Kennedale council approves sale of EDC parcel at 600 W. Kennedale Parkway; developer, council to negotiate Chapter 380 terms

The Kennedale City Council on Dec. 17 unanimously approved the sale of a city Economic Development Corporation property at 600 West Kennedale Parkway, clearing the way for a private developer to pursue retail and service uses on the long-vacant lot.

The sale was recommended by the Kennedale Economic Development Corporation and approved after developer Jason Pennington (referred to in the meeting as Mr. Pennington) presented conceptual plans for the narrow, shallow parcel. Pennington described potential uses that include a drive-through coffee prototype, retail pads and a tunnel-style car wash, and said site constraints would limit options: "I think it would take 9 to 12 months to get, because it all has to come back through here," he said, adding that full development could take about "a year and a half to 2 years" once approvals and construction begin.

Council members and staff discussed the parcel's challenges, including shallow depth, a right-of-way easement that complicates access and restricted frontage to Bowman Springs rather than direct access from Highway 287. City Manager Daryl Hall said next steps would include negotiating a Chapter 380 economic development agreement that would spell out the tax-incentive terms, time limits and performance expectations, and that any such agreement would return to council for formal approval.

Council members stressed the city's interest in ensuring long-term benefit rather than a short-term sale. Councilman Glover and others recommended structuring incentives so the city could recoup concessions over time through sales taxes or property tax performance. Councilman Navarres, who moved to approve the recommendation, said he would prefer a deal that catalyzes further development along the corridor.

The council approved the sale motion with a second by Mayor Pro Tem Michaels; the secretary recorded the vote as unanimous. City staff said a draft 380 agreement and detailed site plans would follow review by planning and zoning and the city attorney, and that the city would retain a right to repurchase the parcel if the developer does not meet agreed milestones.

The approval does not itself authorize tax incentives or final site plans; those steps require subsequent council action after negotiation and statutory review.

What happens next: staff and the developer will work on a Chapter 380 agreement and any required planning-and-zoning approvals before construction permits are sought. Pennington estimated the concept review and approvals would take roughly 9–12 months, with construction to follow.