Despite opposition from several residents in the area, the Fort Worth City Council voted to approve a zoning change for almost 30 acres at 5736 Wilbarger in the Lake Arlington area from medium industrial to urban residential.
District 5 Council Member Gyna Bivens cited the master plan from Arlington in 2011 that called for the property to be used for residential purposes. However, several citizens cited a request for mixed use.
“Fort Worth did embrace that plan,” Bivens said.
“If it goes to UR (urban residential) it’s going to sit there for many years and I’m going to be stuck with a value that’s not near what I paid for it,” said resident Charles Lohan.
Another resident, Bob Willoughby, put up a sign urging citizens to call Bivens with their complaints about the change. He said it was taken down shortly after going up.
“Someone took it down right away. That tells me something’s wrong,” he said. “We need a grocery store over there that would cater to the lake. You shouldn’t be able to change a zoning request without going back to the people.”
Bivens said “We’ve even had the National Parks Registry here on three visits. They see the potential, and they’re coming back. I’m going to adhere to what the study called for, and that’s urban residential.”
The proposal was approved unanimously.
The property is currently being used for trailer storage for a nearby business.
For more on Lake Arlington rezoning:
www.fortworthbusiness.com/news/lake-arlington-plan-approved-with-some-property-owners-unhappy/article_6778d0c2-aee0-11e7-9ff6-474effdcb179.html