Real estate leadership weighs decision by Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Take Back Fairfield Lake State Park By eminent domain, they’re not happy.
The Real Estate Board, Texas’ largest professional body for commercial real estate, sent a June 27 letter to the board asking it to immediately reverse its decision to force the sale of 5,000 acres, including state parks and Lake Fairfield. The Dallas-based Real Estate Council (TREC) sent a direct letter to Council Chairman Beaver Aplin, the billionaire owner of the Buc-ee convenience store.
“TREC understands that over the course of several months, TPWC rejected multiple opportunities to purchase the property from the previous owners during off-market and public sales,” it wrote.
The letter states that the decision to use eminent domain on equitably purchased private land “sets a dangerous precedent for property rights and titles in Texas that must be reversed.”
It is “extremely troubling” for a state agency to have the power to repossess land after a government lease expires without any support from the Texas legislature, the report said.
The letter embedded below was signed by TREC President Linda McMahon.
Park Board voted unanimously on June 10 Pursue eminent domaina move aimed at saving state parks in east Texas between Waco and Nacogdoches.
Dallas-based Todd Interests completed the acquisition of the 5,000-acre park and 2,400-acre lake on June 1. The previous owner, Vistra Corp, put the site on the market a few years ago. The state of Texas leased some of the land for the park, but reportedly declined to buy it.Won the tender with Todd Interests and plans to build a $1 billion luxury resort Has a golf course and 400 single-family homes.
Applin and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission did not respond to requests for comment. Alpin said the decision to use eminent domain was a last resort to save the “beloved park”.
“The commission has zero interest in condemning farms, ranches and working land,” Applin said. “We did not take this decision lightly.”
This is not the first letter TWPC has received opposing its decision.Elected members from Freestone CountyThe Texas Parks and Wildlife Service, where the park is located, called the Texas Parks and Wildlife Service’s use of eminent domain an “abuse of power and government overreach.”
The proposed Todd development is expected to generate $20 million in annual tax revenue for Freestone County and the Fairfield Independent School District, the county said.
“We want this message to get out across the state and give people a clear view of what’s going on,” said Sean Todd, chief executive of Todd Interest.
The Real Estate Council has more than 2,000 members from various CRE organizations in Texas. According to its website, the company aims to influence the business marketplace through networking events, educational programs and leadership development.
