A spat between the Riverhills neighborhood and the neighboring Whole Foods and REI-anchored Waterside development landed at the Fort Worth Zoning Commission Wednesday, where the commission voted down a Waterside development proposal that would have allowed its developer to add another hotel.
The Waterside master plan already has two hotels, enough for the site, representatives for the neighborhood argued. The commission voted 4-3 to recommend the case for denial to the Fort Worth City Council, which will take it up April 3.
Crawford Edwards, one of the developers of Riverhills and the mixed-used Clearfork, being built on the former Edwards Ranch, was one of several people in the audience who stood when a Riverhills representative asked for a show of support from neighborhood people opposed to the rezoning. After the hearing, Edwards declined comment when approached by the magazine.
Raymond Development would develop the $20 million, 119-room select-service hotel at 5825 Arborlawn Drive. Raymond developed the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites hotels at the Midtown development on Fort Worth's Near Southside, and the Hampton Suites hotel that recently opened in downtown Fort Worth.
Riverhills representatives speaking against the rezoning argued the hotel would be too close to their homes and that the city had already allowed a master plan that allows two hotel sites.
"I feel that's already been vetted out," zoning commissioner Will Northern said, in voting against the rezoning. Chair Melissa McDougal also voted against the rezoning. "I think it was vetted in the past. I say we stick to the plan."
