Wichita Falls council adopts 'Heart of the Falls' neighborhood revitalization plan; several other measures approved

The Wichita Falls City Council on April 15 adopted the Heart of the Falls neighborhood revitalization plan, a multi-year blueprint that combines zoning changes, incentives and public-investment priorities aimed at stabilizing and improving a roughly four-by-four block area defined by Seymour, Brook, Kell and Kemp. The council approved the plan after a public hearing and unanimous vote.

The plan directs city staff to pursue zoning text amendments, design guidelines, infrastructure repairs and voluntary incentive programs intended to spur rehabilitation without displacing current residents. Mike Mitchell, chair of the city revitalization committee, summarized the plan’s guiding values as “preserve people, buildings, and culture, advance opportunities for redevelopment, commerce, and beautification, and then connect neighbors, residents organizations and connect culture and shared spaces.”

Neighborhood revitalization coordinator Fabian Medellin told the council the committee’s work included “hundreds of surveys” and regular community meetings. Medellin outlined a package of actions staff will bring forward in the coming months: targeted zoning amendments, a voluntary neighborhood empowerment zone that can waive development fees and allow tax abatement for participating property owners, broad design guidelines for look-and-feel, a hazardous-tree clearing program, improvements to sidewalks and storm drainage, and additional Bridal Park improvements.

Council members stressed that the plan is a framework, not an immediate mandate. Councilor Whitney Flack said the plan “empowers [residents] to be able to make their space more beautiful, to make it safer, more energy efficient,” and Councilor Robert Brooks called the plan “a model for the rest of the city.” Staff and committee members said the plan is intended to be voluntary for property owners and to avoid displacement.

The council and staff repeatedly emphasized funding will come from a mix of local allocations, grant applications (including community development block grants), tax abatements and potential future federal dollars. Mitchell said one submitted grant is for $23,000,000 and is currently pending. Medellin said specific implementing actions — such as zoning amendments and funding requests — will appear individually before the Planning and Zoning Commission and council “within the next coming months.”

Votes at a glance

During the same meeting the council also voted on a series of ordinances and resolutions. Where a motion maker or roll-call tally was not specified in the transcript, the item outcome is reported as recorded in the minutes.

- Ordinance to annex 33.18 acres on Randy Drive and designate zoning as light industrial (owner-request annexation under Texas Local Government Code chapter 43, Subchapter C): approved after public hearing (KBDWF LLC/Kings Branch Data project). - Ordinance establishing minimum standards of care for the city’s summer day camp program (municipal standard to allow city-run summer camps to operate under city standards rather than full state daycare licensing): approved (annual item). - Resolution adopting the Heart of the Falls neighborhood revitalization plan: approved unanimously after public hearing. - Resolution approving the 2025 second-year annual action plan for the city’s Public Housing Agency and revisions to the administrative plan (includes adding the Foster Youth to Independence preference/program): approved after public hearing. - Resolution authorizing purchase and installation of a parking system for Wichita Falls Regional Airport (Omnia Cooperative, Flowbird/Veil America), $126,700: approved. - Resolution authorizing purchase of two 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 pickups through cooperative purchasing: approved. - Resolution nominating and appointing Glenn Barham to the Wichita-Wilbarger 9-1-1 District Board (term through 05/11/2025): approved. - Resolution authorizing purchase of one jet-vac water-recycling unit through the Houston-Galveston Area Council cooperative (Houston Freightliner Inc.), $591,191: approved. - Appointment to Lake Wichita Revitalization Committee (midterm vacancy): Amy Bobowitz appointed.

Why it matters

The Heart of the Falls plan packages regulatory changes and incentives to encourage private reinvestment while promising city oversight to limit displacement. Staff and volunteers described the plan as a pilot intended to be replicated in other neighborhoods, with multiple councilors calling it a model and urging that future neighborhoods be identified through collaboration between staff and council.

What’s next

Staff said zoning text amendments, funding requests and program ordinances implementing components of the plan will appear on future Planning and Zoning Commission and council agendas. Committee members and councilors emphasized the plan is voluntary for property owners and will rely on a mix of local funding, grant awards and partner organizations to carry out improvements.