwest 28th Street and Ephriham Avenue from U.S. 287 Business/North Main Street to SH 199/Jacksboro.

“We have moved the needle with this resolution,” District 2 Councilman Carlos Flores said. “I am elated we’re moving on with the full support of the community.”

COMO ZONING/CAMP BOWIE DISTRICT EXPANSION

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Fort Worth City Council approved a change of zoning in the Como Neighborhood.

The site is generally bound by West Interstate 30, Neville Street, Como Drive, and Bryant-Irvin Road covering just over 59 acres. The proposed use is single-family, duplex, institutional, commercial, and vacant land.

This area has contained a mixture of primarily two-family and various non-residential zoning districts since the adoption of zoning in 1940, or later annexations west of Horne Street. The lots have been developed with mostly single-family uses, interspersed with institutional uses, and limited commercial uses along Horne Street and south of Camp Bowie Boulevard.

The rezoning case is designed to protect single-family residential properties by rezoning from two-family to an appropriate single-family zoning category, address potential redevelopment adjacent Horne Street, and add appropriate zoning to support the existing institutional uses. The larger neighborhood is covered by the adopted Como/Sunset Heights Neighborhood Empowerment Zone Strategic Plan.

Como community leaders and affected property owners have been discussing the rezoning process since November 2018. Rezoning of certain sites is a recommendation in the neighborhood’s Neighborhood Empowerment Zone Plan. Postcard notices were sent to the property owners, according to the Tarrant Appraisal District, and a meeting of the zoning commission was held on Aug. 8 at the request of District 3 Councilman Brian Byrd regarding the proposed zoning changes.

“It represents a powerful step toward revitalization, the right kind of business development on Horne Street, and protection to single-family homeowners,” Byrd said. “I appreciate all the work by the Como leadership and staff over the past two years to get this zoning change across the finish line.”

After the zoning commission meeting, staff identified another property located at 2907 Merrick that is and has been used as a duplex for years. At the request of staff, that parcel was denied without prejudice.

SPEED RACER DEVELOPMENT

Tuesday, the Fort Worth City Council approved a zoning change at 3111 Race St and 3020 Murphy St. for almost three acres.

The applicant, Speed Racer, LLC is planning to use the site for a multi-family development. The area is located at the edge of the Six Points Urban Village near the intersection of Riverside Drive, Race Street, and Belknap. Much of the surrounding area was rezoned the same to prepare it for higher density redevelopment to take advantage of the location.

There is an established single family neighborhood to the north that directly abuts the northern portion of the site.

SCOTT GOAT FARM

This is not your ordinary goat farm.

The Fort Worth City Council, Tuesday, approved a zoning change at 4851 and 4901 Scott Rd. for just over seven acres. The property, owned by Scott Goat Farm, LLC, has plans to be used for an active adult/independent living facility.

PARD EXPANSION PHASE II

At Tuesday’s meeting the Fort Worth City Council authorized execution of a construction contract with Muckleroy & Falls Construction Company for an amount not to exceed $9,099,973. It is for the construction of the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) Consolidated Service Center Phase II, part of the city’s 2018 bond program.

The PARD Crestline Service Center was displaced as a result of the use of approximately three acres of Trinity Park and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for the dedication of public road rights-of-way for the construction of the extension of Trail Drive and Van Zandt Lane. These facilities are being relocated adjacent to other PARD facilities currently located at Greenbrier Park, 5199 James Ave.

Phase I consisted of the construction of one office building and four open and enclosed storage buildings, along with material storage bins and equipment yard. Phase II will consist of the construction of another office building and three more storage

buildings, as well as pave the equipment yard and the employee parking lot.

SECOND ANIMAL FACILITY

Working with Muckleroy and Falls Construction Company on another project, the Fort Worth City Council Tuesday agreed to a construction contract not to exceed $11,716,859, for the Construction of the city’s second animal care and control facility, also part of the 2018 bond program.

The new facility will be located on the North Service Center property at 301 Hillshire Dr. and will house approximately 300 animals, along with the Chuck Silcox Animal Care and Control Facility to serve the entire City. The design of this new facility was accomplished as part of the 2014 bond program by the architectural firm of Pierce Goodwin Alexander Linville, Inc.