Texas attempts to save Fairfield Lake State Park — by condemning it
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The placid waters of Fairfield Lake. Photo: Courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has opted to use eminent domain in an attempt to save Fairfield Lake State Park from a Dallas developer who hopes to turn the land into a community of multimillion-dollar homes.
Driving the news: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission voted unanimously on Saturday to condemn the popular state park and surrounding land, about 90 miles south of Dallas, three days before the state's lease on the land was set to expire.
Why it matters: The use of eminent domain for the purpose of a public park is rare in Texas. Before this weekend's vote to condemn the property, TPW commissioner Jeffery Hildebrand said, it was nearly four decades since the department last used the power.
Catch up fast: The state leased the park at no charge from Vistra Corp. since the 1970s, after the energy company closed a coal power plant on the property. The state invested $72 million to improve the park, according to the Texas Tribune.
- Todd Interests, a Dallas-based developer, purchased the property in February after it was listed for $110.5 million.
- In May, Texas offered Todd Interests $25 million to relinquish its contract, which Todd declined. The state also made a last-minute $95 million offer to Vistra this month, per the Dallas Morning News.
- Todd Interests has said it plans to turn the land into a private $1 billion community called Freestone Club, featuring a golf course, high-end restaurants, tennis and pickleball courts, hiking trails, a Wiffle ball stadium — and roughly 400 homes, each priced between $5 million and $7 million.
Between the lines: The park draws roughly 80,000 visitors a year and offers hiking, biking, horseback riding and fishing, per the DMN. The land's proximity to both North Texas and Austin has made it highly desirable real estate.
What they're saying: "I think we have a clear duty to act for the greater good for all Texans," Hildebrand said before the vote. "While we have the power of eminent domain, that power should be used sparingly and reluctantly."
The other side: Todd Interests didn't respond to Axios' requests for comment, but founder Shawn Todd recently told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that if the commission used eminent domain, it would be "very costly to the state of Texas."
What's next: The state will make the developer an offer for the property. If they don't reach an agreement, the issue could end up in court.