Citing dereliction of duty and government overreach, the Freestone County Commissioners Court unanimously signed a letter imploring the State of Texas NOT to proceed with eminent domain to seize the 5,000 acres surrounding Fairfield Lake.
“To use this action will be an infringement on private property rights,” the letter reads. “TPWD had ample notification and time to purchase this land before this property was listed for sale, but blatantly and irresponsibly failed to act.”
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department voted earlier this month to use eminent domain to seize the property in order to preserve a beloved state park that Texans have been enjoying for fifty years.
Fairfield Lake State Park was acquired in 1971 by lease from Texas Utilities and opened to the public in 1976. At its peak, the park enjoyed 80,000 visitors per year, and was named 2022 ‘Park of the Year’ in its region.
Following the closing of the power plant in 2018, the State of Texas sought to purchase the 1,820-acres that housed the state park, but Vistra Energy Corp. wanted to sell the entire 5,000-acre property, all in one piece. Unfortunately, this was not a purchase the State could afford at the time.
That began to change in November of 2019, when Texas voters approved the passage of Proposition 5, which directed 100% of the sporting goods sales tax toward funding the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Historical Commission. This funding was to be earmarked for local parks, state parks and historic sites.
The property was put up for sale to the public in Fall of 2021, and in August of 2022, the announcement came that the property was under contract to be purchased.
Todd Interests, a Dallas-based developer, purchased all 5,000 acres for a reported $110.5 million, with plans for a closed, gated community to include multi-million dollar vacation homes and a private golf course.
As Texas legislators began their session in January of this year, bills were filed to help save the park, and TPWD commissions attempted negotiations with both the buyer and seller to purchase the state park property.
These attempts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The park’s lease officially ended on June 12, 2023, just a few days following TPWD’s vote to utilize the power of eminent domain.
While there has been a big push to save the park, especially locally, the biggest pause has been for the use of eminent domain.
“We have not been in favor of Eminent Domain but have hoped the State and the buyer could reach an agreement,” reads a statement by Freestone County Judge Linda Grant, who had formerly signed a proclamation earlier this year in support of saving Fairfield Lake State Park.
The potential tax revenue was also cited by Judge Grant and all four County Commissioners, who state in their letter issued last week that Freestone County and Fairfield ISD stands to gain approximately 20 million dollars in tax revenue annually from the new development by Todd Interests.
“The citizens of Freestone County lost a large portion of our tax base when the power plant and coal mine closed,” reads the letter. “For TPWD to steal an opportunity for us to replace that tax base would be selfish.”
The letter is signed by Commissioners Andy Bonner – Pct. 1, Will McSwane – Pct. 2, Lloyd Lane – Pct. 3, Clyde Ridge – Pct. 4, and County Judge Linda Grant.
Click here to read the letter in its entirety.
