GROWING

PLACES

Parker County is rapidly evolving

from its rural past. Inside, the
Weatherford Democrat examines
the growth that is changing
everything, from school
districts to housing to business
and commerce.

2016 Growing Places

Pg. 4
Growth puts pressure on
school districts

Publisher
Jeff Smith

Editor

James Walker

Pg. 6
Swancy touts Weatherford
potential

Stories & Photography

Christin Coyne
Jelani Gibson
Maggie Fraser

Pg. 8
Walsh Ranch development
will create a new metro core

Design & Production

Erin Ferguson and Sally Sexton

Ad Design

Pg. 10
East Parker County Growth

Erin Ferguson

Pg. 12
Housing Weatherfords future population
boom
Pg. 14
Retail success fueling citys growth

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2016 Growing Places

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Page 4

2016 Growing Places

Growth puts pressure

on school districts

The elementary schools tend to be where a lot of the

growth happens, Hanks said.

Predominately thats where it occurs, but that

creates a way that over time moves up into the middle
school and high school, he said.Our average class
size is a little over 600 students at each grade level.
Ten years from now that average class size may be
650 or 630, so we have to make plans for when that
wave does come through the system.
Weatherford High School also faces a growth
challenge as it grows near capacity, Hanks said.

I know a lot of people see that big complex down

there but the high school was built with the intent
that it would be added onto at some point, he said.
The common spaces were made big enough to
accommodate a larger population on that campus
and academic wings were built where they can be
added on to. Were over 90 percent capacity.
That situation alone is going to present a challenge
that will need a solution, Hanks said.

Parker County is facing growth. That seems to be an

accepted fact of life when it comes to living in Parker
County.

propositions costing an overall $74.9 million to

address growth, grade realignments, safety and
security.

What is not so clear however is how prepared the

entire county is for that growth when it comes to the
educational system.

Proposition 1 will fund existing facility improvements

while Proposition 2 will construct a new Shirley Hall
Middle School serving grades 6-8 and add a sixth
grade classroom to Tison Middle School as well.

The county, home to multiple independent school

districts, will see a population influx numbering in
the thousands in the years to come, and with those
thousands come new families and more importantly,
new students that will cause some ISDs to take a
hard look at their preparedness and the true price of
a smooth and successful expansion.
The most high-profile example of such preparation
comes from Weatherford Independent School
District.
WISD passed a May 2015 bond package with three

more of that growth, so its been something that

weve been watching and looking and planning for,
for quite a while, he said. Its one of those things
that we as a community have to be proactive about
and look down the road and see and anticipate what
is coming or else well be in a bind.

Proposition 3 involves safety and security measures

such as the implementation of controlled entry
points for school campuses.
Dr. Jeffrey Hanks, WISD superintendent, is confident
of the districts ability to handle the oncoming influx
of students.
The Shirley Hall Middle School and the addition
at Tison will become sixth through eighth grade
campuses and that takes a great load off of our
elementary and allows us to accomodate a little bit

One of the things you have to take into consideration

is the ninth grade center over here and the fact that
while we have it full, its not full with students ... we
only have one grade level on the campus right now so
the question needs to be, do we continue to shuttle
students from the high school back down to the ninth
grade center for career and technology programs that
are not available at the high school or do you create
a space at the high school that may house those
programs and then that creates additional classroom
space at the Ninth Grade Center, Hanks said.
WISD is not the only entity that will have to think
about how it approaches growth, Hanks said.
I think the city of Weatherford will have that same
challenge, the Chamber of Commerce will have that
same challenge, Hanks said.Being proactive about
that, thinking about it, preparing yourself for it is
critical for all those entities.Change is not necessarily
a comfortable process ... some people dont want to
see it (Weatherford) change.
Part of making that change more of a smoother
transition is offering a sense of community, Hanks
said.

You try to continue to offer those things that

they value, Hanks said. Even a school in a large
urban setting can offer a feel of community and
family, offering a close-knit very personal engaging
environment for not only the children that it serves,
but also for the family that it serves.
Growth does not have to be a barrier to fostering that
sense of community, Hanks said.
Theres no reason you have to get cold and
indifferent because you get larger, he said. It really
does become fostering those relationships, letting
people know that you care about them.
The countys other big school district, Aledo ISD,
also passed a May 2015 bond package with two
propositions worth an estimated $53.2 million.
Were quickly running out of room, said Dr. Derek
Citty, Aledo ISD superintendent.

2016 Growing Places

by 2020-2021.
Also contributing to growth in the north is the
Morningstar Ranch master-planned community,
which will have 2,100 homes at build out.
In addition to its new elementary school, the district
used the second proposal in the 2015 bond package to
renovate and update its Coder Elementary campus.
The reception area was redesigned with a controlled
entry for increased security, including electronic
access control, security cameras, and a set of doors
that allows reception to buzz in visitors and lock
the doors electronically.
Other parts of the school were renovated with new
flooring, tile, finish for countertops and cabinets,
and paint for walls and doors.
You let the growth change you, or you bring people

Proposition 1, valued at $28.8 million,

included plans for a new elementary
school and Proposition 2, valued at
$24.4 million, included improvements
for technology, security, buses and
renovations.

However, more elementary schools will be needed

to address overcrowding in the districts existing
elementary schools, particularly on the districts
south side. This was a major point of contention
during the months-long discussion on the new
schools location.
According to a report by Templeton Demographics,
Stuard and Vandagriff elementaries located in the
south part of the district have almost reached 93
percent capacity.
Vandagriff is predicted to hit capacity by 2016-2017,
and Stuard by 2017-2018.
In the northern part of the district, McCall Elementary
is estimated to hit capacity by 2019-2020, and Coder

Additional staff, building renovations and program

expansions are all being considered, Belding said.
With increased enrollment we would get increased
funding from the state, he said.
In the end, Belding views growth with a sense of
assuredness.

I think growth is a positive thing, he said. Its a

compliment that youre doing something right.
Over in Garner ISD, things have stayed stable for the
most part, said Dr. Rebecca Hallmark, Garner ISD
superintendent.
Weve not seen any rapid growth, she said.
Although growth hasnt come in the drastic forms
that other school districts are experiencing, staying
on the lookout is paramount, Hallmark said.
We want to stay prepared, she said.
Dr. Scott Drillette, Brock ISD
superintendent, faces the position of
being in charge of a school district that
may have no choice but to grow.

The
districts
facility
planning
committee recommended the need
to build a new school for students in
kindergarten through second grade
with an initial capacity of 450-500
students, along with renovations to the
the elementary school and junior high
school.

After much debate on the board of

trustees and in the community at
large, the board made the decision to
build a fifth elementary school on the
north side of the district, within the
boundaries of the Walsh Ranch masterplanned community.
With the first phase of Walsh underway,
and construction on the first lot of homes scheduled
to begin in Spring 2017, the elementary school would
serve families moving into the new development.

Page 5

into the fold, Citty said of increasing change in the

district.
Former Millsap ISD superintendent Dr. David
Belding, who is leaving to take the superintendent
position at Aubrey, said he spent a great amount of
time focusing on growth and cultural solidarity.
Were certainly projecting out for possible growth,
he said.
The influx of students has been steadily climbing,
Belding said.
Weve gained around 180 students already (since
2011), he said.
We (had) a family atmosphere that is here, Belding
said. We have to continue to celebrate our heritage
while welcoming and embracing who becomes a part
of Millsap. Millsap is special and (will) be committed
to keeping it special.

We dont want to be in portables a long

time, Drillete said.

With an estimated cost of $17-20 million, a final

decision wouldnt be made until the August deadline
for calling a bond election, Drillette said.
The committee also noted that the elementary school
was over capacity by 78 students and had projections
that BISD, with 1,350 students would be 814 over
that figure with 2,164, in 2026.
Their plan also called for classrooms to be added
to Brock High School to accommodate 200 more
students within 10 years.
Its pressure, but I feel like the community will
respond, Drillette said.
By Jelani Gibson and Maggie Fraser
jgibson@weatherforddemocrat.com
mfraser@weatherforddemocrat.com

Page 6

2016 Growing Places

Swancy touts
Weatherford
potential

Weatherford Mayor Craig Swancy, born and raised

in Weatherford when it was a much smaller town,
expects recent growth in the city, which had an
estimated population of just under 28,000 people
in 2014, to continue.
Its pretty amazing whats going on in Weatherford
on a daily basis that most people just dont pay
attention to, Swancy said.
Since he joined the city council nine years ago,
Swancy said hes seen the city make significant
transportation system upgrades, from widening
the roads to putting in more access on and off the
interstate.Weatherford also has much more retail
shopping now, according to Swancy.
You can get almost anything you want or need,
Swancy said, adding that people come from

surrounding counties to shop in area.

He attributes much of that retail growth to the
transportation projects along the Interstate and
South Main area that made the stores possible.
I think the TIRZ project that were currently
working on is going to expand the I-20 corridor
dramatically, Swancy said, noting the recent
announcement that Academy Sports + Outdoors
is planning to open a store as a result of the TIRZ.
In addition to the road projects, Weatherfords
planning for the future has positioned the city for
growth it is now seeing, Swancy said. I worked
for the Weatherford Fire Department for 35 years.
Councils in the old days managed the city but they
didnt plan very far ahead, Swancy said.

Living in Weatherford, Swancy said more than

1,000 homes are planned for the north and south
parts of the city within the next three to four years,
as well as upscale apartments.

Weatherford College is doing all they can to take

on more students so well try to provide them with
the places for their students to stay and roads for
them to get to the college, Swancy said.The city
has intentionally planned for more recreational
activities and entertainment for residents, Swancy
said. When I was a kid we always used to say,
Theres nothing to do, so wed cruise the streets
of Weatherford going up and down South Main,
Swancy said. Well if you notice nobody hardly
cruises the streets anymore.

Additional recreational opportunities include the

development of Heritage Park, the amphitheater,

the Patsy Hooks Dog Park and the connecting

Town Creek Hike and Bike Trail, as well as Quanah
Hill mountain bike trails and the construction
of the soon-to-open movie theater and bowling
alley.Swancy also noted that many of the existing
parks have also been upgraded and expanded,
such as the skate park at McGratton Park and
revamping Cherry Park.
The city hopes to continue extending the hike and
bike trail south and west to the shopping center
area and north to Mineral Wells State Park Trail
on the north side of the city.
Continuing growth, Swancy sees the tax increment
reinvestment zone as the most important thing the
city can do to continue growing.

2016 Growing Places

When they realized that we were going to build
access roads and put in infrastructure, theres
companies lining up to come this way, Swancy
said.
Infrastructure, including water and sewer
extensions, will be important, as well, Swancy
said, noting locations where housing and other
development is planned to the north, west and
south. He also noted that the citys water reuse
project will reroute treated water back into Lake
Weatherford, which he expects to give the city a
more stable water supply and help recreation due
to steadier lake levels.
While the city has been working to develop and
market downtown, leaders hope to do more.After
failure of a proposed bond to fund a downtown

Page 7
plan, Swancy said the city is working on a possible
method to get the state to pay for the projects.One
of the major parts of the plan is getting truck traffic
out of downtown and making it more pedestrian
friendly.

The thing that I liked about it was it routed traffic

off the square and put in a few one way streets
and made the traffic flow better, Swancy said.
And then we could come in and do extra parking
downtown. One of the things that concerns a lot
of people is the ability of people to find parking
downtown.
By Christin Coyne
ccoyne@weatherforddemocrat.com

Page 8

2016 Growing Places

Walsh Ranch development

will create a new metro core

Walsh Ranch measures 11.37 miles, or 7,267

acres,and is located three and a half miles west of
the intersection of I-30 with West Loop 820.
At build-out, the community will hold more than
14,000 homes and 30,000 to 40,000 residents,
said Jake Wagner, co-CEO of RPG.
The size of the land lends itself to a tremendous
number of homes and growth, and to create a
second metro core outside of Fort Worth.Its
very much the size of a lot of good-sized cities,
Wagner said.There will be 8.8 million square
feet of commercially-zoned space, which has the
potential to net billions, Wagner said.
About 2,300 acres of the development will be left
as green space and trails for hiking and biking will
connect the development to create a nature-rich
community, he said.By Oct. 2016, Walsh will
have a model park and 20 spec home sites. The
development will have 500 home sites on the
ground in 2017, with 20 to 30 homes built and
move-in ready by Feb. 2017, Wagner said.Home

prices will average $400,000.

The impacts of the burgeoning development have
been felt most by the Aledo Independent School
District.Seventy-seven percent of the Walsh
Ranch development land is located within AISD
boundaries, according to statistics provided by the
district.Recently, the districts board of trustees
voted to build a new elementary school on Walsh
Ranch land.
The districts student population grew by 9.8
percent growth over the past five years. According
to projections by RPG, AISD will experience
more than 60 percent growth over the next five
years.Much of this growth is due to families with
elementary school-aged children moving to the
area to live in housing developments like Walsh
Ranch.
This prompted the need for a new elementary
school, as most of the current elementary schools
are predicted to reach capacity within the next five
to seven years.According to the memorandum of

understanding (MOU) supplied by Walsh Ranch

for the new elementary school, Walsh willdonate
land for the elementary school, and make a $1
million donation to the district.

The district will work with Walsh Ranch and its

architects to create a design for the school that is
consistent with the aesthetic standards for the
Walsh Development.Construction is estimated to
begin on or around Aug. 1, according to the MOU.
If Walsh Ranch fails to complete rough grading
of the land by that date, they will give $25,000 to
AISD in order to complete the grading and cover
any other expenses.
Walsh Ranch will also cover drainage and internet
utilities for the school.Walsh Ranch also agreed
to establish a nonprofit organization for further
donations to the district, according to the MOU.If
all goes according to plan, the school will open on
the first day of school in Aug. 2017.
By Maggie Fraser
mfraser@weatherforddemocrat.com

2016 Growing Places

Page 9

Page 10

2016 Growing Places

East Parker
County Growth

Over the next year, the communities in East Parker

County will prepare themselves for growth, open
new businesses and attend to old business.

Aledo

A new fire station, medical offices and other

commercial developments are coming to Aledo
this year.
Aledos fire department was recently awarded a
Class 2 rating from the Insurance Services Office
(ISO).
This rating places them in the top 1.5 percent of city
fire departments in the nation, Mayor Kit Marshall

WD Photo/Maggie FraserBuildings are torn down

in Hudson Oaks to make way for new construction.
Like most of East Parker County, Hudson Oaks is
in a period of growth, in terms of both population
and economic development.Growth is happening
throughout East Parker County
said. This marks a significant improvement over
the departments previous rating of Class 7.
Higher ISO ratings also mean better insurance
rates for residents and businesses.
Its pretty huge. Who would have thought?
Marshall said. This is a positive for our residents
and our businesses. That Class 2 rating represents
an exemplary fire department.
The city also plans to build a new fire station later
this year near Aledo High School.
Bailey Ranch Road, located on the north side of

the city, will play an important part in the citys

economic development infrastructure over the
next year, Marshall said.
With 110 businesses currently existing in the city,
most lease spaces are filled, Marshall said.

However, the city has commercial concepts for 17

acres of land along Bailey Ranch Road and Farmto-Market 1187.
The anchor of the commercial development would
be a medical office building, with the potential
for restaurants and other retail businesses to set
up shop, according to concept plans provided by

Aledos Economic Development Corporation.

Overall, the city has 180 acres of commerciallyzoned land, with 12 tracts and lots designated for
new businesses or expansions.

2016 Growing Places

A year ago now, we said we were going to get
HEB. And Ive gotten so many calls about that, he
said. Things dont happen quickly with municipal
government, and it was very painful to learn that.
But HEB is coming.

Annetta

Other new businesses will be coming to Hudson

Oaks within the next year along the same stretch
of U.S. 180 where HEB will be built, including
Starbucks, Chik Fil-A and a branch of First
National Bank, Deen said.

Much of the new home development is due to the

influx of families moving to Parker County in order
to send their children to Aledo schools, Pinckard
said.

Willow Park

Over the past 10 years, more than 735 home

sites have been constructed in Annetta and its
extraterritorial jurisdiction, Annetta Mayor Bruce
Pinckard said.

In order to manage the growth, the city is in the

process of putting comprehensive, strategic and
implementation plans in place in order to define
its objectives and goals for the future.
To that end, the Annetta City Council recently
adopted its first-ever comprehensive plan,
Pinckard said.
As Annetta grows, its water supply will be another
concern.
Annetta is largely dependent on private wells,
leading to competition among residential wellowners.
As a result, the city is also exploring its options for
a municipal water system to alleviate dependence
on wells.

Hudson Oaks

New businesses will pop up all over Hudson Oaks

this year, Mayor Pat Deen said.
Economic development is the citys lifeblood, as
Hudson Oaks does not collect property taxes. The
city operates on sales tax, Deen said.
Everything we do is driven by how we bring
business into the city, Deen said.
When several buildings were demolished on U.S.
180 in May to make room for the long-awaited
HEB, Deen said he received calls inquiring when
the grocery store would be ready for business.

Page 11
said. You can scrimp on it. But its a pay-menow or pay-me-later kind of deal. And the time of
reckoning has come.
The city is also in the process of finding a site for a
new, permanent wastewater treatment plant.

The citys wastewater treatment plant was sold

to the city as a package plant, meaning it had
been used. The plant originally supplied the nowdefunct Trinity Meadows Race Track in the 1990s
before it was sold to the city.

A May bond election led to the passage of two

proposals: A $4.5 million bond proposition for a
new public safety building in Willow Park, anda
$2.2 million proposal to fix several roads.

Because the current treatment plant will likely

reach capacity before a new treatment plant can
be completed, the city recently began the process
of acquiring a temporary plant.

The public safety building, which has been in place

since 1971, is overcrowded and has several issues
with infrastructure. The building flooded during
the record rainfall in May and mold has also been
found in the building, plus the second story floor
has a hole.

In addition to addressing infrastructure needs, the

city can also expect commercial development.

Road repairs have been an ongoing issue for the

city. Willow Park Mayor Richard Neverdousky
said many of the citys roads were not laid with a
proper base decades ago.

A new oral surgery center, an assisting living

facility and a funeral chapel are some of the other
businesses currently under construction in Willow
Park, Neverdousky said.

Since then, previous councils pursued short-term,

low-cost road repairs, Neverdousky said.

By Maggie Fraser
mfraser@weatherforddemocrat.com

Because of this, the

roads have fallen into
a state of disrepair due
to poor construction
and
maintenance,
Neverdousky said.
Ranch House Road was
the main focus of repairs,
along with Fox Hunt Trail
to Crown Pointe Road.
People wanted low
taxes. And thats all well
and good. We had several
people on the council
who fancied themselves
as libertarians, who did
not want to raise taxes.
But infrastructure costs
money,
Neverdousky

The Shops at Willow Park, a 44-acre, mixed use

development, is predicted to be complete later this
year.

Page 12

2016 Growing Places

Housing Weatherfords
future population boom

The winds of change and expansion are howling in

the town of Weatherford and with it comes a new
population that will have to find a place they call
home.

Weatherford has master platted 1,028 residential

lots, he said.If there is any doubt of Weatherfords
rising growth in the overall building market, one
must look no further than the numbers.

Finding that humble abode and sanctuary

comes with a variety of planning, economic and
developmental factors that will continue to shape
the citys borders.

Total valuations doubled from $40 million in

2012 to $79 million in 2015, according to official
city statistics. More than $80 million in new
construction is coming into Weatherford, Farmer
said.

Were getting more custom homes, they wanna

get a home built, so values are going up, said
Craig Farmer, City of Weatherford planning and
development director. We got people moving in
town with a little bit more money.
The average house value in Weatherford
is about $200,000 and a large number of
residential lots have already been proposed for
construction,Farmer said.

Were hearing from the realtors and others

that theres a lot of people asking about quality
townhomes and single family houses that are
quality but not necessarily huge for old people,
he said. At the same time theres people looking
for entry level too, their first house.
I think its a mix, Farmer said. Theres more
demand for apartment quality.

Prospective residents may also be looking to

downsize as they get older and children leave the
house.

My kids just left so I dont need a four-bedroom

house, I need a really nice two or three-bedroom
house with a big dining room and a bar, Farmer
said.I call it a variety of housing choice.
Single-family homes will be a priority as the city
continues to grow, Farmer said. Most are single
family, some track-built, others custom-built.
It is a matter of the market catering to the publics
desire. Its just what most people want.
Most communities Ive been in (that are) similar
to Weatherford, somewhere around 25 to 5 percent
of the housing is used for multi-family apartments
and then the rest is traditional single-family, he
said.Some of the bigger places like Irving are up

to 60 percent apartments.
The number of single family home permits has
increased, according to official city statistics.
From 2012 through 2016, 751 single family
dwelling permits have been issued. Regardless of
the growth, Farmer thinks that Weatherford will
still keep its sense of individuality, and doesnt
count on Weatherford becoming a suburb of the
metroplex anytime soon.
I define a suburb different than others, he said.
Weve got city problems, weve got a downtown
that needs some work, weve got neighborhoods

2016 Growing Places

that need help.I dont think well ever be a suburb.
I think Walsh Ranch is kind of a suburb.
Traffic is a big indicator of why people move as
well, Farmer said.
Turn on the news in the morning and look at
traffic, he said. I commuted for years about 20
miles ... its (Weatherford) got a town feel to it, the
traffics not bad.
County development is spurring housing growth,
Farmer said.

Page 13

We got a lot more buying power and a lot more

amenities than the average town of 25,000 and
thats because of all the county development,
he said. If you really look at most towns with a
25,000 population they dont have a Lowes and
Home Depot and a Target and two Walmarts
(including the one in Willow Park).
I always use the expression, I think its the biggest
town of 25,00 Ive been in, Farmer said.
By Jelani Gibson
jgibson@weatherforddemocrat.com

Page 14

2016 Growing Places

Retail
success
fueling
Citys
growth
Weatherfords retail base has boomed over the
last decade though city leaders expect the city to
continue growing in other areas, as well.
Eleven years ago, the Lowes, Target shopping
center just started construction, said Director of
Economic Development Dennis Clayton, adding
that the Weatherford Ridge shopping center
followed behind and is almost finished out.
With that and some other projects, I know for
a fact that weve added about 1.3 million square
feet of new retail, primarily out on the interstate,
Clayton said. And that has caused the city sales
tax to just about double in 10 years.
It was $4.5 or $5 million per year. It reached $11.3
million last year as a direct result of that plus all of
the smaller developments along South Main Street
and Fort Worth Highway and downtown.
There is more to come, Clayton said.A lot
has happened and will continue, Clayton said,
pointing out major projects under construction
such as the film and bowling alley and the Roger
Williams dealership and the newly opened Keg1
facility.I think the TIRZ is going to help continue
our development to the west.
Clayton said he expects to continue to see
businesses interested in open space west of South
Main Street as well as near the west loop around
Weatherford. Development of the east loop is
also expected to create additional opportunity for
growth to the east, near Hudson Oaks, according

to Clayton.
While retail has been one of the largest growing
sectors in Weatherford in recent year, Clayton
noted the multiple other sectors have also been
growing, including healthcare, such as the new
Weatherford Rehab Hospital, and warehouse and
distribution sectors.
The TIRZ focus on enhancement and marketing
of the downtown, various transportation projects,
including downtown, and housing growth will be
important for continued economic development,
Clayton said.
I think continuing what were doing and putting
some of these new programs in place and
improving access and circulation are some of the
key factors, Clayton said. And quality of life and
schools are some of the key factors, and thats in
place with all of the school districts we have.
Were sort of a model city for growth, Clayton
said, adding that the location near the Metroplex,

the population, less traffic congestion, good quality

of life, the citys heritage and good school districts
make it an attractive place for families. About
45 percent of the labor force in Weatherford
commutes to work.

But one of the strengths that Weatherford has,

even East Parker County, is that whatever kind of
jobs we create in whatever sector, those workers
commuting would love to get a job in Parker
County without a commute, Clayton said.
By Christin Coyne
ccoyne@weatherforddemocrat.com