RESIDENIAL REZONING OK
During the Aug. 8 meeting, the Fort Worth City Council approved a zoning change for about 82 acres in the 2800 block of Bryant Irvin Road requested by Edwards-Geren Ltd. The area, located north of Arborlawn Drive between Bryant Irvin and Chisholm Trail, will now be single-family and townhouse/cluster.
The area was previously zoned for commercial and multifamily use.
The applicant is proposing a mix of lot sizes, ranging from 45 feet wide with rear access in the southwest to a third of an acre. Also proposed is a park on the east side of the property with a water feature and trails. The park is planned to provide a connection to the Trinity River trail system to the north.
The zoning commission previously recommended the change by a 6-0 vote.
“I think they’ve done a nice job developing Riverhills III. I believe this is Riverhills IV,” District 3 Councilman Brian Byrd said. “It’ll really help that Waterside Development also.”
ELAN WEST 7TH UPDATE
The city council, received a written update on a proposed economic development program agreement with Elan West 7th LP for just over $204,000.
On July 16, 2013, the council authorized a tax abatement agreement with Elan West 7th for the construction of a multi-family development at 2726 Mercedes Ave. in the Linwood neighborhood, consisting of apartments and townhomes with at least 374 units and a parking garage with at least 498 spaces.
All of the required construction improvements have been completed, and the company has acted in good faith to meet all annual commitments for year 1 of 10 as required in the agreement, city officials said. Previously, the city’s practice with Tarrant Appraisal District (TAD), which is under contract with the city to prepare the city’s tax bills, was to notify TAD of any abatements the city was granting for a given tax year.
City officials said neither they nor the company knew that TAD now requires any recipient of an abatement to also file an application with TAD in order for an abatement to be applied to the applicant’s tax bill. Because of this, the developer did not file an application for the 2017 tax year, and the company did not receive an abatement for that year, which would have been $204,085.61.
City staff is recommending a one-year economic development agreement with Elan West 7th under which the city will provide an economic development grant in an amount equal to the lost abatement. The council is expected to vote on the matter on Aug. 14.