Willow Park approves rezoning for 317‑acre Beldine Ranch amid lawsuit concerns

The City of Willow Park on Feb. 24 approved rezoning roughly 317.732 acres known as the Beldine (Dean) Ranch to a planned development district to allow mixed commercial, industrial and residential uses.

Chelsea Kirkland (planning staff) presented the developer’s application and attachments and noted the proposal's mixed‑use concept and the planning‑and‑zoning commission’s unanimous recommendation. Developer representatives described a concept plan that divides the land into zones for residential, commercial and light industrial uses and said the item is intended to establish what could be built on the tract as infrastructure and market demand evolve.

During public comment and council questions, residents and speakers raised two central concerns: a lawsuit filed by the cities of Alito and Fort Worth that challenges whether earlier annexation of the Dean/Beale property was contiguous, and the potential for industrial uses such as data centers. Roy Ramos, a Willow Park resident, warned that if a court rules the annexation noncontiguous, ‘‘every approval, every plan, every expectation tied to that development could be wiped away,’’ and urged greater public engagement on decisions made before the current council.

Developers and staff responded that the development agreement approved by prior councils remains in effect unless a court rules otherwise and that the city intends to defend the litigation. Developer representatives and council members also addressed questions about data centers: they said a large data center would require special approvals, significant power and water infrastructure, and — for this particular site — is not practically feasible given existing pad sites, power lines and other constraints. Council members noted that any such use would have to return to the council for special‑use approval.

Council moved and passed the rezoning by voice vote after a motion to approve the planned‑development zoning. The motion was made during the discussion and carried with an affirmative voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the public meeting record.

The council also voted in open session later to retain outside litigation counsel for the ongoing lawsuit filed by Alito and Fort Worth related to these matters.

What happens next: the rezoning establishes permitted base uses and development standards for the tract; site‑specific plans, infrastructure choices and any special‑use requests (including any future proposal that would require a special permit) would return to the council for review. The litigation challenging the annexation remains pending and could affect the legal status of approvals if a court rules in favor of the plaintiffs.