In a move that could affect future development around an iconic tourist destination, the Fort Worth Zoning Commission voted 7-2 on Wednesday for a larger boundary around the historic Stockyards district.
At the same time, the commission rejected a smaller map that city staffers had proposed.
The smaller boundary covered roughly 60 core acres and included the main part of the Stockyards.
The larger boundary covered about 130 acres, including the old Swift meat-processing plant.
The vote was a victory for preservationists who supported the larger area.
"This is a good first step in the process," said zoning commissioner Carlos Flores. "We are heading in the right direction."
Flores noted the final decision is up to the city council. A vote is set in three weeks.
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Commissioner John Cockrell, one of the two dissenters, said he supports preservation but added, "At some point it' not economically feasible."
During public comments, nobody spoke in opposition to the larger boundaries but developers have expressed concerns in the past that designating the area around the Stockyards as historic could hinder their plans.
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It’s been nearly two years since a planned redevelopment of part of the Fort Worth Stockyards was announced by Hickman Properties and Majestic Realty.
The $175 million project received economic incentives from the city, but also came with a lot of concern about the future of the historic area.
Many were concerned the project would ruin the historic and cultural feel of the Stockyards.
The city council proposed to protect the heritage by creating a Stockyards Design District Task Force, which helped produce the Stockyards Design District Overlay, restrictions on what can and can’t be built in the area. Form-based codes are also set to be a part of the future there.
Then there is the local historic district designation the council announced. It’s something everyone embraced in October 2015 when the city council moved forward on the districts.
But after the historic district boundaries were revealed before the city’s Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission in January, there were concerns among local preservationists. The boundaries were created by city staff, but some believe they’re too narrow.
