The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had years and years to negotiate a purchase agreement for the almost 5,000-acre Fairfield Lake State Park it leased for free from owner Vistra Corp. But when the lease agreement ended in February, Dallas-based developer Todd Interests made a contract to purchase the land surrounding Fairfield Lake to build what would be a large luxury lake development.
That was when North Texas residents were up in arms at the loss of what is a popular destination for campers, hikers, and outdoors enthusiasts in Fairfield, just south of the densely populated Dallas-Fort Worth area. Luckily for them, the message was heard by TPWD, and the state agency says it has taken “all the necessary steps” to purchase Fairfield Lake State Park to preserve it for public use.
“We need more parkland in Texas, not less. And this is a critical moment for Texas during our centennial celebration year,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Chair Arch H. “Beaver” Aplin III. “I’m committed, and these commissioners are committed, to keeping the park, and we’re determined to protect it for the present and future generations to that end.”
Shawn Todd of Todd Interests told the Texas Tribune that the firm is grateful that the state isn’t employing eminent domain to preserve the park, thus respecting the organization’s private property rights. Todd Interests is the same organization that breathed new life into a huge swathe of downtown Dallas and rechristened it the East Quarter. Todd added that his family-owned development company has countered the state with a proposal for the sale that, while he feels it is “fair,” is “a significant sacrifice to our family and firm.”
The state has not issued a statement on the status of the proposal or its intent to purchase the property, but has said that if it can purchase the park property it intends to expand it. Fairfield Lake State Park, which is still open to day use only, is one of 15 state parks on leased land. State legislators are pushing to create a fund that would allow more leased parks to be purchased, thus expanding public lands in the state.
“The potential loss of this park has really helped remind us how important our state parks are to Texas,” Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas, told the Tribune. “Texas needs more state parks, not fewer. It would be a shame if we lost this park.”
