August 11, 2023 – After a tumultuous year for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Park in Freestone County, work has now begun on turning the old State Park into a residential development. A gated golf course community is planned for the land, after the previous owner sold the property to Todd Interests from Dallas.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department voted in June to allow the agency to condemn the 5,000-acre property and seize it through eminent domain after negotiations stalled for TPWD to buy the property that the State of Texas had been leasing for many years. Currently the agency has not filed the necessary paperwork to initiate the condemnation in court.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lost access to the park back in February of 2023 and has fought to try and purchase the park at a time when the 88th Texas Legislature has committed more funding to expand the park system. The TPWD has indicated that they offered “fair market value” for the land, but the developer is adamant of pushing forward with the construction of the residential project.
Eminent domain allows the State of Texas to seize the land for public purpose, but the State would still have to purchase the land. If the State of Texas moves forward with condemnation of the land through eminent domain proceedings, the final price could be left up to a judge as Todd Interests has said they have no intentions to sell. The state Legislature appropriated $125 million earlier this year to the TPWD for park acquisition statewide.
