This is the most substantive City Council meeting of the year, with seventeen action items and five executive session items. The agenda is effectively a sequel to the April 21 P&Z meeting: four of the five P&Z action items come before council for final votes, having received P&Z recommendations just one week earlier.
The biggest item is Items 3 and 4 — the Clearion PD/CL rezoning for 81.706 acres. The same three parcel IDs appeared on the April 21 P&Z agenda mislabeled as "Beall-Dean Ranch Development" due to a scrivener's error. The April 28 council agenda correctly uses the name Clearion. Beyond the zoning carryovers, six non-zoning items affect residents directly: a Republic Waste rate increase and mandatory 95-gallon cart transition taking effect May 1; a water line loop project along the I-20 frontage road; an ETJ map and ordinance update; traffic enforcement on Kingsgate; a lease extension for Suite B at City Hall; and a vote to cancel the May 26 meeting (Memorial Day).
The packet also includes the April 14 minutes, which document several significant actions: the Bar-Ko annexation (Ordinance 936-26, unanimous), the $4.12M Bankhead utility contract to Skyblue Utilities, the City Manager duties ordinance passing 3-2 (Contreras, Gilliland, Smith yea; Wright, Crummel nay — an unusual split), the city rebranding tabled, and Interim City Manager Toni Fisher's statement reminding the public that staff members should not be criticized for doing their jobs following laws and ordinances.
The consent agenda includes the April 14 minutes. Key actions from that meeting:
Bar-Ko Annexation — Approved as Ordinance 936-26 (unanimous). The 7.290-acre Bar-Ko tract is now within city limits, clearing the legal prerequisite for the zoning vote tonight.
Bankhead Utility Extension Phase 2 — Contract Awarded. $4,122,003.40 to Skyblue Utilities, Inc. (unanimous). Engineer Nick Kirk of Jacob & Martin presented.
WWTP — Near Completion. Public Works Director Chase McBride reported approximately 90% complete, with potential startup in late April/early May and full operations in June or July pending testing.
City Manager Duties — Passed 3-2. Ordinance 937-26 amending Chapter 9 (Personnel). Yea: Contreras, Gilliland, Smith. Nay: Wright, Crummel. The 3-2 split on a personnel ordinance is unusual by Willow Park standards and is worth noting given the ongoing City Manager selection process.
Rebranding — Tabled. Rose Hoffman presented a rebranding strategy; council tabled unanimously to a future meeting.
Disannexation — Approved. Ordinance 938-26 correcting a 2,603 sq ft scrivener's error.
Parker County Bond Presentation. Judge Pat Deen asked Willow Park to partner with the county and update its Thoroughfare Plan. Director Bryan Grimes noted the county believes it may own Bankhead Highway by prescription — a potentially significant legal claim over a major commercial corridor.
| CAD IDs | #106134, #47776, and #62893 |
| Surveys | W. Franklin Survey, Abstract No. 468; A. McCarver Survey, Abstract No. 910 |
| Size | 81.706 acres (three parcels combined) |
| Request | R-1 to PD/CL — Planned Development / Clearion District |
| Max Lots | 241 (five home types) |
These three parcel IDs are identical to those that appeared on the April 21 P&Z agenda under the name "Beall-Dean Ranch Development." That was a scrivener's error acknowledged in the April 21 packet. The corrected public hearing notice identified this as the Clearion residential subdivision. The April 28 council agenda correctly uses the name Clearion.
This is the final vote on the PD/CL rezoning that went through P&Z on April 21. The planned development standards (from the April 21 packet) cap the project at 241 lots across five types: Cottage (69 lots, min 5,000 SF), Executive (67, min 6,000 SF), Estate (67, min 7,200 SF), Signature (20, min 10,000 SF), and Luxury (18, min 19,800 SF). Architectural standards require 85% masonry, four elements per home, 6:12 roof pitch, and design variety restrictions. Community amenities include a 16.5-acre public park, 6,000 LF of concrete trail, bike lanes on J.D. Towles Blvd, and emergency-only gated access at Royal View Drive. See our full April 21 P&Z preview for detailed lot and architectural standards →
This is the companion item to the PD/CL rezoning above — the physical layout establishing street network, lot boundaries, utility routing, and easements. The Developer's Agreement was approved February 2025. The 61.4-acre tract was annexed March 24 (Ordinance 935-26). This is a distinct project and location from the 81.706-acre PD/CL item above — the plat covers the Crown Road / J.D. Towles Blvd area where the park dedication, trail network, and residential lots will be built.
The plat includes five residential product types ranging from Luxury Homesites (min 19,800 SF) to Cottage Homesites (min 5,000 SF). Access is via Crown Road and the J.D. Towles Blvd extension. The approximately 16.5-acre park is to be conveyed to the city. Council should confirm the park dedication parcel is formally delineated on the plat and that access points at Crown Road and J.D. Towles are finalized.
| Property | E Bankhead Hwy at Willow Bend Drive (James Oxer Survey, Abstract 1029) |
| Size | 7.290 acres |
| Intended | Tractor Supply Co. retail store (confirmed on record by City Planner) |
| Annexation | Approved April 14 as Ordinance 936-26 (unanimous) |
With the annexation formally on the books as Ordinance 936-26, the legal prerequisite for zoning is met. The C Commercial designation accommodates a general merchandise retailer without a separate SUP. The plat in the April 21 P&Z packet was titled "Tractor Supply Addition" with two lots: Lot 1 (5.145 ac, store) and Lot 2 (2.058 ac, future commercial). Staff recommended approval at P&Z.
This is likely the most procedurally clean vote of the night. Annexation confirmed, P&Z has reviewed it, and the intended use is public record. The main question is whether P&Z recommended approval on April 21.
| Property | 6603 E Bankhead Hwy (Havins Subdivision Block 1, Lot 7) |
| CAD ID | #9527 |
| Size | 0.80 acres |
| Applicant | Eddie Joe Eades (property owner) |
| Intended Use | Optometrist's office (per April 21 staff briefing) |
This small corner lot at FM 5 and East Bankhead has been through two P&Z cycles: the applicant originally sought C Commercial (approved by P&Z March 17, denied by council March 24, 4-0), and returned April 21 with LR Local Retail. The original buyer (Aledo Golf Carts) fell through after the council denial; the new intended tenant is an optometrist's office. Staff recommended approval at the April 21 P&Z meeting. Council is now receiving P&Z's recommendation.
Recall that council specifically directed an SUP approach — the applicant chose LR instead. If P&Z recommended approval, council will decide whether LR is close enough to what they asked for.
| Property | 4954 E I-20 Service Road South (Lot 2, Block 1, Trinity Church Properties) |
| CAD ID | #96818 |
| Request | SUP to replace existing pole sign with Electronic, Informative Digital Message Sign |
Trinity Christian Academy (Pre-K through 12th grade, approximately 520 students) seeks an SUP for a digital message sign on the I-20 corridor. This type of request is structurally identical to the Willow Springs Oak Shopping Center digital sign SUP that P&Z approved March 17 and council approved 4-0 on March 24. Standard conditions for digital signs in Willow Park require content changes once daily during off hours. Staff recommended approval with those same conditions at the April 21 P&Z meeting.
Under Texas Local Government Code §41.001, a city must maintain an official map reflecting its corporate boundary and ETJ, updated each time those boundaries change. Since early 2026, Willow Park has experienced significant boundary activity: the Clearion annexation (61.4 acres, March 24), the Bar-Ko annexation (7.29 acres, April 14), the Beall-Dean Ranch-related activity, and the scrivener's error disannexation (2,603 sq ft, April 14). This ordinance formalizes all changes into the official record.
Willow Park's ETJ extends one mile beyond the corporate boundary under Texas LGC §42.021 (for municipalities between 5,000 and 24,999 population). As the city's boundary expands through annexation, the ETJ boundary expands correspondingly.
Given the active Fort Worth/Aledo litigation over boundary annexations, the official map represents the city's current legal position on where its boundaries lie. The updated map may itself become an exhibit in the litigation. Council should confirm it has been reviewed by City Attorney Messer.
This item was tabled at the March 24 meeting pending speed trailer data. Commander Hamilton reported the speed trailer had equipment issues that have since been repaired and redeployed. The joint presentation by Police and Public Works indicates both enforcement options (patrols, speed measurement) and engineering options (traffic calming, signage, speed tables) are on the table.
Kingsgate Road is a north-south residential collector in western Willow Park connecting Crown Road to the northwest subdivisions. The 2022 Street Improvement Project included its reconstruction. Rapid residential growth on the city's west side has increased cut-through traffic on interior streets. Watch for whether this produces a specific action direction (traffic study, speed monitoring device, engineering review) or remains a general discussion.
Suite B of the City Hall building is occupied under a lease with McKnight (the building owner). The current lease is expiring and council is being asked to approve an extension. Suite B has been used for city administrative overflow and community meeting space. The packet does not identify the tenant or new terms. Routine action requiring a simple majority vote.
May 26 falls on Memorial Day. Standard holiday cancellation. The next regular council meeting after cancellation would be June 9. Simple majority vote.
This item formalizes the rate change under the new joint solid waste agreement between Willow Park, Hudson Oaks, Aledo, and the three Annetta communities. The original joint agreement (negotiated April 2023) runs through April 30, 2026, and is replaced by the new agreement beginning May 1.
Mandatory carts: All trash collection transitions to Republic-issued 95-gallon automated carts, enabling a new fleet of automated side-loader trucks across all six cities. Residents who did not receive a cart before May 1 should contact Republic at 6citiesquestions@RepublicServices.com.
Rate increase: The monthly charge increases from $22.49 to $25.12 (including 8.25% sales tax). The pre-tax base rate is $23.21. Additional carts may be requested at $6.50 per cart per month.
Brush and bulk: Up to two cubic yards per collection day on normal service days. Items 50 lbs or less. Brush must be cut, tied, and bundled to 4 feet, no heavier than 50 lbs per bundle.
The rate increase and cart mandate have been communicated via a March 2026 city news release and an FAQ page on the city website. However, this is the kind of item that generates public questions at the meeting. Residents who haven't received carts or who have questions about the transition may speak during public comments.
This project would loop (connect both ends of) the water line along the southern service road of I-20 and East Bankhead Highway. Looping eliminates dead-end water mains and creates a circular distribution network — improving pressure consistency, water quality (by reducing stagnation in dead-end pipes), and fire flow capacity at hydrants along the corridor.
The I-20/Bankhead corridor is experiencing rapid development: the Bar-Ko / Tractor Supply site, Adobe Interiors (under construction at Jimma Drive and the north I-20 service road), the Baylor Scott & White hospital (construction began March 2026 at 5400 I-20 S Service Road, projected to open January 2027), and the Bankhead Utility Extension Phase 2 awarded April 14. Looping the water line addresses a known infrastructure gap as commercial activity grows.
The packet does not include cost estimates or a specific contractor. Council may be authorizing staff to proceed with design or bidding rather than approving a contract. Clarification on whether this is an authorization to design, bid, or proceed with a vendor is worth requesting.
After executive session, council reconvenes in open session. Watch for whether action is taken on any personnel items.
The meeting closes with staff, mayor, and council comments. Community Interest items note that the Willow Spark event name has been formally adopted for the July 4, 2026 celebration at The District of Willow Park. Item 26 is Future Agenda Items — the tabled rebranding presentation and the ongoing City Manager selection may both surface here.
The April 14 minutes include a notable statement by Interim City Manager Toni Fisher reminding the public that staff members should not be criticized for doing their jobs following laws and ordinances. Mayor Palmer echoed the sentiment. Residents planning to attend or submit public comments are reminded that Willow Park's Rules of Procedure require civil, council-addressed comments from the podium, limited to five minutes per speaker (three minutes if more than ten speakers sign up). Speaker forms must be submitted to City Secretary Deana McMullen at least five minutes before the meeting begins.
