The Terrell City Council voted to approve Ordinance No. 3118 on Tuesday to rezone about 1,544.5 acres to a Planned Development (PD‑25‑3118) for the Terra Nova project and authorized staff to finalize a development agreement with NM10 Terrell LLC.

The ordinance and associated development agreement follow weeks of staff briefings, developer presentations and a public hearing in which dozens of residents spoke for and against the project. Supporters said the master‑planned community would add parks, trails, and commercial amenities; opponents warned it would strain roads, water and city services and asked for stronger environmental review near a former Nike missile site.

During the public hearing, Beto Mesa said the project “threatens to change the fabric of our community,” listing worries about traffic, noise and higher property taxes. Several speakers urged phased development and tighter, enforceable restrictions for future owners. Juanita Rector, a longtime local resident, told council the project could roughly double Terrell’s population and that “we don’t have the water, we don’t have the electricity” to support immediate build‑out.

Staff told the council they had reopened the application and reviewed public comments and that many resident concerns had been studied during earlier hearings. Jana Wampler, a city staff member who presented the item, said, “We ask for the decision to be postponed” at earlier meetings to gather additional information and that staff had since worked to address issues raised by residents.

Environmental concerns were a recurring theme. Rita Bain described historical activity at the nearby Nike missile base and called for independent soil testing rather than relying solely on programmatic reviews. Council later approved a separate resolution to assist property owners in applying for voluntary environmental assessment programs administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; staff said TCEQ would direct any remediation decisions.

Councilmembers discussed limits recently imposed by the state Legislature on local land‑use authority and described voluntary annexation and a negotiated development agreement as the most effective way to secure enforceable conditions on a large project that partially lies outside city limits. Key items in the development agreement include requirements for environmental testing where the project abuts the Nike site, expanded buffers next to existing subdivisions, periodic five‑year reviews of the agreement, traffic impact analysis coordination with Terrell ISD and a six‑acre public‑safety land dedication.

The motion to approve Ordinance No. 3118 was made and seconded in open session; council recorded aye votes and declared the motion carried. The ordinance amends the official zoning map and sets terms staff said would be included in the subsequent development agreement.

What’s next: staff will finalize and execute the development agreement with NM10 Terrell LLC per a council resolution approved the same night and will require the developer to complete environmental testing and any required remediation before phase‑one construction plats are approved. Council members said the five‑year review clause will allow them to revisit the agreement if circumstances change.

Evidence: Council opened and closed a public hearing on the PD application at the Nov. 4 meeting; city staff presented Ordinance No. 3118 and a resolution to authorize a development agreement. Public commenters included residents who spoke both for and against the project and who raised traffic, utility capacity and environmental concerns.