A $500 million mixed-use development known as the Dean Ranch project is facing a legal battle over annexation in Parker County, according to an April 13 announcement. The cities of Aledo and Fort Worth have asked a district court judge to prevent Willow Park from moving forward with infrastructure plans for the 135-acre Beall Development site along Bankhead Highway, claiming that Willow Park unlawfully annexed land to gain control of the property.
The dispute is significant because it may affect which municipality benefits from tax revenue, controls development decisions, and invests in infrastructure in one of North Texas’s rapidly growing areas. At issue is a 10.9-acre right-of-way that attorneys for Aledo and Fort Worth say was improperly annexed by Willow Park, enabling the city to bring the larger development into its boundaries. Mediation efforts last month did not resolve the disagreement.
Judge Craig Towson is scheduled to hear arguments next month regarding whether to grant a temporary restraining order or broader injunctions that could halt work on the project. Meanwhile, Willow Park has denied any wrongdoing and continues with its plans. The City Council will soon vote on a $4.1 million contract for additional water and sewer infrastructure related to the project.
The Beall Development site is part of the larger 2,000-acre Dean Ranch plan and includes commercial space, multifamily housing, single-family homes, light industrial uses, parks, and trails. Developers have already invested millions into preparing for construction but warn that an unfavorable court ruling could “derail the project entirely.”
The conflict traces back to last summer when Aledo first challenged Willow Park’s actions as an effort to protect municipal boundaries. According to previous statements from Beall Investments cited by local publications, developers chose Willow Park because it offered faster access to utilities—a factor becoming more important as similar jurisdictional disputes emerge across North Texas.
