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Fort Worth council denies light-industrial rezoning for lakeside site after residents warn of pollution and loss of lakeside character
Summary
Council voted to deny a developer’s request to rezone a lakeside property to light industrial after residents, neighborhood leaders and environmental coalitions argued the proposal would harm Lake Arlington’s shoreline, public health, and property values.
The Fort Worth City Council voted on Jan. 13 to deny a developer’s request to rezone a parcel along Lake Arlington to light industrial uses. The applicant said the project would generate about $80 million in economic development and tens of millions in tax revenue over the coming decade; neighbors, environmental advocates, and some council members opposed the rezoning.
Outrigger, the applicant, described plans for industrial buildings and predicted roughly $20–$25 million of tax revenue over the next decade. The firm argued the property’s current urban-residential zoning was not economically viable given changes to nearby infrastructure.
Residents and community groups pushed back strongly. Dan Hayes, a District 11 resident, said the Fort Worth shoreline contrasts unfavorably with Arlington’s lakeside development and urged the council to "deny this with prejudice." Echo Heights, the Fort Worth Environmental Coalition of Communities, and longtime neighbors told council the site’s proximity to single-family homes and Lake Arlington raised risks of air and water pollution, continuous truck traffic, and persistent noise.
Councilmember Deborah Peoples moved to approve the zoning commission’s denial; after discussion, the motion to deny carried.
What’s next: The zoning commission’s denial stands; the property owner may pursue other development options consistent with existing zoning or appeal through standard planning and legal channels.
