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City of Fort Worth

2023

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

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To the citizens of Fort Worth:

On behalf of the City Council and the City Plan Commission, we are pleased to release the 2023 Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted by the City Council on March 21, 2023.

The Comprehensive Plan is the City’s official guide for making decisions about growth and development. It sets forth the City’s vision for the future and describes the policies, programs, and projects by which we seek to realize that vision. The Comprehensive Plan thus helps the City in fulfilling its mission of focusing on the future and working together to build strong neighborhoods, develop a sound economy, and provide a clean, safe community.

This annual update of the plan incorporates the most current population, economic, and financial trends affecting the City, while also updating some individual chapters and appendices within the plan. The update also incorporates new plans adopted by the City, amends the future land use maps that guide development decisions, identifies funded capital improvement projects, and describes changes to the City’s annexation program. Throughout this process, our goal has been to produce a practical document that will be concise, readable, accessible, usable, and easy to update.

If you have any questions about the City’s planning process, please call our FWLab/Planning and Data Analytics Department at (817) 392-7621.

Sincerely,

ORDINANCE NO. 26050-03-2023

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CITY OF FORT WORTH 2023 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN; ANALYZING POPULATION, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL TRENDS; DESCRIBING IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS; DIVIDING THE CITY INTO 16 PLANNING SECTORS; PROVIDING MAPS DESCRIBING PROPOSED FUTURE LAND USES AND RECOMMENDED LAND USE POLICIES FOR EACH SECTOR; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE

WHEREAS, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 25379-03-2022 adopting the Fort Worth 2022 Comprehensive Plan on March 8, 2022; and

WHEREAS, the 2022 Comprehensive Plan is the City of Fort Worth's general guide for making decisions about growth and development; and

WHEREAS, the 2022 Comprehensive Plan includes, without limitation, provisions on land use, housing, parks and community services, libraries, human services, neighborhood capacity building, economic development, transportation, education, historic preservation, urban design, arts and culture, police services, fire and emergency services, environmental quality, public health, and municipal facilities; and

WHEREAS, it is the City Council’s intent to update elements of the Comprehensive Plan annually; and

WHEREAS, on January 25, 2023, the City Plan Commission conducted a public hearing on the 2023 Comprehensive Plan and recommended that the City Council adopt the plan; and

WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a public hearing on the 2023 Comprehensive Plan on March 21, 2023, at which the public was given the opportunity to give testimony and present written evidence; and

WHEREAS, a copy of the of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan was made available in a file in the City Secretary's Office and available from the Planning and Data Analytics Department and included the following revisions to the 2022 Comprehensive Plan:

1. The Population Trends, Economic Trends, and Financial Trends chapters have been updated to reflect the latest statistical information available for these chapters.
2. Chapter 4: Land Use has been updated to include relevant new information and data, and to streamline the Future Land Use – Zoning table.
3. Minor updates have been made to the Introduction, Chapter 12: Education, Chapter 16: Police Services, and Chapter 19: Public Health.
4. Maps have been updated throughout the plan to reflect approved annexations and boundary adjustments.
5. Appendix A: Existing Plans and Studies has been updated to reflect the City Council’s adoption of the following plans: a. Botanic Garden Master Plan, 2023 update b. Economic Development Strategic Plan, 2022 update c. Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan, 2023 (proposed March 2023) d. Meacham Airport Master Plan, 2023 e. Public Art Plan for 2022 Bond Program
6. Appendix C: Future Land Use by Sector has been updated to reflect 100-year floodplain locations on vacant land, approved zoning changes, new development plans and opportunities, and existing development patterns unlikely to change.
7. Appendix D: Proposed Capital Improvements has been updated to include the adopted FY2023-2027 Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, along with a graphic summary of major expenditures described in the plan.
8. Appendix E: Planned Service Areas has been updated to reflect 20-year service area adjustments and recent annexations.
9. Appendix F: Annexation Plan, Policy, and Program has been updated to reflect changes to the annexation program.

WHEREAS, following testimony at the public hearing on March 21, 2023, the City Council adopted the 2023 Comprehensive Plan on that date, with the exception of Chapter 4: Land Use and Appendix C: Future Land Use by Sector; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 4: Land Use and Appendix C: Future Land Use by Sector will be considered by the City Council at a public hearing on April 25, 2023.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS:

SECTION 1.

The 2023 Comprehensive Plan of the City of Fort Worth is adopted as set out in Exhibit A attached and incorporated as if contained herein, specifically including existing plans and studies described in Appendix A to the Plan, which are incorporated by reference. A copy of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan of the City of Fort Worth is on file in the City Secretary’s Office and in the Planning and Data Analytics Department.

SECTION 2.

The City of Fort Worth 2023 Comprehensive Plan supersedes and replaces the 2022 Comprehensive Plan.

SECTION 3.

This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (2015), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 4.

It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section.

SECTION 5.

This ordinance shall take effect upon adoption.

APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:

ADOPTED: March 21, 2023

EFFECTIVE: March 21, 2023

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EXHIBIT A

• USB flash drives or similar electronic storage devices containing the 2023 Comprehensive Plan to be attached and on file in the City Secretary's Office.
• 2023 Comprehensive Plan URL: https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/planning-data-analytics/planning/comprehensiveplan/adopted

CITY OFFICIALS

Mattie Parker, Mayor

City Council

Carlos Flores, District 2 Michael Crain, District 3 Alan Blaylock District 4 Gyna Bivens, District 5 Jared WIlliams, District 6 Leonard Firestone, District 7 Chris Nettles, District 8 Elizabeth Beck, District 9

City Plan Commission

Don Boren, Chair, District 8 Vicky Schoch, District 1 Kathy Hamilton, District 2 Jim Tidwell, District 3 Matt Kotter, District 4 Will Dryden, District 5 Roderick Miles, District 6 Edward Deegan, District 7 Vacant, District 9 Josh Lindsay, Alternate Matthijs Melchiors, Alternate Andrew Scott, Alternate Jarrett Wilson, Alternate

Zoning Commission

Willie Rankin, Chair, District 2 Jarod Cox, District 1 Beth Welch, District 3 Jesse Gober, District 4 Rafael McDonnell, District 5 Mia Hall, District 6 Jacob Wurman, District 7 Wanda Conlin, Vice Chair, District 8 Kimberly Miller, District 9

City Manager’s Office

David Cooke, City Manager Dana Burghdoff, Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa, Assistant City Manager William Johnson, Assistant City Manager Jessica McEachern, Assistant City Manager Valerie Washington, Assistant City Manager Reyne Telles, Chief Communications Officer Lawrence Thompson, Education Strategy Manager

Department Heads

Roger Venables, Aviation Leann Guzman, City Attorney Jannette Goodall , City Secretary Brandon Bennett, Code Compliance Michelle Gutt, Communications & Public Engagement D. J. Harrell, Development Services Christina Brooks, Diversity & Inclusion Robert Sturns, Economic Development Reginald Zeno, Financial Management Services James Davis, Fire Chief Dianna Giordano, Human Resources David Medrano, Interal Audit Kevin Gunn, IT Solutions Manya Shorr, Library William Rumuly, Municipal Court Services Victor Turner, Neighborhood Services Kim Neal, Office of the Police Oversight Monitor Richard Zavala, Park & Recreation Mark McDaniel, Interim Planning & Data Analytics Neil Noakes, Police Chief Steve Cooke, Property Management Michael Crum, Public Events Lauren Prieur, Transportation & Public Works Christopher Harder, Water

Cooperating Agencies

Arts Council of Fort Worth Camp Bowie District, Inc. Crowley Independent School District Cultural District Alliance, Inc. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District Fort Worth Business Press Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Fort Worth Housing Solutions Fort Worth Independent School District Fort Worth League of Neighborhood Associations, Inc. Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, Inc. Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors Historic Fort Worth, Inc. Keller Independent School District Near Southside, Inc. North Central Texas Council of Governments Northwest Independent School District Southeast Fort Worth, Inc. Streams & Valleys, Inc. Tarrant County Texas Christian University Texas Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics Texas Health and Human Services Commission Texas Wesleyan University Texas Workforce Commission The Real Estate Council of Greater Fort Worth Trinity Metro University of North Texas Health Science Center United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County Visit Fort Worth (formerly known as Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau) Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County

FWLab/Planning & Data Analytics Department

Mark McDaniel, Interim Director Eric Fladager, Assistant Director - Planning Division Ashley Clement, Assistant Director - Capital Budget Division Christianne Simmons, Assistant Director - Operations Budget Division

Planning Division

Korrie Becht, Planning Manager Rachel Bristow, Senior Planner Isaac Robles, Senior Planner Luis Vazquez, Senior Planner Cauner McDonald, Planner

Operations Budget Division

Brady Kirk, Operating Budget Manager Pam Kacmarynski, Budget Systems Manager

Capital Budget Division

May Ma, Capital Budget Manager

Strategy & Performance Division

Amethyst Sloan, Performance Manager

Data Analytics Division

Orkhan Ismayilov, Data Analytics Manager

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

The Comprehensive Plan is the City of Fort Worth’s official guide for making decisions about growth and development. The Plan is a summary of the recommended goals, policies, strategies, and projects that will enable the City to achieve its mission of focusing on the future and working together to build strong neighborhoods, develop a sound economy, and provide a safe community.

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Census, Fort Worth’s population is 935,508 and the City is ranked 13th in the nation by population. According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Fort Worth’s population is projected to surpass 1,206,000 by 2045. In addition, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Fort Worth’s population is projected to surpass 1,206,000 by 2045. According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ employment forecast, employment in the City of Fort Worth will continue to rise at a rate 1.49 percent annually to approximately 973,000 jobs within Fort Worth in 2045.

CREATING A COMMON VISION

The vision statement for the Comprehensive Plan has been shaped by citizens’ comments and expressed values, and more sharply focused by the Mayor and City Council. The vision and values defined within the Comprehensive Plan represent the creative efforts of the community to lay a successful foundation for the future of Fort Worth.

During the 2000 Comprehensive Plan sector workshops held throughout Fort Worth in 1998, several values were identified that refine the City’s vision. These values are preserved as part of the 2023 Plan: Preservation of western heritage, a friendly small town atmosphere, quality and ethnic diversity of cultural life, the arts, neighborhood vitality, preservation of historic buildings and districts, efficiency and equity in delivery of quality public services, educational and economic opportunity, aviation history and technology, can-do attitude, promotion of free enterprise, protection of property rights, mobility, children and youth, conservation of natural resources, and inclusiveness and cooperation: “The Fort Worth Way.”

In developing the Plan to reflect these community values and to help the City realize its vision, five major themes emerged. These five themes, which influence various elements of the Plan, can guide the City in its decisions about the future.

1. Promoting Economic Growth
2. Meeting the Needs of an Expanding Population
3. Revitalizing the Central City
4. Developing Multiple Growth Centers
5. Celebrating the Trinity River

VISION

“Fort Worth will be commonly recognized as the most livable city in Texas. Residents will be able to enjoy Fort Worth’s friendly atmosphere and the opportunities that are associated with a growing economy and diverse community. Fort Worth’s public schools will produce well-rounded citizens and a skilled workforce to fill high-paying jobs in local businesses. Fort Worth’s environmental quality will also be superior, meeting the highest national standards.”

PLANNING THEMES

PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH

Economic growth and diversification are dependent on the overall economic health of the community. The City has developed several policies and strategies to assist in fostering economic growth. Examples include the following:

Policy

• Strengthen the effectiveness of economic development incentives by including appropriate capital improvement funding in an overall incentive package that encourages central city redevelopment (p. 10-12).

Strategies

• Use appropriate incentives to promote development of vacant land and redevelopment or reuse of deteriorated properties within designated commercial districts (p. 10-12).
• Encourage the use of federal brownfields programs to assist in central city revitalization (p. 10-13).

Nearly $10.5 billion in public and private funds have been invested in infrastructure and development in the 17,000-acre Alliance Airport and Alliance Corridor industrial area. Alliance is the first industrial airport in this region, and is a concept that has proven effective for economic development elsewhere. More than 62,000 jobs have been created within the Alliance Corridor.

The Evans & Rosedale Urban Village is being developed in Near Southeast Fort Worth as a heritage center that celebrates the area’s African-American history. The conceptual plan includes a major commercial anchor, other businesses, and a plaza to celebrate the heritage of the area within a pedestrian-friendly mixed-use setting. The Ella Mae Shamblee Branch Library opened in the urban village in June 2008. Additionally, the Hazel Harvey Peace Center for Neighborhoods opened in 2009. The City is currently working with a development firm to advance redevelopment of the urban village.

The City worked with the North Texas Tollway Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation on design and construction of the Chisholm Trail Parkway (CTP). This 8.4-mile toll road connects Downtown with the rapidly growing neighborhoods and commercial centers of southwest Fort Worth. The $1.175 billion roadway was completed in 2014. The following table illustrates the economic impact of the new roadway in comparison to mixed-use areas.

BUILDING PERMIT VALUES PER ACRE (2014-2021)*

*Values exclude permits that were expired or denied.

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Downtown Fort Worth Skyline. (Photo Credit, Brian Luenser, May 11, 2021.)

Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics, 2022.

PLANNING THEMES

MEETING THE NEEDS OF AN EXPANDING POPULATION

Nearly every element of the Plan addresses the additional demand placed on City services and facilities by an expanding population. As infill development occurs in the central city, greater demand is placed on the existing facilities.

In the last 20 years, growth has been greatest in the Far North, Far Northwest, Far Southwest, Far South, and Far West sectors, partially because of the availability of large tracts of developable land in these areas. The majority of growth in these sectors has been outside Loop 820.

Expanding population produces additional traffic and solid waste, and places a greater demand on natural resources (such as land and water supply), existing facilities, and fiscal resources. Because population increases affect most public service providers, encouraging cooperation among providers and developing opportunities for shared facilities and coordinated services is important. The City has developed a number of policies and strategies to provide services and facilities efficiently and effectively to Fort Worth’s growing population. Examples include the following:

Policies

• Increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of providing City services by promoting development in urban villages, transit-oriented developments, and mixed-use growth centers (p. 18-28).
• Encourage new development adjacent and connected to previously developed or platted areas in order to utilize existing utility and road infrastructure, thereby optimizing public and private investments and discouraging sprawl development. (p. 4-16).

Strategy

• When possible, share school and City facilities to provide efficient access to services and use of public funds (p.12-12).

Services such as police, fire, environmental, and code compliance are recommended to be expanded to other parts of the city to better serve all residents. In 2008, the City Council approved a transportation impact fee to fund new roadway construction in growing areas outside the central city. The City is studying other ways to fund $1 billion in street construction and maintenance needs. The City’s 2018 Bond Program provided approximately $261 million for transportation projects to help address this need, and the City is preparing for a new bond election scheduled for May 2022.

Over $29 million has been identified for park improvements over the next five years, including athletic fields at Rolling Hills and improvements at city golf courses, the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, and Botanic Gardens Rock Springs garden in the Botanic Gardens. In order to maintain standards for meeting park and recreation needs, 1,186 acres of parkland will need to be acquired by 2040 to meet the 3.75 acres of neighborhood-based parkland per 1,000 population standard, based on projected population.

To enable our community to thrive with reliable clean water, the Water Department is planning to invest more than $1 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure between 2021 and 2025. The investments include funding for master planning, operational enhancements, initiatives that support City Council priorities, regulatory mandates, and infrastructure rehabilitation. Major projects include the Sanitary Sewer Overflow Initiative, the new Mary’s Creek Water Reclamation Facility, Lake Arlington and Clear Fork lift stations and force mains, and a major transmission main from Eagle Mountain Water Treatment Plant to Hicks Field.

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Rock Spring Gardens in the Botanic Gardens. (Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2020.)

PLANNING THEMES

REVITALIZING THE CENTRAL CITY

The City of Fort Worth is committed to revitalizing its central city — the areas consisting of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods within Loop 820 — through a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that includes economic development, housing, historic preservation, infrastructure, parks, cultural programs, human services, and safety initiatives. The City’s principal strategies for central city revitalization are to:

• Develop compact, pedestrian-oriented mixed-use growth centers (p. 10-7).
• Revitalize distressed commercial corridors by developing mixed-use urban villages along those corridors (p. 10-7).
• Develop a rail transit system that connects the growth centers and urban villages and promotes transit-oriented development (TOD) in appropriate transit station locations. (p. 10-7).

The City has developed other related policies and strategies to promote revitalization of the central city, including the following:

Policies

• Promote neighborhood stability through a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that includes housing, neighborhood economic development, infrastructure, parks, safety, and human services (p. 5-25).
• Use the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone program to promote the development of designated urban villages and other targeted redevelopment areas (p. 10-12).
• As a matter of public policy, the identification, protection, enhancement, and perpetuation of landmarks or districts of historical, cultural, architectural, or archeological significance are necessary to safeguard and promote the economic, cultural, education, and general welfare of the public (13-14).

Strategy

• Support redevelopment, community development, and nonprofit organizations’ efforts to spur the revitalization of central city business districts where investment is not occurring but that have redevelopment potential (p. 10-12).

Projects such as the redesign of South Main Street, Lancaster Avenue, Berry Street, North Main Street, and Race Street act as catalysts for central city redevelopment. Lancaster Avenue from I-35W to Henderson Street has been redeveloped into an attractive, pedestrian-oriented street with residential, retail, and office uses. The I-30 and I-35W interchange was relocated to the south of the Union Pacific railroad lines, enabling the Lancaster improvements. The Lancaster Avenue construction began in 2005 and was completed in June 2008. Public art was installed in the median in 2009. A new mixed-use development on Lancaster between Jennings and Throckmorton also has been completed including retail, office, and residential units. A block from the new Hemphill Lamar connector, which links Downtown to the Near Southside district, the Burnett Lofts development will feature 330 residential units and flex-work space. More such developments are anticipated.

The Berry Street corridor was redesigned from Evans Avenue west to University Drive to help revitalize the corridor, stimulate new economic development, and promote pedestrian activity. As part of its urban village program, the City secured approximately $4.2 million in federal and local funds for pedestrian and streetscape improvements on Berry Street. Construction of phase one was completed in the spring of 2007. Phase two construction was completed in 2014. The Berry/University Form-Based Code was adopted in 2019 to guide mixed-use development along the corridor.

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New Hyatt Place Hotel located on Texas Christian University’s campus. (Source: @FortWorthUrban Twitter post, February 2, 2021.)

PLANNING THEMES

REVITALIZING THE CENTRAL CITY (CONT)

The North Main corridor project created an attractive, safe, and pedestrian-oriented environment to improve tourism and stimulate economic activity along the corridor, from the Tarrant County Courthouse to the Historic Stockyards. Two districts received streetscape improvements: the Stockyards district, between 23rd and 28th Street; and the Historic Marine retail and restaurant district, between the railroad and 23rd Street. Pedestrian and streetscape improvements in the Historic Marine district were completed in September 2006. The Stockyards Form-Based Code was adopted in 2017 to guide redevelopment in the Stockyards District, including the $175M renovation of the Historic Stockyards, with the construction and opening of Hotel Drover.

In 2002, the City created conceptual redevelopment plans for urban villages along priority commercial corridors targeted for reinvestment. Since that time the City designated additional urban villages for a total of seventeen. The City allocated $4.5 million for planning in twelve of these villages, and for design and construction in five villages. In addition, the 2004 bond package designated $2 million in local match funding to secure federal funding as it becomes available. The City Council adopted twelve urban village master plans in December 2007. Construction of streetscape improvements is complete in several urban villages and is underway in several more. 2014 Bond Program funding for urban villages provided an additional $6 million for streetscape improvements in these target areas.

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The New Isis Theater, which sat vacant for decades prior to the adoption of the Stockyards Form-Based Code, has been undergoing rehabilitation since 2018. (Source: City of Fort Worth, Development Services Department, 2021.)

PLANNING THEMES

DEVELOPING MULTIPLE GROWTH CENTERS

A multiple growth center development pattern will accommodate citywide growth with fewer environmental impacts, less land consumption, less traffic generation, and less pollutant production than a dispersed development pattern. Providing a variety of transportation modes within and between growth centers will lessen residents’ current dependence on automobiles, thus helping to improve Fort Worth’s air quality by reducing automobile emissions.

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The designated growth centers serve as the primary development pattern for future public and private development. Mixed-use and industrial growth centers will concentrate more intense land uses away from low-density residential areas.

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Mixes-Use Growth Centers

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Industrial Growth Centers

The City has developed several policies and strategies related to promoting a multiple growth center development pattern, including the following:

Policies

• Locate multifamily units within walking distance of public transportation, employment, recreation, and/or shopping to increase accessibility and decrease vehicular traffic (p. 4-15).
• Link growth centers with major thoroughfares, public transportation, trails and linear parks (p. 4-15).
• Locate large industrial uses along rail lines, highways, or airports within industrial growth centers and other appropriate locations (p. 4-17).

Strategy

• Plan for, facilitate, and aggressively pursue appropriate transit-oriented development (TOD) at existing and future transit station locations. A TOD encourages compact urban development adjacent to transit stations. Mixed uses in a single building, minimal setbacks, and taller structures help achieve the higher densities necessary to support transit. Retail businesses and services for commuters should be located adjacent to transit stops, between the rail platform and parking facilities (p. 4-18).

Completed in January 2002, the Fort Worth Central Station, located downtown at Ninth and Jones Streets, links neighborhood residents and visitors to employment centers, as well as to locations of cultural and recreational interest. Central Station serves as the hub for several transportation modes including Amtrak, Greyhound, Trinity Metro’s local buses, and commuter rail service between Fort Worth, Dallas, and DFW International Airport.

The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) provides commuter rail service from Dallas to the Fort Worth Central Station and the T&P Terminal on Lancaster Avenue. TRE offers an important transportation link to other areas in the region. It was completed in 2001 through a partnership with Dallas Area Rapid Transit and is now operated by Trinity Metro, with funding assistance from the Federal Transit Administration, TxDOT, and Tarrant County.

PLANNING THEMES

DEVELOPING MULTIPLE GROWTH CENTERS (CONT)

A regional commuter rail line from southwest Fort Worth to DFW International Airport was identified as the Locally Preferred Alternative and the best new commuter rail transportation investment Trinity Metro could make. TEXRail broke ground in 2016 on the first phase between Downtown and DFW Airport, with construction completed in 2019. Planning for a TEXRail extension to the Medical District is underway. City staff is working to ensure appropriate transit-oriented development occurs around all passenger rail stations.

In 2007, Trinity Metro’s Board of Directors passed a resolution to acknowledge and affirm that building and operating passenger rail service in southeast Fort Worth is its next top priority. In December 2011, Trinity Metro completed a study evaluating the various options for meeting this goal, recommending the East Lancaster corridor as the best opportunity for Bus Rapid Transit, followed by a passenger rail service as development density along the corridor increased. Passenger rail service in southeast Fort Worth would provide economic development benefits, serve public transportation needs, and further sustainable development in southeast Fort Worth.

Concentrated development will support more efficient delivery of public transportation, promote restoration and reuse of historic buildings within the growth centers, and present opportunities for shared facilities housing a variety of service providers. Residents living in mixed-use growth centers, as well as non-resident employees, will benefit from their proximity to a range of compatible businesses, health and human services, and information and educational resources.

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TEXRail Central Station in Downtown. (Source: Trinity Metro, 2019.)

CELEBRATING THE TRINITY RIVER

The Trinity River and its tributaries are important resources that provide a natural means of linking the City's recreation sites and open space, as well as providing trail linkages between neighborhoods and activity centers. Promoting compatible development along the riverfront is essential to preserving the Trinity River as Fort Worth’s greatest natural asset, while connecting more of the city’s residents to the river. Preserving floodplains as open space allows for natural filtration of surface runoff before it reaches waterways and also protects structures from flooding.

The river and its tributaries are also an important economic asset to Fort Worth, attracting high profile development projects that complement and benefit from these important water features. Examples include the former Pier 1 — and future City Hall — as well as the former RadioShack headquarters — now Tarrant County College — along the Downtown segment of the river. The more recent Clearfork and Waterside developments bring residents and business to the river.

The Trinity Uptown Plan, also known as Panther Island, envisions mixed-use development along an expanded waterfront near Downtown. The Trinity Uptown Plan is an outgrowth of the Trinity River Vision Master Plan and includes bold recommendations to ensure long-term flood protection, while also transforming Fort Worth’s urban waterfront.

Examples of current policies and strategies that protect the Trinity River as a natural and economic resource include the following:

Policies

• Pursue implementation of the Confluence: The Trinity River Strategic Master Plan in cooperation with Streams and Valleys, Inc., the Tarrant Regional Water District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (p. 6-16).
• Maintain floodplains in their natural state to the extent possible to protect water quality, reduce the risk of erosion, and protect the riparian environment (p. 18-29).
• Encourage development and building practices that reduce environmental impacts (p. 18-28).

Strategy

• When feasible, develop linear parks with walking and biking trails along drainage ways as an effective means of filtering out water pollutants and connecting neighborhoods. (p.18-29).

The trails that line the Trinity River corridor provide important opportunities for recreation and fitness in addition to stimulating the use of alternative transportation between neighborhoods, growth centers, and Downtown. While these trails are not yet fully linked throughout Fort Worth, much has been accomplished. The Trinity River and its tributaries, including West Fork, Clear Fork, Marine Creek, and Sycamore Creek, stretch 88 miles through Tarrant County, with more than 72 miles of shared-use trails along their banks. Ultimately, the Fort Worth-to-Dallas spine trail will connect both downtowns, drawing residents, visitors, and new development to the Trinity River.

In 1999, Streams and Valleys, Inc. completed an update to the Trinity River Master Plan, called the Tilley Plan, which addressed the river corridor from Trinity Park to Gateway Park. A far-sighted update of this plan, the Trinity River Vision Master Plan, was completed in 2003. This master plan expanded its scope to encompass approximately 88 miles of river and creek corridors. In 2018, Streams and Valleys, Inc. completed Confluence: The Trinity River Strategic Master Plan. This plan builds on past planning efforts to continue the evolution of the Trinity River system, including its banks and adjacent amenities, as well as the major tributaries. This action-oriented document outlines policies, programs, and catalytic projects that will help the Trinity River live up to its full potential as the communal centerpiece of Tarrant County. The plan centers on sustaining a healthy and thriving river that connects citizens and communities, catalyzes economic development, and offers an abundance of active transportation and recreational amenities for the region.

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Phyllis J. Tilley Memorial Bridge along the Trinity Trails. (Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2020.)

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The Clearfork Farmers Market at The Trailhead at Clearfork located along the Trinity River. (Source: Clearfork Farmers Market, Pinterest, 2020.)

BACKGROUND

Fort Worth is the nation’s 13th largest city with 935,508 residents, more than many other well-known cities across the country, including Columbus, Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Washington D.C., and Nashville.

Fort Worth is projected to grow by over 270,000 people in the next 24 years.

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Fort Worth’s physical and economic climates are ideal for residents and employers. Once dependent on defense, oil and agriculture, Fort Worth’s economy has become more diversified with high-tech jobs. The cost of living is comparatively low, keeping labor costs down and homeownership within reach of many. Fort Worth offers excellent opportunities for unique cultural experiences, quality education, recreation, and a safe environment, creating a high quality of life.

Fort Worth’s rapid population growth can result in many different patterns of development — some more desirable than others. A current, updated comprehensive plan is essential to improving our community and making successful decisions about Fort Worth’s growth and development. Fort Worth’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan updates, extends, and enhances the vision of Fort Worth’s future that was originally expressed in the 2000 Comprehensive Plan, while also providing an updated policy framework to guide the decisions that will shape the city for years to come.

PLANNING SECTORS

The City and its extraterritorial jurisdiction have been divided into 16 sectors for planning purposes.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 Population Estimates; NCTCOG 2045 Population Projection; and City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2023.

BACKGROUND

HISTORY OF PLANNING IN FORT WORTH

Fort Worth has a rich history of planning. The City has taken hold of its future since its inception, from the commissioning of the outpost and the original town plan, to the creation of some of the first city plans in the country. The Kessler Plan of 1909 laid out some of the first city parks, lakes, and boulevards. In 1923, the first City Plan Board was created, and two years later the City Plan Commission was established by ordinance.

Among the Commission’s first tasks was retaining Harland Bartholomew and Associates of St. Louis to create the 1927 Major Thoroughfare Plan, beginning with a boulevard and parkway system. In 1956, Victor Gruen and Associates produced a world-renowned plan for a walkable downtown. For the first time, a comprehensive plan was produced by City staff in 1965. This planning effort incorporated substantial citizen participation over a seven-year period and resulted in specific area plans for sectors and districts. These sector and district plans were updated in the early 1980s, again with significant input from the citizens of Fort Worth.

The first major update of Fort Worth’s Comprehensive Plan began October 15, 1998, with a citywide forum attended by over 200 interested citizens. Following the forum, approximately 700 citizens attended 16 sector meetings held over a four-week period. Additionally, nine focus group meetings drew 160 citizens to provide input on specific issues, and presentations were made to civic organizations throughout the planning process. City Council and City Plan Commission members were a significant part of this process, moderating public meetings and informing citizens. This intense effort resulted in the receipt of over 1,000 comment cards from citizens wishing to express their concerns and suggestions. City staff incorporated comments and released the plan to the public in libraries, community centers, and on the Internet. Sixteen sector workshops and several focus group meetings were held again. After incorporating public comments, the plan was revised for public hearings held by the City Plan Commission and the City Council in early 2000. The Plan was adopted by the City Council on August 1, 2000, as a guide for Fort Worth’s growth and development.

In October 2000, the City Council authorized staff to update the plan annually so that it continues to be a useful guide. The annual public review process starts in the fall when City staff conduct a series of community meetings to receive comments on the Plan. This process culminates with the adoption and release of a revised document the following spring.

HISTORY OF PLANNING IN FORT WORTH

The City’s annual planning and budgeting processes are interwoven. The two processes are coordinated so as to enable City departments, the City Manager’s Office, and the City Council to make budgeting decisions that are consistent with the Council’s priorities as reflected in the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan is also intended to help City officials in formulating capital improvement budgets and bond packages.

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The planning process is a continuous sequence of activities taking approximately one year to complete. There are opportunities for input into the process at all stages. (Source: Planning & Data Analytics, 2022.)

Through the Comprehensive Plan process in 2008, the Mayor and City Council reviewed the goals and identified five strategic goals to guide City decisions and performance.

City Council Strategic Goals

• Make Fort Worth the nation’s safest major city.
• Improve mobility and air quality.
• Create and maintain a clean, attractive city.
• Strengthen the economic base, develop the future workforce, and create quality job opportunities.
• Promote orderly and sustainable development.

These strategic goals, along with the vision statement in the Comprehensive Plan and financial policies, help guide the City Manager in formulating an annual

BACKGROUND

PLANNING PROCESS (CONT)

Consolidated Business Plan, which in turn provides the framework for department business plans and individual performance plans. Each City department prepares an annual business plan describing their mission and vision, organization, budget, major initiatives, and performance measures. The business plan relates the department’s activities to the City Council’s strategic goals and to the City’s organizational priorities: communication, customer service, and diversity. The business plan also relates the department’s activities to the goals, objectives, policies, programs, and projects contained in the Comprehensive Plan. This strategic alignment of the planning and budgeting processes, combined with continuous public input, helps to ensure that the City of Fort Worth provides the best possible service to its citizens.

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The Comprehensive Plan guides the City’s strategic business planning process. (Source: City Manager’s Office, 2009, updated by Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.)

LEGAL BASIS

The Texas Local Government Code, Section 213.005, states that municipalities may have comprehensive plans. Section 211 provides that zoning regulations must be adopted in accordance with the comprehensive plan. As a home rule city, Fort Worth has chosen to appoint a City Plan Commission. Among the duties of the Commission is maintaining a comprehensive plan for the City. Section 25-55(2) of the City Code directs the City Plan Commission to formulate a comprehensive plan and recommend it to the City Council. The Commission is also responsible for reviewing the plan and recommending changes. The comprehensive plan is described as a plan for the orderly growth and development of the city and its environs. The plan should “facilitate the movement of people and goods, and the health, safety and general welfare for the citizens of the city.” Section 25-55(7) requires that the City Plan Commission advise the Zoning Commission on the location of uses, height, bulk of buildings, and the division of the city into zones to carry out the goals of the comprehensive plan. A current and realistic comprehensive plan based on existing conditions and trends, as well as goals and objectives of the City, is essential to the effective growth and development of Fort Worth.

USING THE PLAN

SCOPE OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The 2023 Comprehensive Plan is organized according to elements of the City’s mission statement: “Fort Worth, Texas is a city focusing on its future. Together we are building strong neighborhoods, developing a sound economy, and providing a safe community.” The mission statement’s elements form four major sections in the plan:

1. Focusing on the Future – A summary of major trends that serves as a basis for the Plan.

2. Building Strong Neighborhoods – Initiatives to enhance quality of life by promoting compatible land uses and improving community services.

3. Developing a Sound Economy – Components that enhance economic opportunity and keep our economy growing.

4. Providing a Safe Community – Services that make Fort Worth a safe place in which to live, work, and recreate.

5. Tools for Implementation – Identifies sources of funding, rules and regulations, financial incentives, and cooperative efforts with other governmental bodies.

The appendices include other plans incorporated by reference, sector land use maps and policies, and capital improvements for the 16 planning sectors, as well as supporting materials.

HOW TO USE THE PLAN

The 2023 Comprehensive Plan is the twenty-third update of the 2000 Comprehensive Plan, a dynamic and evolving working document that is updated each year to assure its usefulness and relevance to the community. Changes to the Plan reflect shifts in demographic and economic trends that occur over time, as well as changes in policies, strategies, programs, and project status.

1 CITY STAFF

City staff should consult the Plan when reviewing development proposals and making recommendations for services and capital improvements. Departments should be familiar with the Comprehensive Plan, especially when preparing master plans, budgets, and capital improvements.

2 GENERAL PUBLIC

Fort Worth residents, property owners, and businesses should reference the Future Land Use Map and Goals, Policies, Strategies, and Policies when addressing a particular proposal or other matter before the City Council or other appointed boards or commissions. The Plan can offer insight to the future of Fort Worth for businesses as they plan to move to Fort Worth or expansions.

3 APPOINTED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Since the Plan touches on elements that effect all aspects of the city, members of appointed boards and commissions should consult the Plan for guidance in decision making to best carry out their work and mission.

4 DEVELOPMENT INTERESTS

Developers, property owners, builders, and others involved in the building process should consult the Plan and adopted master plans when developing site specific plans. Creating site plans that consider the larger context, rather than focusing solely on individual sites will help encourage interconnected developments and neighborhoods.

COMMUNITY VALUES

Thirteen values were identified during public engagment for the 2000 Comprehensive Plan to define and guide the city’s future. Over the years, additional values have been added by City Council.

1. Preservation of western heritage
2. A friendly small town atmosphere
3. Quality and ethnic diversity of cultural life
4. The arts
5. Neighborhood vitality
6. Preservation of historic buildings and districts
7. Efficiency and equity in delivery of quality public services
8. Educational and economic opportunity
9. Promotion of free enterprise
10. Protection of property rights
11. Mobility
12. Children and youth
13. Conservation of natural resources
14. Aviation history and technology (2003)
15. Can-do-attitude (2003)
16. Inclusiveness and Cooperation: “The Fort Worth Way” (2005)

Preservation of Western Heritage

Fort Worth’s western heritage is deeply rooted in the city’s history as the gateway to the West and as a busy outpost along the famous Chisholm Trail. We value this heritage by preserving and celebrating it in our Historic Stockyards District, our brick paved streets, and the development of world class livestock and rodeo exhibit space. Our western heritage can also be experienced through the residents, friendly and unpretentious, as they speak with pride of their modern, easy paced city, still alive with legends of cowboys and cattle, larger than life wildcatters, ranching families, and business icons.

Friendly, Small Town Atmosphere

Although Fort Worth has reached a population of 918,915, the distinctive atmosphere remains one of friendly, helpful residents who are committed to the well-being of their city. Visitors to Fort Worth are welcomed by citizens who are eager to share the unique character of their city. Residents take pride in their neighborhoods and are willing to spend countless volunteer hours to ensure a safe and viable place to live, work, and play.

Quality and Ethnic Diversity of Cultural Life

Fort Worth is blessed with a rich and diverse cultural life. We celebrate our western heritage while enjoying local and international artistic and scientific contributions. We are also blessed with a diverse population, representing many ethnic groups that offer unique means of expression, traditions, and skills that should be celebrated to ensure continued diversity in our cultural life.

The Arts

We value the fine arts, including performing arts and public art. We want all citizens of Fort Worth to be able to enjoy art, music, theater, and dance, both in our cultural centers and in our neighborhoods. We want our public buildings and facilities to incorporate art that reflects the values of the community.

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Fort Worth’s strong western heritage is celebrated with a daily cattle drive in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards north of Downtown. (Source: City of Fort Worth, 2009.)

COMMUNITY VALUES

Neighborhood Vitality We believe a neighborhood has a chance at vitality when provided with quality community facilities and services, such as schools, parks, sidewalks, libraries, and fire and police protection. Neighborhoods should also be secure and should enjoy convenient access to shops, businesses, and other destinations throughout the city and region. Residents who have pride and a sense of ownership in their neighborhood actively work to preserve and improve Fort Worth. We want citizens to have a sense of community and belonging, to gain access to needed services, and to have the opportunity to connect with other people. We want our children to have safe and supportive communities in which to grow.

Preservation of Historic Buildings and Districts We value and respect our historic buildings and neighborhoods as reminders and teachers of our history. We want to preserve our historic structures as a means of tying our western heritage to the future so that younger generations and visitors will have an authentic experience of our great history.

Efficiency and Equity in Delivery of Quality Public Services The City of Fort Worth will provide public services in the most efficient manner so that citizens can enjoy the best possible services at the lowest cost. We want to have equal access to quality public services that meet the needs of our community. We want quality infrastructure and services throughout the city to support economic viability and a high quality of life. We want all of our neighborhoods to have safe homes, parks, and streets.

Educational and Economic Opportunity We value equal access to educational and economic opportunity. We want high quality education and training offered to citizens of all ages in all parts of Fort Worth. We want schools and training programs that produce a talented workforce capable of filling high paying jobs in our diversified economy.

Aviation History and Technology We value our rich aviation history and contributions to aviation technology, from the first air show organized by Amon G. Carter in 1911[^p22-1], to the manufacture of Joint Strike Fighters at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. We value our aviation role in national defense, as home to the U.S. Army’s aviation training camp at Camp Bowie during World War I, to Carswell Air Force Base during the Cold War, to today’s Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base. We want our municipal airports to continue to contribute to the region’s economy. As the headquarters location for American Airlines and Bell Helicopter Textron, the world’s largest manufacturer of helicopters, we value our partnership with the aviation industry.

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Artist's booths line Magnolia Avenue at the ArtsGoggle hosted annually by the Near Southside, Inc. (Source: Near Southside - Larry Schuessler, 2015.)

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The Blackstone Hotel was vacant for many years until it was restored as a Courtyard Marriott by Historic Restoration, Inc. and Marriott Hotels. The restored hotel is one of many historic structures in Fort Worth that has been preserved for future generations. (Source: Downtown Fort Worth Inc, 2014.)

COMMUNITY VALUES

Can-Do Attitude Fort Worth’s western heritage and pioneer spirit are reflected in our can-do attitude. Whether recovering from a tornado or an economic recession, we value our ability to create opportunities from challenges. We want to continue to foster collaboration among all facets of our community and to build on our diverse strengths. We are proud of our remarkable accomplishments and dedicated to realizing our vision for the future.

Promotion of Free Enterprise Fort Worth was founded by pioneering individuals who were willing to take risks and act on new ideas. That same entrepreneurial spirit still exists in Fort Worth today. Our environment has fostered innovation and development for over a century. We want to continue promoting new ideas and business, and to encourage new developments that will enhance Fort Worth’s role as the diverse economic center of the region. We want the benefit of a healthy economy so that all residents have an opportunity to improve their quality of life.

Protection of Property Rights The plentiful supply of land and the independence it symbolized attracted pioneers to settle Fort Worth. Our economy thrived, first on agriculture and then on oil. Land and its ownership were seen as wealth or a means to wealth. A strong connection was perceived between economic independence and the ownership of land. Though our economy has diversified, the traditions and attitudes shaped by our history are strong. We want to choose how we use our land, as long as it does not negatively impact a neighbor’s use of property.

Mobility We value being able to safely move about the city with ease and convenience. We want streets and public transportation systems that allow us to travel conveniently throughout the city and region. We want sidewalks that allow safe movement within our neighborhoods and commercial districts, and greenway trails that connect our parks and provide access to Fort Worth’s natural resources.

Children and Youth We value the youth of Fort Worth as important contributors to the city’s success. Youth demonstrate their interest in community life by taking advantage of opportunities to be involved in civic activities. We are committed to offering a nurturing and safe environment for Fort Worth’s children by providing strong neighborhoods in which to live and play, quality child care, quality education, and diverse job opportunities.

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Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company’s headquarters (home of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter) is located seven miles west of Downtown Fort Worth. The production facility was established in 1942 in response to the U.S. War Department’s need to produce additional B-24 Liberator bombers for World War II. (Source: Fort Worth Chamber, 2016.)

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The Texas Wesleyan Bell Tower was constructed as part of a new Texas Wesleyan University main entrance. The new entrance, together with the East Rosedale Renaissance streetscape improvements, enhance student safety and effectively connect the University to the East Rosedale Street store fronts. (Source: City of Fort Worth, 2016.)

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On the evening of March 28, 2000, two tornadoes struck Fort Worth, Arlington, and Grand Prairie, Texas. The Fort Worth tornado touched down on the city’s west side and moved right through the Downtown area. Within hours, City crews, public utility workers, and volunteer crews were working together on the recovery efforts. (Source: Texas Roots and Boots Blog, Tornado State of Mind, posted 2012.)

COMMUNITY VALUES

Conservation of Natural Resources We value our natural features — the Trinity River, lakes, rolling prairie lands, trees, vegetation, and wildlife — as resources. We want to protect, preserve, and enhance these resources for future generations. Where our stewardship has lapsed, we want to renew resources by planting trees, cleaning up and replenishing degraded areas, and setting aside reserves for native vegetation and wildlife that once roamed the prairies. We want to reduce air and water pollutants so that we may have clean air and water for future generations.

Inclusiveness and Cooperation: “The Fort Worth Way” Before our community makes important decisions, we seek to involve all citizens who might be affected by those decisions. We strive to communicate effectively with all our citizens, and to include them early and meaningfully in our decision-making process through town hall meetings, citizen surveys, workshops and informal discussions. When conflicts arise, we bring interested parties together to work out practical solutions. We use inclusiveness and cooperation to make Fort Worth a livable city for all—it’s the Fort Worth way.

Working from the city’s existing conditions, the chapters that follow make recommendations for the future that will preserve and enhance the values identified by the citizens of Fort Worth.

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The Fort Worth Central Station, at the intersection of 9th Street and Jones Street in Downtown Fort Worth, exemplifies the value that Fort Worth assigns to mobility. This facility, which opened in January 2002, serves as a terminal for seven transportation modes, including commuter rail services between Fort Worth, Dallas, and the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. (Source: We Are Dallas Fort Worth Blog, wearedallasfortworth.com)

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Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. (Source: City of Fort Worth Planning & Data Analytics, 2019.

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PART 1

FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE

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CHAPTER 1

POPULATION TRENDS

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Fort Worth’s population is 935,508. The City of Fort Worth has added more than 194,000 persons between the 2010 Census base estimate and 2021, equating to 25% growth since 2010.

The City of Fort Worth is ranked 13th in the nation by population. At the current rate of population growth, Fort Worth is projected to be home to approximately 1,000,000 people by 2027.

QUICK FACTS

CURRENT POPULATION, 2021

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 Population Estimates

Source: City of Fort Worth, Development Services - Annexation Division, and Planning & Data Analytics, 2022; U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 Population Estimates; American Community Survey 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

FORT WORTH POPULATION, 1940 – 2045

Fort Worth has a larger population than cities including Columbus, Charlotte, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Washington D.C., and Nashville.

Fort Worth is projected to grow by over 270,000 people in the next 24 years.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 Population Estimates; NCTCOG 2045 Population Projection; and City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

POPULATION RANKING

Fort Worth is the 13th largest city in the nation by population.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000-2021 Population Estimates.

POPULATION GROWTH

EXISTING POPULATION, 2020

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census.

PROJECTED POPULATION, 2045

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Source: North Central Texas Council of Governments Demographic Forecast, 2022.

RACE & ETHNICITY

POPULATION GROWTH & DIVERSITY

As Fort Worth's total population grows, there will also be changes in the composition of the population. Collectively, minorities have been the majority of the population since 2000.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990-2020 Census, 2021 Population Estimates.

MEDIAN AGE BY RACE/ETHNICITY

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

RACE DISTRIBUTION

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census.

MEDIAN AGE COMPARISON

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

AGE COMPARISON

Fort Worth is a relatively young city compared to the U.S. and Texas.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

MEDIAN AGE

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates, by Census Tract.

GENERATIONS

Generational cohorts can be used to analyze changes in views and attitudes over time. They can provide a way to understand how different formative experiences (such as world events and technological, economic and social shifts) interact with the life-cycle and aging process to shape people’s views of the world. As we plan for the future of Fort Worth, we need to consider different generational trends and preferences on topics such as housing choice, transportation, and work.

Source: Esri Demographics, Predominant Generations in the United States, 2018.

GENERATIONS IN FORT WORTH

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Source: MySidewalk, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

PREDOMINANT GENERATION BY CENSUS BLOCK GROUP

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Source: Esri Demographics, Predominant Generations in the United States, 2018.

EDUCATION & LANGUAGE

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT COMPARISON, 25+ YEAR OLDS

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BACHELORS DEGREE OR HIGHER, 25+ YEAR OLDS

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LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME

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16.7%

Fort Worth residents were born in a foreign country.

32.1%

Fort Worth households speak a language other than English at home.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

HOUSEHOLD SIZE & STATUS

FORT WORTH HOUSEHOLD SIZE

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, by Census Tract.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

HOUSEHOLD SIZE COMPARISON

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HOUSEHOLD SIZE CHANGE OVER TIME

One-person households and two-person households constitute more than half of the total population in Fort Worth. The average household size in Fort Worth has increased slightly from 2.64 in 1990 to 2.81 in 2021.

As we plan for the future, we need to consider how changes in household size and composition may affect demand for different housing types, and how this demand is distributed throughout the City.

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HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION

HOUSEHOLD STATUS COMPARISON

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104,746

Non-Family Households

120,533

Households with Children

84,671

Adults Live Alone

15,626

Multi-Generational Households (Grandparents and Grandchildren)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADULTS (18 AND OVER)

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HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN

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CHAPTER 2

ECONOMIC TRENDS

The present day prosperity of Fort Worth is linked to domestic and international changes in the past. During the 1970s and 1980s, the local economy was driven primarily by a large and successful aerospace and defense industry. Substantial cutbacks in defense contracts prompted the City to begin working towards diversifying its economy in the 1990s, largely through small business development. The result is an economy that is diversified in many industry sectors such as services, trade, manufacturing, transportation, communication, and construction. This diverse employment base helped Fort Worth weather the 2008 Great Recession and is foundational to Fort Worth’s ability to rebound from economic impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The economy surpassed pre-pandemic employment levels during 2021 and saw notable expansion in 2022. Fort Worth’s robust economic growth is expected to continue over the next five years and beyond.

QUICK FACTS

KEY EMPLOYMENT INDICATORS

Source: City of Fort Worth, Economic Development Department, estimates, 2022.

REAL GROSS PRODUCT

Real gross product is forecast to expand at a 3.36% annual pace, resulting in a gain of about $23.5 billion by 2027.

1,157,533

Current Total Employment in 2022, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD

2,249,634

Projected Total Employment by 2045

Source: The Perryman Group, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, 2022.

$67,927

Median Household Income in Fort Worth, 2021.

3.9%

Annual unemployment rate for Fort Worth, 2022 (average of rates published for January-November 2022)

Source, left: U.S. Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2000 Decennial Census. Source, right: Texas Workforce Commission LAUS Report, 2022.

FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON-GRAPEVINE EMPLOYMENT, 2001-2045

FW-A-G MD area is projected to grow by over 725,000 jobs in the next 25 years.

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Source: The Perryman Group, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine Metropolitan Division ( FW-A-G MD), 2022.

ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT GROWTH, 2022-2027

Growth and development in the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine Metropolitan Division (MD) is expected to occur at a pace above growth in Texas and the United States growth.

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Source: The Perryman Group, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, 2022.

EMPLOYMENT & JOB GROWTH

PROJECTED KEY INDICATORS - 5-YEAR FORCAST, INFLATION ADJUSTED, 2022 – 2027

Source: The Perryman Group, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, 2022.

Employment is projected to grow by over 112,698 net new positions, led by the Services Sector. Services employ 65,910 while Trade and Logistics add 16,799 and 10,227, respectively.

1.269 M

Projected Total Employment by 2027

$154.2 B

Projected Real Gross Product by 2027

1.86%

Projected Employment Growth Rate, Annually, 2022-2027

3.36%

Projected Annual Real Gross Product (RPG) Annual Growth Rate, 2022-2027

QUARTERLY REAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY INDUSTRY - TEXAS

Texas’s Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) first quarter 2021 activity indicates positive growth, while the aftermath of the economic fallout due to the pandemic has resulted in a K-shaped recovery. Private Goods and Private Services alternately lag then rebound through the second quarter of 2022. By the third quarter 2022, all industries are making significant gains except Government Sectors. The annual Year-Over-Year percentage change is shown in the table below.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2021.

EMPLOYMENT & JOB GROWTH

PROJECTED INDUSTRY GROWTH FOR FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON-GRAPEVINE METROPOLITAN DIVISION, 2022–2027

ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT GROWTH, 2022-2027

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ANNUAL REAL GROSS PRODUCT INCREASE, 2022 – 2027

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Source, all on this page: The Perryman Group, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, 2022.

EMPLOYMENT & JOB GROWTH

EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR, 2022

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The Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine economy has recovered most of the jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, but business activity remains modestly below pre-COVID-19 levels. Expansion in hard-hit industries such as those related to travel and personal services has contributed to hiring, with other local businesses also experiencing notable expansion. With a long-standing pattern of growth and a number of desirable attributes, the Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine area will remain an attractive destination for new business locations and expanded operations.

---

Source: The Perryman Group, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, 2022.

PROJECTED EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR, 2047

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42.7%

Percentage Increase for Projected Employment from 2022 to 2047

EMPLOYMENT & JOB GROWTH

EXISTING EMPLOYMENT PER ACRE, 2019

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, LEHD, 2019.

PROJECTED EMPLOYMENT GROWTH PER ACRE, 2010 – 2045

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Source: North Central Texas Council of Governments, 2045 Employment Forecast, 2018.

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENT PERMITTING AND GROWTH

Single-family residential development comprises the majority of the City’s building permit activity, which correlates to Fort Worth’s population growth. Commercial building permits have fluctuated annually over the past decade, with a high in 2012 and a low in 2020. Multifamily building permits have increased steadily over the past ten years, with the 2022 total more than doubling the previous peak in 2016.

$5.1B

Total Permit Value for 2022

$4.5B

Total Permit Value for 2021

14.68 % ↑

Permit Value Percent Change From 2021 to 2022

NEW UNITS OF HOUSING - SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTI-FAMILY BUILDING PERMITS, 2022

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Development Services Department, 2022.

TOTAL BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED, 2022

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BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED, 2022

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MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2017-2021.

Household Income is defined as the total gross income received by all members of a household within a 12-month period. This figure comprises the earnings of everyone under the same roof who is over the age of 15 whether they're related or not. Sources include wages, salaries, retirement income, investment income, Social Security benefits, and earnings from other income sources. Median household income, on the other hand, is the number that falls in the middle of all the member's incomes.

2.3%

Annual Growth Rate of Median Family Income between 2000 and 2022

2.24%

Average inflation rate from 2000 to 2022. Calculations are based on the average annual CPI data in the U.S. from 1914 to 2022

LOCAL AREA MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, 2000 - 2022

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Source: HUD, Income Limits, Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Fair Market Rent Area, 2022.

KEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS

HOUSEHOLD INCOME VS. FAMILY INCOME VS. PER CAPITA INCOME & RETAIL SALES

Household income is one of three commonly cited measures of individual wealth. The other two, family income and per capita income, take different approaches to measure how well people in a given area are doing financially. Retail sales represent a key metric that tracks consumer demand for finished goods.

HOUSEHOLD INCOME VS. FAMILY INCOME VS. PER CAPITA INCOME

Household Income, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, includes the gross cash income of all people ages 15 years or older occupying the same housing unit, regardless of how they are related, if at all. A single person occupying a dwelling alone also is considered a household.

Family Income considers only households occupied by two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption.

Per Capita Income measures the income earned by each individual in a given area. Therefore, two-income earners in the same family or household are counted separately when measuring per capita income.

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PERSONAL INCOME PER PERSON, DALLAS-FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON MSA

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2022. Personal income last published on November 16, 2022 for prior year (2021).

$67,927

Median Household Income, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine Metropolitan Division (MD), 2021

$17,038

Per Capita Retail Sales in Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine Metropolitan Division, 2022

35.6%

Increase in Per Capita Retail Sales from 2002 ($11,773)

Source: The Perryman Group, 2022

$61,638

Per Capita Personal Income (By Residence) for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA, 2022

$48,042

Per Capita Real Personal Income (By Residence, Inflation Adjusted, for the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA in 2022

Source: The Perryman Group, 2022.

EMPLOYMENT

WORKFORCE & INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT

For the 19th consecutive month, every Texas metro area achieved positive annual growth, with 19 areas exceeding the pre-COVID employment levels set in Februrary 2020. The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA consists of two metropolitan divisions: Fort Worth-Arlington and Dallas-Plano-Irving — separately identifiable employment centers within the larger metropolitan area. Fort Worth-Arlington gained 53,900 jobs during the period. The local rate of job gain, 5.6 percent, compares favorably to the 4.1 percent national increase.

The total non-farm employment in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) increased by 210,000 over the year in November. Professional and business services had the largest gain (+51,700) among the metropolitan area's private-industry supersectors. The 7.1 percent increase in the metropolitan area's professional and business services supersector compared to the 3.2 percent gain on a national level.

TOP 5 METROPOLITAN AREA JOB GROWTH, 2022

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 2022.

3rd

Largest employment growth between November 2020 and November 2021, in rankings among largest MSAs in the nation

53,900

Total jobs gained in Fort Worth-Arlington in 2022

5.6%

Local rate of job gain

29%

Fort Worth-Arlington share of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington MSA's total non-farm employment in 2022

Source: The Perryman Group, Economic Forecast, Fort Worth-Arlington-Grapevine MD, 2022.

INDUSTRY SUPERSECTOR EMPLOYMENT, OVER-THE-YEAR NET CHANGE FOR THE DALLAS METROPOLITAN AREA, 2022

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UNEMPLOYMENT

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2017-2021.

Over 2022, all Texas metropolitan areas experienced a decrease in unemployment rates.

3.3%

Unemployment Rate in the D-FW-A Metro Area, 2022

4.4%

Veteran Unemployment Rate, 2022

3.6%

Unemployment Rate Among Those with a High School Diploma

2.3%

Unemployment Rate Among Those with a Bachelor’s Degree and Higher

17,500

Women Entering Texas’ Labor Force for the First Time in November, 2022

32,200

Men Entering Texas’ Labor Force for the First Time in November, 2022

Source: Texas Workforce Commission, 2022.

CHALLENGES, TRENDS & OPPORTUNITIES

The City of Fort Worth continues to successfully adapt to the challenges and many opportunities of a changing economy. National, state, and local economies were hard hit by the 2007-2008 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. Fort Worth’s diverse economy and pro-business stance, close proximity to Alliance and D/FW airports, and to the Interstate 35-corridor have all contributed to its ability to rebound from these economic challenges.

Fort Worth continues to face significant challenges from local and worldwide economic trends. The COVID-19 pandemic radically changed not only the business landscape, but wider development patterns. An unbalanced tax base, major supply chain disruptions, online retail’s disruption of brick-and-morter stores, labor shortages, social equity, climate change, uncertainty in corporate real estate, and increasing competitive pressures within the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area further complicate the picture.

The primary challenges to the Fort Worth economy are the convergence of three major factors:

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In light of Fort Worth’s monumental growth over the past few years and the various economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Fort Worth updated the 2017 Economic Development Strategic Plan. The 2022-2026 Update includes a list of Fort Worth’s target industries, calls for several bold new initiatives to help Fort Worth build upon its existing foundation, and creates a long-term roadmap for further economic development success.

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CHAPTER 3

FINANCIAL TRENDS

Population growth and economic trends greatly affect the financial planning process of the City of Fort Worth. City officials must consider this information, as well as local revenue trends, debt capacity, and the capital and operating costs of new facilities when responding to the needs of citizens. Economic expansion and population growth call for detailed fiscal planning to provide new infrastructure and public services.

This chapter presents information on financial planning as it applies to a local governmental entity and summarizes past, present, and future financial trends of the City of Fort Worth. The FY2023 Adopted Budget totals nearly $2.3 billion, an increase of 11.87 percent over the FY2022 budget.

QUICK FACTS

CITY OPERATING FUND STRUCTURE

GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS

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OPERATING DEPARTMENTS

• City Attorney’s Office
• City Auditor’s Office
• City Manager’s Office
• City Secretary’s Office
• Code Compliance
• Communications & Public Engagement
• Development Services
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Economic Development
• Financial Managment
• Fire
• Human Resources
• Library
• Municipal Court
• Neighborhood Services
• Non-Departmental
• Park & Recreation
• Planning & Data Analytics
• Police
• Property Management
• Transportation & Public Works

DEBT SERVICE

GENERAL FUND

SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS

OPERATING FUNDS

• Alliance Airport Facility Maintenance
• Community Tree Planting Program
• Crime Control and Prevention District
• Culture & Tourism
• DFW Revenue Sharing
• Culture & Tourism Hotel Occupancy Tax
• Culture & Tourism Project Financing
• Environmental Protection
• Library Special Revenue MC
• Municipal Golf
• Special Donations Fund
• Special Revenue MC
• Venue Operating

CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS

PROPRIETARY FUNDS

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ENTERPRISE FUNDS

OPERATING FUNDS

• Municipal Airports
• Municipal Parking
• Solid Waste
• Stormwater Utility
• Water & Sewer

INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS

OPERATING FUNDS

• Capital Project Services
• Equipment Services
• Insurance (Risk Management & Worker’s Compensation)
• Information Technology Systems

Source: City of Fort Worth FY2023 Budget.

GENERAL FUND REVENUES

GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCES

The economic outlook for Fort Worth remains encouraging, with both property tax revenue and fee income continuing to grow. Revenue growth enables City staff to implement budget priorities, while also allowing the City to cover overages in General Fund costs while contributing a small amount to the City's fund balance.

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Source: City of Fort Worth FY2023 Budget.

PROPERTY TAX

The FY2023 Adopted Budget lowers the City's property tax rate.

SALES TAX

Sales tax collections are the second major revenue component. Fort Worth consumers have sustained spending, which generates sales tax receipts. This consumer behavior pushed sales and use tax collections to exceed the original assumptions for last fiscal year. Due to this recent activity, the FY2023 budgeted sales tax is shown with a fairly significant increase as compared to last year. Sales tax collections were evaluated using recent activity, historical trends, and many other economic indicators for the local economy, to determine tax revenue.

$212,147,461

Budgeted Sales Tax

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16%

FY2023 SALES TAX REVENUE

PROPERTY TAX REVENUES

PROPERTY TAX RATE

-16.6% Decrease In Tax Rate per $100 of Value since FY2010

138.1% Increase In Adjusted Net Taxable Value since FY2010

Appraised Value: A value determined by professional judgement, or the market value of a property.

Adjusted Net Taxable Value: Net Taxable Value plus the value of incomplete properties and properties under protest. Used as the basis of the City’s property tax revenue calculation.

ADJUSTED NET TAXABLE VALUE

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Source: City of Fort Worth FY2023 Budget.

PROPERTY TAX REVENUES

TOTAL MARKET VALUE OF TAXABLE REAL & PERSONAL PROPERTY, 1998 – 2021

While property tax revenue has continued to grow as the city has grown, the proportion of total property tax revenue generated by residential properties has exceeded that generated by commercial properties — and the gap has grown in recent years. The City is working to attract commercial development to rebalance the property tax burden and generate jobs.

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Source: Property Tax Division at the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

SALES TAX REVENUES

SALES TAX REVENUE GROWTH

Sales Tax is expected to continue growing in FY2023.

Historical improvement in economic conditions demonstrated by actual receipts reported by the State Comptroller’s Office and growth of the City has influenced growth in the past and is leading the current and future performance of sales tax.

The latest data suggests collections are strongest in retail, general services, professional services, food, and wholesale industries.

112%

Increase In Sales Tax Revenue since FY2010

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Source: City of Fort Worth FY2023 Budget.

You pay 8.25% Sales Tax, but the City only gets 1%

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■ City of Fort Worth ■ Fort Worth Transportation Authority (Trinity Metro) ■ Fort Worth Crime Control and Prevention District

PROPERTY & SALES TAX REVENUES, 1990 - 2022

CITY PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, 1990 – 2022

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CITY SALES TAX REVENUE, 1990 – 2022

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2023.

GENERAL FUND

The City strategized to streamline spending, assessing priorities across the organization, and identifying cost savings while also addressing cleanliness and safety concerns for operations. Variances or fluctuations in budgeted categories may be greater than in prior years due to this strategic implementation. However, despite identified savings, some costs continue to increase due to a variety of factors, including rising costs of supplies and contractual services, additional facilities becoming operational, improving equity of City services, and enhancing public safety.

ADOPTED GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET

BUDGET GROWTH AREAS, FY2013 – 2023

*Indicates that this department was not a department in one of the comparing years.

Source: City of Fort Worth FY2013 and FY2023 Budgets.

GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT

TAX RATE ALLOCATION

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State property tax law allows the City to levy a property tax to pay for its long-term (over 1 year) debt obligations. Of the total debt amount projected for the upcoming FY2023, $144,211,071 is for general obligation bonds, certificates of obligation, loans, and tax notes.

PROJECTED REVENUES TO COVER DEBT SERVICE

Current property tax xollections cover most of the general debt service assisted by delinquent proerty tax collections. Other revenues include transfer to the General Debet Service Fund from CCPD for CCPD-eligible activites, a transfer from the Trinity Lakes TIF, and interest earnings. Project revenues for debt services are as follows:

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98.5%

Collection Rate in FY2023

20.14%

Long-Term Debt Portion of Total Tax Rate

Source: City of Fort Worth FY2023 Budget.

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PART 2

BUILDING STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS

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CHAPTER 4

LAND USE

Land use refers to how land is currently used and how it should be used in the future. Population and economic trends help predict future needs for various land uses. The City of Fort Worth guides land use to ensure that land resources appropriately encourage economic development, promote a variety of housing choices, preserve natural and historic resources, and accommodate transportation routes and public facilities, in order to protect and improve Fort Worth's quality of life.

EXISTING LAND USE

An understanding of Fort Worth’s land use and zoning puts into perspective the City’s development history and how Fort Worth may continue to develop. Single-family housing, and manufactured housing occupies the greatest amount of developed land area in Fort Worth. In recent decades, development has often occurred in a leapfrog fashion, leading to a pattern of land uses that is irregular, non-contiguous, and less efficient and cost-effective to serve than is desirable.

EXISTING LAND USE BY PERCENTAGE*

*City limits only.

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

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FUTURE LAND USE

Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing amongst the 20 largest U.S. cities. From 2010 to 2020, Fort Worth permitted almost 44,000 new single-family housing units, with slightly over half of that total occurring just since the beginning of 2017. During the same period, Fort Worth permitted over 34,000 multifamily units, with over 57 percent of the total occurring within the last four years.

While a wide variety of residential units are essential to accommodate future population growth, the 2017 Economic Development Strategic Plan highlighted that Fort Worth is continuing to grow more single-family suburban housing than jobs, and Fort Worth is at risk of becoming overly dependent on low density residential uses to support its tax base and pay for services. Together with a focused business development effort, sufficient land must be planned for increases in job creation, mixed-use development, and appropriately located higher density housing, all which support a more balanced tax base and improved return on public investment.

FUTURE LAND USE BY PERCENTAGE*

*City limits only.

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2023

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CURRENT ZONING

The land within the city limits of Fort Worth is divided into zones that permit certain land uses and prohibit others. Zoning regulations also include development standards such as those addressing building height and setbacks. Zoning districts can be identified in these general categories: Residential

• One-family detached
• One-family and two-family, detached and attached
• Multifamily Mixed-Use/Form-Based
• Low and high intensity mixed-use
• Six form-based code areas Commercial
• Neighborhood, general, and intensive commercial Industrial
• Light, medium, and heavy industrial Special Districts & Overlay Districts
• Agricultural, community facilities, manufactured housing, and planned developments
• Eight overlay districts

CURRENT ZONING BY PERCENTAGE

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

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LAND USE & ZONING CONFORMANCE

FUTURE LAND USE AND ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS

Zoning implements the Future Land Use Map, which guides the location of appropriate places to live, play, and conduct business. The future land use maps and policies are used by staff, appointed comissioners, and elected officials when making decisions regarding zoning, annexation, budgeting, and major public facilities expenditures.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE LAND USE

Population Growth and Housing Demand As the population grows, the demand for residential units will increase. Higher-density housing types will respond to changing demographic and popular market trends, reflecting a greater preference for walkable urban neighborhoods.

Economic Growth Due to continued population and employment growth, Fort Worth will see a significant amount of land developed for new businesses and industry. Assuming current land use proportions remain consistent over time, approximately 2,000 new acres of commercial and industrial land use could be developed by 2032.

Market Demand Depending on several related variables, market demand will impact the amount and location of land uses. The future supply of any land use should not exceed the anticipated demand. Reliance on current market demand can unnecessarily restrict future development. For example, the multifamily market Downtown was untapped until multifamily zoning was introduced and found to be successful.

Transportation Access and Infrastructure Availability Land use decisions, such as the siting of offices, housing, and industry, are influenced by access to transportation and other public infrastructure. Despite the significance of mobility, investment in transportation infrastructure may follow land use decisions, particularly where rapid development occurs. Coordination of future land uses and zoning districts with the Master Thoroughfare Plan helps plan the correct location, classification, and desired capacity of roadways.

Development Regulations A property's location within or outside the city limits influences how the land is used:

Environmental Constraints Environmental conditions impact the type of land uses that develop. These constraints include floodplains, soils, slope, gas wells, odors, and noise pollution. A specific example of an environmental constraint impacting land use is airport noise surrounding Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

NOISE CONTOURS AND LAND USE EXAMPLE:

NAVAL AIR STATION FORT WORTH JOINT RESERVE BASE

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

VACANT LAND

According to 2015 estimates from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), Fort Worth has more vacant developable land (over 66,000 acres) than any other city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. Fort Worth has more than twice as much vacant land as Dallas and more developable acreage than the four largest cities in Collin County combined (Frisco, McKinney, Plano, and Allen). Fort Worth’s vacant developable land provides a unique opportunity for the city to accommodate a significant amount of future growth. Innovative and sustainable strategies such as multiple growth centers, mixed-use and urban residential development, and transit-oriented development will help to ensure that future growth contributes to a strong, financially healthy, and highly livable community.

ACRES OF VACANT LAND IN METRO AREA CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 100K+

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Source: NCTCOG, Existing Land Use, 2015.

LOCATION OF VACANT LAND

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, Existing Land Use, 2022.

HOUSING PREFERENCES

Development patterns, since about 1950, have preferred strictly single-family homes or large multifamily complexes creating a large physical, social, and economic gap in housing choices. Smaller homes and multifamily dwellings are less costly to rent, purchase, and maintain for consumers. Historically, the limitations to smaller scale multifamily housing included zoning barriers, difficult financing, and the production scale not being as profitable as large multifamily or single-family developments.

Changing market demands for walkable, compact communities can be addressed by providing smaller scale multifamily housing projects, dispersed within and compatible with single-family housing. Walkable, compact communities provide common destinations within walking and bicycling distance, increasing transportation choices.

MARKET SUPPLY & DEMAND

Source: National Association of Realtors, Community and Transportation Preferences Surve, 2017.

MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING TYPOLOGIES

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Copyright: 2015 Opticos Design, Inc.

WHERE DO PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE?

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WHERE DO PEOPLE LIVE IN FORT WORTH?

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Source: Source: National Association of Realtors Community Preference Survey, 2011.

The multiple growth centers concept promotes compact urban land use within designated areas and lower intensities of land use elsewhere. As an alternative to the typical urban/suburban pattern, Fort Worth’s Comprehensive Plan advocates for the development of multiple growth centers.

Growth centers are located along highway or rail corridors to facilitate transportation linkages to other growth centers. A network of growth centers can accommodate citywide growth with fewer environmental impacts, less land consumption and traffic generation, and less pollution than a dispersed development pattern. The North Central Texas Council of Governments is also promoting this growth strategy in response to growing concerns over traffic, pollution, and reduced funding for transportation infrastructure.

URBAN DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS

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DISPERSED DEVELOPMENT

COMPACT URBAN CORE

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MULTIPLE GROWTH CENTERS

INDUSTRIAL AND MIXED-USE GROWTH CENTERS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

INDUSTRIAL GROWTH CENTERS

An industrial growth center will primarily consist of industrial and commercial uses, with a high concentration of jobs, mostly industrial in nature. Other related and supporting uses include office space and services. Residential uses are generally discouraged within industrial growth centers.

Criteria for designation include:

• A high concentration of employees — 10,000+ employees per square mile, and
• The location nearby one or more major transportation facilities, such as an airport, railroad, highway, public transit station, and/or arterial roadway.

MIXED-USE GROWTH CENTERS

Mixed-use growth centers are highly urbanized places containing many characteristics of a downtown including a high concentration of jobs and housing, schools, parks, and other public facilities, public transportation hubs, and pedestrian activity. Its predominant land uses are residential and commercial. Within a small geographic area, different land uses are found side by side or within the same building. These places tend to be bustling and diverse, with a sense of place.

Criteria for designating new mixed-use growth centers are listed below, with centers often having (or planned to have) three or more of the following characteristics:

• A high concentration of employees — 10,000+ employees per square mile.
• A high concentration of residents — 10,000+ residents per square mile.
• One or more major transportation facilities — an airport, railroad, highway, public transit, or arterial roadway.
• An existing or planned transit-oriented development (TOD).
• Major institution(s) — a university, government facility, or hospital.
• Major tourist destination(s) — 100,000+ visitors per year.

Some mixed-use growth centers serve a large region, while others serve local residents. The functions and characteristics of the two different growth center concepts are generally the same, with variations in the size of their service areas and intensity of development.

*Indicates growth centers that do not currently meet the criteria, but have the potential to do so.

BENEFITS OF MIXED-USE AREAS

Urban Villages and Mixed-Use Growth Centers support the concept of sustainable development, seeking to balance access, mobility, affordability, community cohesion, and environmental quality.

The potential benefits of mixed-use growth centers include:

• Additional economic development opportunities
• Protection of single-family neighborhoods
• Development of multifamily housing at appropriate locations
• Convenience for residents and workers
• Reduced reliance upon automobile usage
• Efficiency in the provision of public facilities and services
• Protection of the environment
• Improved health due to increased opportunities for pedestrian and active transportation activities
• Creating a sense of place; fostering community

Return on Public Investment Prioritizing development within mixed-use growth centers is critical to building a financially sustainable future. Urban infill development uses existing public infrastructure (roadways, water, and sewer) making it less expensive to build and maintain the development long-term. Population density, encouraged by mixed-use centers, allows for the efficient use of public services (police, fire, public transportation); which improves quality of service while reducing expenditures. Overall, mixed-use growth centers and urban villages generate more tax revenue than they consume through use of city services and infrastructure.

CORE PRINCIPLES OF MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

Connected Development

vs. Disconnected Development

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Compact development allows for a more efficient use of land, natural resources, and existing infrastructure.

Integration of Land Uses

vs. Separation of Single Land Use

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A mix of uses increases economic and community vitality, and reduces the need to travel longer distances for everyday needs.

Pedestrians, Bikes, and Public Transit

vs. Only Automobiles

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Active transportation alternatives are healthier for residents and cleaner for the environment.

Street-Facing Buildings

vs. Buildings Facing Parking Lots

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Buildings set close to the street define the public realm and engage with citizens.

ZONING FOR MIXED-USE AREAS

Mixed-use, multifamily, and commercial zoning classifications are most desirable for mixed-use areas because they provide the density of jobs and residential units needed to create a vibrant urban sense of place. Townhouse, duplex, and similar residential zoning classifications are usually acceptable in appropriate locations on the periphery of the mixed-use core.

Urban Residential (UR) Zoning The City's Urban Residential (UR) zoning classification provides an appropriate transition zone between higher and lower density residential areas. Inappropriate zoning districts for Urban Residential:

• Single-family Residential (less than four units per acre)
• Industrial
• Agricultural

Form-Based Codes A form-based code is a land development regulation that uses physical form as the organizing principle for the code. A form-based code differs from a conventional zoning regulation by allowing a mixture of appropriate uses within a single district or building. Form-based codes address the relationship between building facades and the public realm, the form and mass of buildings in relation to one another, and the scale and types of streets and blocks. Form-based codes are usually implemented as component of a community-sponsored regulating plan that designates the appropriate form and scale of development within a specific area.

The City of Fort Worth has adopted the following form-based districts:

• Camp Bowie District Inc.
• Berry/University Form-Based Code District
• Stockyards Historic and Form-Based Code District
• Near Southside
• Trinity Lakes

APPROPRIATE ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS FOR MIXED-USE GROWTH CENTERS

*H, NS, PI, CB, BU, TL, and SY are only allowed in Downtown, Near Southside, Panther Island, Camp Bowie, Berry/University, Trnity Lakes, and the Stockyards, respectively.

MIXED-USE ZONING WITHIN URBAN TRANSECT

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Image Source: Congress for the New Urbanism

ZONING FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT

A transit-oriented development (TOD) is a mixed-use area, such as an urban village or mixed-use growth center, but designed to incorporate and support a major public transportation connection. Maximizing the concentration of residential, commercial, and recreational uses near the public transportation connection promotes ridership and lowers automobile dependence for people who live and/or work in proximity to the development.

Mixed-Use (MU-1&2) and Urban Residential (UR) zoning, or an appropriate form-based zoning classification, benefit a TOD particularly within one-quarter mile of the public transportation connection. These zoning classifications allow for the development of a higher-density "transit core" that is the primary source of ridership to and from the connection. Within one-half mile of the connection, referred to as the "transit neighborhood," compatible higher-density residential should be encouraged as a means to promote housing affordability and variety in available housing types.

SUGGESTED ZONING AROUND PUBLIC TRANSIT

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MAJOR COMMUTER RAIL LINES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2020.

In 2015 the North Central Texas Council of Governments conducted a survey of residents regarding public transportation:

67%

Percent of residents would like their community to add or improve access to public transportation.

72%

Percent of residents would consider options besides driving alone to work if it were more convenient.

$10K

The amount individuals could save per year using transit in place of car ownership.

Source: North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), 2015 Transit Survey

Fort Worth demonstrates how the annexation process can be administered as a positive tool for guiding development in its ETJ. The strategies listed below should help the City achieve its strategic goal of promoting orderly and sustainable growth.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

1 Multiple Growth Centers

Achieve a multiple growth center development pattern by encouraging higher intensity residential and commercial uses within mixed-use growth centers, and higher intensity industrial and commercial uses within industrial growth centers.

• Increase new residential units in mixed-use growth centers, urban villages, and transit-oriented development areas so that at least one-third of new residential development occurs in these locations.

2 Direct Connections

Improve land use efficiency, mobility, and air quality.

• Encourage developments that create a network of interconnected local streets and trails that facilitate more direct pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle access between nearby uses and destinations.

3 Zoning Conformity

Ensure that the City’s zoning regulations and districts generally conform to the adopted Comprehensive Plan.

• Improve the percentage of zoning decisions that are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan (80% in 2017).

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

POLICIES

• Identify and designate on future land use maps regional and community mixed-use growth centers in rapidly developing areas, based on proximity to future rail transit and key transportation intersections.
• Accommodate higher density residential and mixed uses in transit-oriented developments, urban villages, and designated mixed-use growth centers.
• Include projects in future Capital Improvement Programs that support the growth center concept, transit-oriented development, and urban villages.

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Multiple Growth Center Development Pattern

• Adopt a sustainable development policy that promotes the following:
  1. Land use and transportation practices that promote economic development while using limited resources in an efficient manner;
  2. Transportation decision-making based on land use, traffic congestion concerns, vehicle miles traveled, and the viability of alternative transportation modes; and
  3. Balance among accessibility, affordability, mobility, community cohesion, and environmental quality. (For more information, see Chapter 11: Transportation and Chapter 18: Environmental Quality.)
• Link growth centers with major thoroughfares, public transportation, trails, and linear parks.
• Locate multifamily units within walking distance of public transportation, employment, recreation, and/or shopping to increase accessibility and decrease vehicular traffic.

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Distance from Public Transit

• Encourage Urban Residential and Low Density Residential as transitional uses between Single-Family Residential and high density uses.
• Encourage small-lot single-family zoning districts (i.e. AR and A-5) on the periphery of mixed-use growth centers, where the City seeks to concentrate employment and public services.
• Coordinate future land uses and development types and intensity with the Complete Streets policy, Master Thoroughfare Plan, Active Transportation Plan, and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Plans.
• Provide interconnectivity of streets and trails, especially within residential subdivisions, to reduce vehicle trips on arterial streets, increase efficiency, reduce air pollution, distribute traffic, improve access to public places, improve efficiency in providing services and deliveries, and ensure access for emergency services.
• Encourage clustering of development sites within new subdivisions to avoid steep slopes (greater than 15%) and to conserve 100-year floodplains, existing tree cover, wildlife habitat, storm water detention areas, riparian buffers along natural waterways, and archeologically significant sites.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

POLICIES (CONT.)

• Encourage the use of parallel local access streets along collector and minor arterial roadways to allow the front façade of homes to face the street without the need for multiple driveway curb-cuts on the main street, thereby preserving traffic safety while increasing the pedestrian friendliness of the collector or minor arterial.
• To protect water quality and provide for connected green spaces, encourage parks, bike trails, and open space within floodplains and along adjacent water bodies.
• Encourage the provision of open space within new developments, with the goal of linking open spaces within adjoining subdivisions.
• Locate public neighborhood parks within easy access of residents (less than one-half mile).
• Promote appropriate infill development of vacant lots, old commercial centers (greyfields), and contaminated sites (brownfields) within developed areas, particularly in the central city.
• Provide for and maintain interconnectivity of streets and trails, especially within residential subdivisions, to reduce vehicle trips on arterial streets, increase efficiency, reduce air pollution, distribute traffic, improve access to public places, improve efficiency in providing services and deliveries, and ensure access for emergency services.
• Promote appropriate infill development of vacant lots within developed areas, which will efficiently utilize existing infrastructure, particularly in the central city.
• Identify and designate on future land use maps new industrial growth centers in rapidly developing areas, based on proximity to existing infrastructure and key transportation intersections.
• Promote appropriate uses within the NAS-JRB Overlay.
• Encourage urban agriculture with the purpose of increasing access to fresh food, providing income for people who want to grow and sell produce, and contributing to urban food security and nutritious, especially for residents within food deserts.
• Encourage new development adjacent and connected to previously developed or platted areas in order to utilize existing utility and road infrastructure and services, thereby optimizing public and private investments and discouraging sprawl development.
• Preserve the character of rural and suburban residential neighborhoods.
• Support zoning changes that accommodate multifamily residential development within urban villages, transit-oriented developments (TOD) and designated growth centers.

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Parallel Local Access Streets along Collector and Minor Arterial Roadways

POLICIES (CONT.)

• Do not locate residential uses or schools in areas adjacent to airfields having a noise level of 65 or more decibels DNL (average Day or Night Level)

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Fort Worth Alliance Airport Noise Contour

• Shelters for persons experiencing homelessness may generally be appropriate in general commercial and light industrial areas and in regional mixed-use growth centers. Shelters are not appropriate in industrial growth centers and heavy industrial areas.

• Locate large commercial and institutional uses adjacent to arterial streets, preferably at the intersections of other arterials and highways.

• Locate large industrial uses along freight rail lines, highways, or airports within industrial growth centers and other appropriate locations.

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Alliance Industrial Growth Center

• Separate incompatible land uses with buffers or transitional uses. Some land uses have attributes such as height, proportion, scale, operational characteristics, traffic generated, or appearance that may not be compatible with the attributes of other uses.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES

• Promote traditional neighborhood and other pedestrian-oriented developments, which encourage human interaction, walking, bicycling, mixed uses, slower traffic, public places, and attractive streetscapes.
• Plan for, facilitate, and aggressively pursue appropriate transit-oriented development (TOD) at existing and future transit station locations. A TOD encourages compact urban development adjacent to transit stations. Mixed uses in a single building, minimal setbacks, and taller structures help achieve the higher densities necessary to support transit. Retail businesses and services for commuters should be located adjacent to transit stops, between the rail platform and parking facilities.
• Maximize area of permeable surfaces in developments to reduce stormwater run-off.

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Permeable surface parking lot at Christ Chapel Baptist Church.

• Promote the use of Low-Impact Development techniques to reduce erosion and sedimentation of rivers, lakes, and streams.

• Encourage the use of floodplains as a boundary between incompatible land uses.

• Leave floodplains in their natural state (with hike/bike trails encouraged) to improve water quality and minimize flooding.

• Encourage new development in character with the existing neighborhood scale, architecture, and platting pattern, while working to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access between adjacent neighborhoods and nearby destinations.

• Promote measures to ensure that all types of residential developments are compatible in scale to abutting residential developments. A dramatic difference in lot size and units per acre should be discouraged for new development immediately adjacent to existing development or platted and zoned property, unless mitigation is provided to minimize the effects of the new use.

• Encourage locating multiple-unit residential structures on corner lots.

• Support diverse housing options, including duplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and small courtyard apartments to promote walkable communities, access to neighborhood services, and multimodal transportation options, while ensuring compatibility with the form, sale, and design of existing neighborhoods.

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Diverse Housing Options

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES (CONT.)

• Encourage infill development of compatible, single-family homes in existing neighborhoods to preserve and protect residential neighborhoods.

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Lipscomb Street, 2013/2016 Google Streetview

• Locate elementary schools, parks, and neighborhood commercial uses within walking distance of most homes to maximize walkable, bikeable, and transit connectivity with all surrounding residential areas.

• Work with independent school districts in growing areas to identify future school sites that can be served by existing or currently planned infrastructure. Depict the identified sites on the City’s future land use maps.

• Locate elementary, middle, and high schools on blocks surrounded by streets.

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Stripling Junior High School

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CHAPTER 5

HOUSING

Provision of adequate and appropriate housing for all residents is essential to building strong neighborhoods. The City of Fort Worth’s key housing goals are increasing the supply of quality affordable accessible housing; expanding homeownership opportunities; revitalizing neighborhoods; creating mixed-income communities; and better aligning housing choice options with multimodal transportation opportunities, as typically occurs in Transit-Oriented Development.

QUICK FACTS

Over the past ten years, the Fort Worth housing market has been characterized by:

• Rapid growth,
• Decreasing affordability for new housing, and
• Central city redevelopment.

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327,379 TOTAL HOUSING STOCK

UP 12.5% SINCE 2010

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING GROWTH RATE, 2010 – 2020

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Source: North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), 2020.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

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HOUSING OCCUPANCY

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HOUSING UNITS

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RESIDENTIAL PERMITS ISSUED IN 2020

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019; City of Fort Worth, Development Services Department, 2021.

HOUSING SUPPLY

AVERAGE PRICE — PERCENT DISTRIBUTION GREATER FORT WORTH

New home construction in the $200s steadily decreased between 2011 and 2020, which is indicative of several factors, including increased construction costs, escalating land values, higher profit margins, and consumer preference for larger homes with more amenities.

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Source: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, 2020.

RESIDENTIAL MEDIAN HOME PRICE PER SQUARE-FOOT

The price per square-foot for single-family housing sales increased by close to 120 percent between 2011 and 2020. Land appreciation is the primary contributor to housing price increases. The map to the right reflects price per square-foot changes over a nine year period for single-family sales, except for Zip Code 76102 (downtown area) which reflects condominium sales.

Source: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, 2020.

RESIDENTIAL PRICE PER SQUARE-FOOT CHANGE, 2011 – 2020

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Source: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University 2020, and Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2021.

HOUSING SUPPLY

MULTIFAMILY METRICS, 2020

Source: CoStar Group, Fort Worth, 2020.

RENTER INCOMES

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Source: HUD, Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy, 2013-2017, and Income Limits, 2017.

MULTIFAMILY PROJECT COMPLETIONS & ABSORPTIONS

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Source: CoStar Group, Fort Worth, 2020.

RENTAL HOUSING VACANCY RATE TREND

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

RENTAL TRENDS

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Booming population and employment growth in north Texas and Fort Worth have created strong pressures on the local housing market in recent years, increasing home prices and apartment rents to the point that middle and lower income households often have difficulty finding quality affordable housing that meets their needs. This is particularly true for families or individuals with limited income potential, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, and lower-skilled members of the workforce.

Though a number of federally supported and locally administered housing programs exist to provide assistance to these populations, resources are limited for addressing Fort Worth’s growing housing affordability challenge. Fort Worth Housing Solutions, local non-profits, private sector affordable housing developers, and the City’s Neighborhood Services Department work together to develop effective partnerships and leverage additional resources, while addressing the City Council’s highest priority housing goals.

The City’s affordable housing policies and programs are primarily directed toward expanding affordable housing opportunities while serving residents with the greatest need, including the homeless, very low income homeowners living on fixed incomes, and lower income renters.

WHO NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, MSA, 2020.

SELECTED HOUSING AFFORDABILITY TERMS

Source: Urban Land Institute, Terwilliger Center for Housing.

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HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

AREA MEDIAN INCOME (AMI) & MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME (MFI)

AMI is the median household income of each metropolitan statistical area (MSA) adjusted for family size, which is also known as Median Family Income (MFI). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes AMIs annually. AMI is used to determine the eligibility of applicants for most housing assistance programs.

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MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME COMPARISON

$86,200

DALLAS-FORT WORTH METRO

$97,600

AUSTIN - ROUND ROCK

$78,800

HOUSTON - THE WOODLANDS-SUGARLAND

$72,000

SAN ANTONIO - NEW BRAUNFELS

TEXAS

$74,500

NATIONAL

$78,500

Source: HUD, Income Limits, 2020.

MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME (MFI) AND HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

*Based on 30 percent of monthly income.

Source: HUD, Income Limits, 2020.

HOUSING CHALLENGES

HOUSING PRICE INFLATION & INCOME INCREMENT

Housing costs are increasing faster than incomes in Fort Worth, as is the case elsewhere in the country. According to the Fort Worth Housing Solutions 2018 Annual Report, home prices jumped 57 percent and average rents rose from 20 to 40 percent (depending upon unit size) in the past five years. Middle-income to lower-income households are effectively priced out of today’s housing market. Nearly one-third of the city’s households earns less than half of the annual median income of $75,200. An affordable rent for a family of three at this income level is $846, but the rent now averages $1,100 for a two-bedroom unit. The need is greatest for the city’s lowest-income households. Fort Worth has a shortage of 23,420 units that would be affordable for people earning less than 30 percent AMI.

Rising home prices make homeownership less affordable to everyone, but they have a particular impact on people who are interested in buying a home for the first time. There are fewer homes available in the affordable ‘starter home’ segment of the market and, as a result, first-time homebuyers either delay a purchase or buy a home that causes them to be more cost-burdened.

Between 2011 and 2019, new housing costs rose 67% higher than household income.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019, Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, 2020.

HOME PRICE BY SALES

Between 2011 and 2019, homes under $150,000 went from 67.1 percent of the market to 6.9 percent of the market. The rapid pace of cost increases underscores the urgency of dealing with the overall issue of affordable housing. In order to encourage first-time homebuyers to locate in Fort Worth, actions to assist them should be considered.

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Source: Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, 2020.

HOUSING CHALLENGES

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Affordability measures the extent to which enough rental housing units of different costs can provide each renter household with a unit it can afford (based on the 30-percent-of-income standard). Affordability, which is the broadest measure of the relative supply of the housing stock, addresses whether sufficient housing units would exist if allocated solely on the basis of cost. The affordable stock includes both vacant and occupied units.

Many affordable rental units that were once priced for lower income households have been upgraded with newer amenities and priced higher to attract higher income households. The result is more households seeking housing public assistance and many households living in overcrowded conditions.

Source: HUD, “Worst Case Housing Needs: 2019 Report to Congress”, June 2020.

RENTAL HOUSING AFFORDABILITY GAP

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Source: CoStar Group, 2020 and HUD Income Limits, Fort Worth-Arlington Fair Market Rent Area, 2020.

HOUSING DISPARITIES

Source: City of Fort Worth Task Force on Race and Culture Report, 2018.

HOUSING CHALLENGES

HOUSING COST BURDEN

Affordability measures the extent to which enough rental housing units of different costs can provide each renter household with a unit it can afford (based on the 30-percent-of-income standard). Affordability, which is the broadest measure of the relative supply of the housing stock, addresses whether sufficient housing units would exist if allocated solely on the basis of cost. The affordable stock includes both vacant and occupied units.

Many affordable rental units that were once priced for lower income households have been upgraded with newer amenities and priced higher to attract higher income households. The result is more households seeking housing public assistance and many households living in overcrowded conditions.

HOUSING COST BURDEN IN FORT WORTH

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Source: HUD, Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) 2013-2017.

EXCESSIVE RENTER HOUSING COSTS

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

HOUSING CHALLENGES

SUBSTANDARD HOUSING STRUCTURES

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s biennial American Housing Survey, a housing unit is defined as having severe physical inadequacies if it has any one of the following four problems listed in the table below. In Fort Worth, the majority of substandard housing is located in central city areas with older housing units and lower household incomes. Housing repair programs provided by the City of Fort Worth and other organizations can help reverse the prevalence of substandard housing.

Source: HUD, “Worst Case Housing Needs: 2019 Report to Congress”, June 2020.

SUBSTANDARD STRUCTURES

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

HOUSING CHALLENGES

HOUSING STOCK

The condition of older housing stock is an issue of concern for the City. In general, housing condition is directly related to housing age. Without adequate maintenance, older housing stock deteriorates. Most structures begin to need significant repairs 30 years after construction. According to the Census, close to 31 percent of the city’s housing was built prior to 1969. Units with the greatest repair needs are generally in low-income neighborhoods, where households have had fewer resources to perform maintenance.

As illustrated on the following map, older housing is located primarily in the central city, defined area inside Loop 820 with generally lower household incomes and higher poverty rates. These locations also tend to have older streets, sewers, roads and other infrastructure.

Concentrating people with lower incomes in neighborhoods with aging homes and infrastructure adds to the challenges faced by people who need affordable housing. These neighborhoods may have lower quality of life because of aging or inadequate infrastructure and the potential for disinvestment by neighboring property owners. They may be less likely to have the characteristics that support a healthy lifestyle, like parks, sidewalks and access to fresh food.

HOUSING STOCK AGE

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

HOUSING STOCK AGE

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

Housing policy is influenced by Annual and Five-Year Consolidated Plans, which the City Council adopts for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), as local housing activities have traditionally been funded only through CDBG, HOME, and ESG grants from that federal agency. These HUD-required plans focus primarily on the housing needs of low and moderate-income residents and special needs or homeless populations.

In addressing the City Council’s priority for mixed-income housing and dispersion of assisted housing, amendments were made to the City’s Consolidated Plan. Changes require a project to meet the following:

1. Promotes dispersion of publicly assisted housing (PAH) units;
2. Promotes mixed-income housing objectives by including market rate housing units and PAH units within the project;
3. Project location is consistent with the City’s Future Land Use policies, and must be:
   • Within two miles of a major employment center; or
   • Within 1/4 mile of existing/proposed rail transit stations or bus route; or
   • In an urban village, growth center, neighborhood empowerment zone, or special district.

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Example of townhomes on Zach Scott Street, Austin, Texas, 2017.

HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

MIXED-INCOME & MIXED-USE HOUSING

Promotion of mixed-income and mixed-use developments has been a trend nationally as well as in Fort Worth in recent years, yielding new development near Downtown and in designated urban villages and neighborhood empowerment zones (NEZs). The West Seventh development is part of the city’s most successful urban village to date. It boasts low vacancy rates for residential units, as well as an energetic vibrancy in a formerly run-down industrial district.

Besides urban villages, other areas with very strong potential for accommodating mixed-income residential development within vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods are identified as Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) sites along the TEX Rail Corridor. Located at planned commuter rail stations all along the corridor, TOD sites are being planned and zoned specifically to accommodate higher density residential projects with mixed-income components — all within walking distance of the commuter rail stations. As these TOD sites develop, they will generate extensive redevelopment opportunities and ultimately create attractive and sought-after neighborhood centers where living, shopping, dining, entertainment, and jobs all can be found just steps from a train station that connects residents to Downtown, DFW Airport, and other job and activity centers.

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West 7th Street, Fort Worth.

The West Seventh development near Downtown provides a walkable environment to live, work, and play.

MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING

Missing middle refers to housing that accommodates more people than a single-family home but does not come in the form of a large apartment building. Typically it means anything from a duplex to a small apartment building but, significantly, it is housing that would blend in a residential neighborhood dominated by single-family homes. It’s called “missing middle” because many communities do not have very much of this sort of mid-range housing. As described in the Land Use chapter, missing middle housing can address market demand for smaller scale multifamily housing that is dispersed within and compatible with single-family housing. Missing middle housing provides solutions along a spectrum of affordability to address the mismatch between the available U.S. housing stock and shifting housing preferences, combined with the growing demand for walkability. Below are examples of missing middle housing types:

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Source: Opticos Design, Inc.

HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

ASSISTED HOUSING

Fort Worth Housing Solutions (FWHS) provides rental housing assistance for residents and a portfolio of mixed-income properties with units offered at affordable rental rates as required by federal and state programs such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, bonds, FHA loans, and other financing tools.

FWHS also manages 5,402 Housing Choice Vouchers allocated by HUD to FWHS, but is only able to use about 4,800 vouchers at any given time based on budget authority. Another 1,499 housing assistance vouchers are provided for chronically homeless and other special needs populations.

Fort Worth’s rapid growth has created unintended consequences for its lowest income citizens, including seniors and people with disabilities, resulting in a greater demand for assisted housing than the available supply.

FORT WORTH HOUSING SOLUTIONS PORTFOLIO

Source: Fort Worth Housing Solutions, 2021.

FORT WORTH HOUSING SOLUTIONS PROPERTIES

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Source: Fort Worth Housing Solutions, and City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2021.

HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

DECONCENTRATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING & POVERTY

Finalizing its shift from a traditional public housing model, Fort Worth Housing Solutions completed the conversion of 686 multifamily units through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program in 2020. Under RAD, housing assistance funds are moved from a traditional public housing community to units scattered throughout a city — deconcentrating poverty as a byproduct. The conversion allows housing agencies to leverage public and private debt and equity to reinvest in public housing stock and fund needed capital improvements.

The RAD program allowed FWHS to help 412 individuals and families to relocate from the 1940s-era Butler Place community to homes of their choice throughout the city, improving access to job centers, quality schools, and high-opportunity neighborhoods with amenities. Butler officially closed in December 2020. FWHS is working with HUD, the City of Fort Worth and others to determine next steps for the property.

MIXED-INCOME HOUSING

Fort Worth Housing Solutions is increasing the supply of affordable housing in Fort Worth by partnering with private developers to build and operate mixed-income properties throughout the city. Tax credit-financing and other restricted funding sources ensure that a portion of units are leased at affordable rates, often for 20 years or more. In 2020, approximately 778 new mixed-income units were added to the FWHS portfolio. For 2021, the following projects are planned.

Source: Fort Worth Housing Solutions, 2020.

FORT WORTH HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER WAITING LIST, 2019

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Source: Fort Worth Housing Solutions, 2020.

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Standard at Boswell Marketplace, a 128-unit mixed-income property.

HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

STOP SIX CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE

In April 2020, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Fort Worth Housing Solutions and the City of Fort Worth a coveted $35 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative Implementation Grant to seed revitalization of a historic and overlooked neighborhood, southeast of downtown Fort Worth. The funds will be spread across six phases of mixed-income, multifamily housing and are expected to leverage $345 million in additional investment for the community.

The related Transformation Plan calls for more than 1,000 units of new rental housing, infrastructure, and a community hub with an aquatics center. The hub could be funded through a future bond program and would house needed support services. Construction of the 174-unit Cowan Place senior living community, Phase I of the Initiative, is scheduled to begin in Spring 2021. The former Cavile Place public housing site will be home to the second, third, and fourth phases of residential development.

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Stop Six Choice Neighborhood Initiative Target Area

Source: Fort Worth Housing Solutions, 2021.

CORE GOALS

PEOPLE: The people plan addresses the education, economic, and healthcare needs of previous Cavile Place residents. The needs were identified through a Resident Needs Assessment and will be met with commitments from service provider partners. Former Cavile residents have the right to return to their community as new housing comes online.

HOUSING: Cavile Place closed June 30, 2020. The property’s 300 units are being replaced one-for-one and integrated into mixed-income, high-quality, and sustainable communities to deconcentrate poverty. Anchors are recommended at the corners of the neighborhood to connect properties with larger developments.

NEIGHBORHOOD: The neighborhood plan builds on the pre-existing assets and relationships in Stop Six and provides a framework for development of a neighborhood of choice — all while improving connectivity and infrastructure throughout the neighborhood.

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Stop Six Choice Neighborhood Rendering.

HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

HOMELESS POPULATION BY LOCATION, 2020

Each year approximately 500 volunteers across Tarrant and Parker counties count the number of persons experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. On a given night in 2020, 2,126 persons experienced homelessness in Tarrant and Parker counties.

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2,126

People

Source: Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (TCHC), 2020.

HOMELESS CATEGORY TYPES

Source: Code of Federal Regulations Parts 91, 582, and 583.

WHO EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS IN 2020?

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HOUSING FOCUS AREAS

HOMELESS POPULATION, 2009 – 2020

Sheltered homelessness has slightly decreased in the past 10 years in Tarrant and Parker counties, while there has been a rise in unsheltered homelessness.

Fort Worth’s percentage of homelessness remains less than other Texas cities.

Continuum of Care Area: Tarrant and Parker Counties

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Source: Tarrant County Homeless Coalition, 2020.

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True Worth Place, Fort Worth, 2018.

HOMELESS POPULATION COMPARISON

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Source: HUD 2019 Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program Reporting, 2019.

DIRECTIONS HOME PROGRAM & FUNDING

The City of Fort Worth’s homelessness unit, Directions Home:

• Oversees $3 million in City funds to reduce homelessness and keep clients housed.
• Works with community partners to align resources and processes to most effectively reduce homelessness.
• Facilitates development of permanent supportive housing units to reduce chronic homelessness.

Directions Home has put a greater emphasis on reducing unsheltered homelessness through increasing flow at emergency shelters by funding new programs such as Diversion and Rapid Exit, which allow people to be housed with one-time assistance.

Source: City of Fort Worth, City Manager’s Office, Directions Home Program, 2020.

FAIR HOUSING

FAIR HOUSING

In 1992, the City of Fort Worth adopted a Fair Housing Ordinance with an enforcement mechanism "substantially equivalent" to that of HUD. The City's Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Department is responsible for enforcement of the City's anti-discrimination ordinance and federal housing, employment, and accommodation laws. The D&I Department also provides:

• Education for nonprofit and for-profit entities regarding predatory lending.
• Fair housing education to landlords, lenders, realtors, developers and other housing-related businesses.
• Housing resource handbooks for residents and housing providers.
• A multi-lingual, multimedia, fair housing and fair employment education campaign and information resources.

PERCENTAGE OF COMPLAINTS, 2020 (TOTAL 68)

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Percentages do not total 100% because complaints may contain multiple bases.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Diversity and Inclusion Department, 2020.

CITY’S FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE (AMENDED)

Chapter 17, Article III, Section 17-86 of the City of Fort Worth’s Ordinance No. 19374 in Housing recognizes:

"The right of every person to have access to adequate housing of his/her own choice without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, transgender, gender identity or gender expression; and further, that the denial of such rights through considerations based upon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, transgender, gender identity or gender expression is detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the city and constitutes an unjust denial or deprivation of such inalienable rights which is within the power and the proper responsibility of government to prevent."

NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS & CASE CLOSURES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Diversity and Inclusion Department, 2020.

NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION

NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE AREAS

In 2001, the City of Fort Worth established a Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) program as authorized under Chapter 378 of the Texas Local government Code. The City's NEZ program promotes the following within a NEZ location:

• Creation and rehabilitation of affordable housing.
• Increase in economic development.
• Increase in the quality of social services, education, or public safety provided to residents.

To facilitate the above objectives, the City's NEZ program includes incentives to developers, investors, and property owners that meet the NEZ program criteria and plan to build or rehabilitate property located in a NEZ. These incentives include:

• Municipal property tax abatements up to 5 years.
• Development fee waivers.
• Release of city liens.

TAX ABATEMENTS AWARDED IN 2020 (AGGREGATE)

Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, 2020.

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2021.

HOUSING SUPPORT & FUNDING

FORT WORTH HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Homebuyer Assistance Up to $20,000 in mortgage assistance for income-eligible first-time homebuyers within the Fort Worth city limits.

Weatherization Assistance Improves the energy efficiency of income-eligible households in Tarrant County. Weatherization program technicians perform an energy assessment to determine which energy saving repair or service is most appropriate and cost-effective.

Priority Repair Helps income-eligible Fort Worth homeowners in need of emergency or mechanical system home repairs up to $5,000.

Lead-Safe The program helps income-eligible residents protect children (under age six) from lead when they live or spend extended periods of time in a home (built prior to 1978) with lead. Services include free lead-based paint home inspections, lead-based paint hazard reduction services, and community education.

IMPACT OF HOUSING PROGRAMS

• Reduce Blight
• Stablize Neighborhoods
• Improve Quality of Life for Residents Especially in low-income minority neighborhoods that have the greatest housing needs.

MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN HOUSING PROGRAMS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, Consolidated Plan, 2019.

PERCENTAGE OF HOMES LIKELY TO CONTAIN LEAD

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Due to multiple health risks, especially for children, the federal government banned consumer uses of lead-containing paint in 1978. However, many existing homes that were built during or prior to 1978 have lead-based paint and could benefit from lead based paint remediation.

Source: Environmental Protection Agency, Housing Renovation Guide, 2011.

HOUSING SUPPORT & FUNDING

CONSOLIDATED PLAN & ACTION PLAN

The City of Fort Worth’s five-year Consolidated Plan describes community development and housing priorities. From community engagement and collaboration with other entities, multiyear goals are developed based on an assessment of housing and community development needs and an analysis of market conditions.

An Action Plan and the status update of the Consolidated Plan is prepared and provided to HUD annually. The Action Plan details how funds for the following HUD grant programs (which target low- and moderate-income populations and the homeless) will be spent to meet the goals of the Consolidated Plan.

HOUSING RELATED FUNDING

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are used to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanded economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents.

HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds are used to create affordable housing for low-income households by building, buying or rehabilitating affordable housing.

Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds are used to provide services and housing for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, with a goal of achieving permanent housing.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds are used for projects that benefit low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

2018 – 2022 CONSOLIDATED PLAN — PROGRESS OF HOUSING RELATED GOALS (YEAR 3)

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, Consolidated Plan, 2020.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Below are the City's key housing goals and objectives, which are intended to help guide allocation of City resources to address housing needs in the City of Fort Worth.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

1. Increase the number of quality affordable rental units for low-income renters.

   • Support construction of 88 affordable housing units.

2. Preserve and improve existing affordable owner-occupied housing units.

   • Rehabilitate 390 units through the Priority Repair Program.
   • Provide emergency and weatherization repair assistance to 320 low- and very low-income homeowners.

3. Increase homeownership in Fort Worth

   • Provide homebuyer assistance including closing cost assistance for 75 low- and very low-income, first time homebuyers.
   • Provide homeownership information, budget, and credit counseling to households in Tarrant County.

4. Provide a range of housing options for populations with special needs, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, and persons exiting homelessness.

   • Assist 2,950 seniors through aging-in-place programs.
   • Add 200 permanent supportive housing units.
   • Prevent 225 people from becoming homeless.

5. Ensure equal housing opportunity in Fort Worth for all citizens.

   • Develop educational modules and communication planning to explain and advocate for affordable housing and permanent supportive housing within the Fort Worth community.
   • Provide landlord and lender education on fair housing.

6. Continue to promote specific public incentives to encourage housing development in City designated target areas, i.e., Central Business District, Central City, Designated Investment Zones, Transit-Oriented Development, Urban Villages, etc.

   • Support affordable housing in mixed-use development projects in accordance with the City's tax abatement and Neighborhood Empowerment Zone policy.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

The policies and strategies listed below will be instrumental in achieving the above goals:

POLICIES

Housing Development (Affordable and Market Rate Housing)

• Promote the development of high-quality, market-rate and affordable housing using appropriate design standards to ensure lasting value.
• Provide more effective incentives for the development of affordable housing.
• Enhance capacity to address affordable housing needs by partnering with the private sector and neighborhoods.
• Integrate and disperse affordable housing and low-income housing into neighborhoods throughout the city.
• Promote partnerships to leverage additional resources for affordable housing, including with private foundations and affordable housing developers, Community Housing Development Organizations, the Texas Veterans Commission, local housing authorities, and other state and federal agencies.
• Continue implementation and enforcement of the Crime Free Multi-housing ordinance.
• Continue programs to develop affordable housing through partnerships with Fort Worth Housing Solutions and other developers and organizations.

Housing Preservation

• Promote the rehabilitation of older housing stock to increase housing values within the central city and in neighborhoods that have experienced historical disinvestment.
• Foster the preservation, improvement, and development of affordable rental and ownership housing in accordance with the City's Comprehensive Plan.
• Promote the preservation of existing affordable housing, with emphasis on health and safety repairs for owner-occupied dwellings.
• Continue programs to preserve affordable housing stock for both renters and owners.
• Promote partnerships with local non-profits to support infill housing and to leverage funds for housing preservation activities such as roof and exterior repairs, painting, and other basic structural improvements.
• Promote awareness of housing rehab and preservation resources.
• Support neighborhood initiatives to regulate the design of industrialized and site-built housing so as to preserve neighborhood character.

Increase Homeownership

• Support homeownership by continuing to streamline and update existing homeownership assistance programs.

Housing Needs of Low-Income Households and Vulnerable Residents

• Provide more effective assistance to low- and moderate-income residents seeking home ownership.
• Provide a range of housing options for the elderly, with special focus on low-income households.
• Provide a continuum of housing options and support services for persons with disabilities.
• Support accessibility enhancements for persons with disabilities.
• Support Fort Worth Housing Solutions efforts to redevelop traditional public housing sites and develop new scattered site affordable housing and mixed-income housing throughout the city, particularly high opportunity areas.
• Promote development of affordable housing for populations in greatest need, particularly households with incomes below 30% of Area Median Income, including persons experiencing homelessness, persons with disabilities, and other very low income special populations.
• Promote the revitalization of low and moderate-income neighborhoods, particularly Racially and Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty.
• Fund the construction of 200 new Permanent Supportive Housing units.
• Implement strategies outlined in the City’s Homelessness Plan, Directions Home.

Fair Housing

• Ensure equal housing opportunity in Fort Worth for all citizens.
• Affirmatively advance fair housing goals.
• Promote educational and outreach efforts regarding affordable housing and fair housing laws.

Downtown and Central City Housing Development

• Encourage and provide support for higher density, mixed-use, mixed-income developments in Transit-Oriented Developments, mixed-use growth centers, and urban villages.
• Use Neighborhood Empowerment Zones to promote development

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

POLICIES (CONT)

• of designated urban villages and revitalization of surrounding neighborhoods.
• Promote neighborhood stability through a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that includes housing, neighborhood economic development, infrastructure, parks, safety, and human services.
• Promote targeted investments in infrastructure or services in areas previously subject to disinvestment, such as neighborhood park improvements, sidewalks, lighting, and other public facilities that directly impact quality of life for residents.

STRATEGIES

Housing Development (Affordable and Market Rate Housing)

• Help coordinate the City’s development process for priority housing development projects.
• Evaluate incentives and ordinances affecting the availability of all price levels of housing; work with developers and community leaders to identify and address impediments to creation of middle and upper income housing in the central city.
• Develop strategies to expedite the foreclosure of tax delinquent properties to return property to productive use.
• Strengthen and expand Community Development Corporations’ (CDCs) capacity through structured training, technical assistance, and increased funding.
• Provide support for small, local, minority, and women-owned businesses to participate in implementing housing and related programs.

Housing Preservation

• Work with lenders to provide low-interest loans for rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing units.
• Expand rehabilitation of older housing by providing gap financing for both single-family and multifamily housing.
• Conduct an assessment of housing conditions and treat houses with the presence of lead, specifically in households with children under the age of six.
• Continue lead-based paint remediation for older housing units.

Increase Homeownership

• Incorporate marketing of updated Homebuyer Assistance Program into the City’s neighborhood outreach program.
• Assess demand for the City’s Homebuyer Assistance program and periodically review program’s effectiveness based on market conditions.
• Develop effective outreach to Hispanic households experiencing substandard housing conditions.

Housing Needs of Low-Income Households and Vulnerable Residents

• Where concentrations of low-income housing are high, support rehabilitation and stabilization of existing units and replacement of substandard housing with a mix of affordable and market-rate units, and undertake a demonstration mixed-income housing project. In other areas of the City, support development of new affordable housing.
• Implement strategies and action items in the City’s Homelessness Plan, Directions Home, to facilitate the homeless population’s transition into housing.
• Support Fort Worth Housing Solutions efforts to develop affordable housing, including mixed-income and mixed-use developments.
• City incentives for multifamily housing (tax abatements, NEZ fee waivers, HUD grant assistance, etc.) should be provided only to projects that, to the maximum extent financially feasible, provide up to 10% of housing units that are affordable to households at or below 30% of Area Median Income.
• Increase the number of existing multifamily units that are affordable to 0-30% AMI households.
• Support persons living with HIV/AIDS with housing services.

Fair Housing

• Secure resources to hire a reputable national housing consultant to develop a City of Fort Worth comprehensive housing strategic plan/policy report that includes participation from the Fort Worth Real Estate Council, affordable housing partners, homelessness service providers, and community residents.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES (CONT)

Downtown and Central City Housing Development

• Encourage high quality infill and mixed-income housing development, both single-family and multifamily, within the central city.
• Support Southeast Fort Worth, Inc. in its efforts to encourage quality single-family residential development in southeast Fort Worth.
• Support new housing development in the Lake Arlington area, particularly new development of high quality in accordance with the Council-endorsed Lake Arlington Master Plan.
• Aggressively expand land assembly for infill housing, particularly in designated urban villages, mixed-use growth centers, rail station areas that support Transit-Oriented Development, and Neighborhood Empowerment Zones.

CHAPTER 6

PARKS, RECREATION, & OPEN SPACE

Parks, recreation, and open space opportunities are important, not only to enhance quality of life and neighborhood vitality, but also to preserve natural resources and provide alternative transportation links between our neighborhoods and growth centers. The City of Fort Worth recognizes these benefits and strives to increase these opportunities.

Park and recreational opportunities are primarily offered through the Park & Recreation Department, whose mission is “to enrich the lives of our citizens through the stewardship of our resources and the responsive provision of quality recreational opportunities and community services.” Additionally, the City of Fort Worth has developed an interdepartmental Open Space Conservation Program to identify and preserve high-quality natural areas for future generations.

QUICK FACTS

The Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department (PARD) manages special park attractions including three golf complexes, the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, Log Cabin village, and the Botanic Garden. The City also offers an athletics program, sports facilities and league events; community centers with fitness equipment, activities and classes; pools and aquatics programs; and a full forestry program.

EXISTING PARK & RECREATION FACILITIES

EXISTING PARK FACILITIES & PROGRAMS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

Land stewardship, nature education, and outdoor exploration can be found within the City of Fort Worth’s public open space lands. Open spaces are woodlands, native prairies, shorelines, and waterways set aside for environmental, recreational, and aesthetic purposes in urban environments. Open spaces benefit the community through opportunities for active lifestyles, access to nature, improved air and water quality, and increased property values. More information on open space ecosystems as natural habitat for endangered and threatened species can be found in Chapter 18, Environmental Quality.

DESIGNING OUR PARK SYSTEM

PARK MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The Park, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan is a document based on the historic legacy of the natural and developed resources of the park system, and the needs and desires of the citizens of Fort Worth. The plan establishes priorities, standards, and statements of direction for the future based on a detailed needs assessment and potential resources. The purpose of the plan is to provide a framework for future renovations, development, and expansions or reductions in the Fort Worth park, recreation, and open space system.

The Park & Recreation Department (PARD) employs a systems approach to create the framework for park master planning. This approach includes the effective use of citizen input and needs-assessment tools, adherence to the City’s overall vision for community enhancement, and identification of corresponding goals, objectives, and strategies. The comprehensive nature of this approach addresses the planning and development priorities of the Fort Worth park system as identified by the citizens of Fort Worth, the Park Advisory Board, and the Fort Worth City Council and City staff.

Goals and objectives based on public input are ratified by the Park Advisory Board and integrated as part of an update to the Park, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan. The identified priorities serve as a guide for decisions made in producing and updating the park master plan. This master plan is a living document that provides a road map for the next 10 years, to help ensure Fort Worth remains one of Texas’ premiere park systems. The plan is updated regularly through a needs assessment and public input process. The master plan was ratified in January 2015 and was updated in 2020.

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The graph to the left highlights factors affecting plan recommendations, proritities, and scheduling.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

⬚ figure Families and friends gather at Magnolia Green pocket park.

⬚ figure Community parks are constructed for structured athletic activities.

⬚ figure Trails are an important feature of many city parks.

PARK PLANNING UNITS

Fort Worth is divided into five Park Planning Districts (PPDs) with each PPD containing smaller planning units.

A Neighborhood Park Unit (NPU) has a service radius of approximately 1/4 to 1/2 mile and is designed to serve approximately 3,000 people, up to a maximum of 6,000 people. As the population changes, the NPU geography will morph to keep the population served under 6,000 people. Neighborhood park units (NPUs) are used for tracking funding, fees, and vacant land, so that park development can occur in the NPU geography where fees were collected.

A Community Park Unit (CPU) has a service radius of approximately 1 to 1½ miles to serve approximately 18,000 - 36,000 people.

Special Use & Nature Based Parks are unique and are not regulated by a service radius, or a population within a geography. The park size varies according to the specific site and use.

CPU Community Park Unit (CPU)

• Trails
• Sports Fields
• Community Centers
• Destination Activity or Facility

NPU Neighborhood Park Unit (NPU)

• A 'Close-to-Home-Park'
• Playgrounds
• Picnic Areas
• Non-Structured Open Space
• Informal Field and Court Games: Softball, Basketball or Soccer.

SU&NBP Special Use & Nature Based Parks

• Fort Worth Botanic Garden
• Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
• Fort Worth Zoo
• Log Cabin Village
• Conservancy Parks
• Greenbelts

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

PARK PLANNING DISTRICTS

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PARK DEDICATION POLICY

NEIGHBORHOOD & COMMUNITY PARK DEDICATION POLICY

The City’s principal tool for obtaining parkland is by land dedication, typically during the land subdivision process. Private land donations and joint-use agreements are additional means of obtaining parkland. PARD also reviews City-owned surplus property for potential parkland acquisitions before it is auctioned to the public.

The land dedication policy requires dedication of parkland at the set rate (shown below) for neighborhood and community parks, while a flat fee is collected in the Central City district (PPD 4).

• Neighborhood Parks: 3.25 acres per 1,000 population (or fee in-lieu of dedication for less than 5 acres)
• Community Parks: 3.75 acres per 1,000 population (or fee in-lieu of dedication if less than 30 acres is proposed)

Level of service (LOS) is the term used address the ratio of parkland to population (3.25/1,000 for neighborhood parkland). Neighborhoods and communities are either “Served” or “Underserved” based on this standard.

SOURCES OF PARKLAND ACQUIRED, 2000 TO 2020

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80 New Parks have been added in the last 20 years.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

A proactive park acquisition strategy with park dedication requirements for residential development, coupled with land purchase and set asides, serves to protect our natural resources and to provide land for recreation activities for future generations. However, parkland dedication alone may not provide new facilities where population density is currently increasing. These areas will become underserved when smaller developments are able to provide a fee in place of providing park acreage.

A fee may be paid in place of the provision of parkland when the parkland dedication would be less than five acres. This results in a growing population, underserved by nearby parkland and with Citywide parkland acreage growing more slowly when new developments are below a threshold population. For example, parkland for new developments with 360 or more single-family homes are required by Policy to provide land for parks within the neighborhood (NPU or CPU), while parkland might not be provided (a fee would be paid) within new developments below 360 single-family homes. This threshold occurs at 1,530 persons, as illustrated in the chart Fee or Parkland.

THRESHOLD POINT FOR FEE-IN-LIEU OR PARKLAND

Parkland dedication is required at a threshold size of 360 single-family residences constructed. Fee-in-lieu is an option under the threshold point.

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RECREATION FACILITIES

PARK ATTRACTIONS

Fort Worth’s parks are attractions for both residents and visitors alike. Many of the City’s premier park attractions, such as the Zoo, Botanic Garden, Nature Center and Refuge, and Log Cabin Village are important to the Fort Worth economy. In the 2019 Needs Assessment Survey, the majority of park users responded that they had taken out-of-town visitors to the Fort Worth Zoo, Botanic Garden, and the Water Garden. As the Fort Worth economy continues to diversify and surrounding markets remain highly competitive, the value of the City’s premier park facilities may be an important factor in business relocation decisions.

BOTANIC GARDEN

Through the years, many organizations and individuals have assisted with substantial improvements and additions to the Botanic Garden, including the Fort Worth Garden Club and the Fort Worth Botanical Society. To improve the user experience, in 2020, the City entered into an agreement with Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) for management of the Botanic Garden. The Botanic Garden Master Plan identifies a long-range vision, determines future uses and activities, and projects grounds and facilities improvements for the Botanic Garden.

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Arched bridge in the Japanese Garden, Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

NATURE CENTER AND REFUGE

The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge (FWNC&R) is a natural area of forests, prairies, and wetlands and provides education to residents about the preservation and protection of Fort Worth's natural areas. The 3,621-acre refuge includes over 20 miles of hiking trails and is the largest city-owned nature center in the United States. The FWNC&R is home to many native habitats to discover on a self-guided or staff-guided hike. Staff members offer many programs throughout the year providing opportunities for our visitors to learn about our natural world, through field experiences, outreach to schools or groups, community wide events, adn holiday and summer programs.

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Top Left: The boat launch attracts outdoor sports enthusiasts to the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge. Top Right: The bison. Bottom: Lotus Pond at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge boardwalk.

PARK ATTRACTIONS

The Fort Worth Zoo, Botanic Garden and the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge each represent types of Special Use or Nature Base Parks. The Zoo, Botanic Garden and Nature Center and Refuge have a combined total of annual visitors that exceeds 1.5 million. These three facilities have active support groups that ensure that funding and volunteers are provided to service the needs of the users of these facilities.

FORT WORTH ZOO

The Fort Worth Zoo is USA Today's 2020, No. 1 zoo in North America. It has more visitors than any other educational institution in the City. The Zoo's attendance has been approximately 1 million each year since 1991, when the Fort Worth Zoological Association assumed management of the Zoo. Today it is a nationally ranked, world-renowned institution of conservation, education and entertainment, which houses more than 7,000 native and exotic animals. The Zoo is currently undergoing a $100 million privately funded renovation as part of the master plan, A Wilder Vision.

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Left: Giraffes at the Fort Worth Zoo. Right: A dramatically blue macaw wows visitors at the Fort Worth Zoo.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

LOG CABIN VILLAGE AND VAN ZANDT COTTAGE

Log Cabin Village is a living history museum dedicated to the preservation of 19th century frontier lifeways. The off-site Van Zandt Cottage is believed to be the oldest home in Fort Worth, still on its original foundation. It is significant as one of the first examples of historic preservation in the City.

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Log Cabin Village actors bring historic frontier peoples to life for the next generation.

FORT WORTH WATER GARDENS

Designed by Phillip Johnson, the Water Gardens is an architectural and engineering marvel to be enjoyed any time of the year.

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The Water Gardens, near the Fort Worth Convention Center.

RECREATION FACILITIES

INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS

In the belief that all residents should be able to enjoy themselves in outdoor activities, the City of Fort Worth provides active recreation for all ages, abilities, and for wide ranging interests.

Fort Worth Dream Park—Dedicated in 2019, is a 57,000 square-foot playground where kids of all abilities can share adventures together.

All Ages Playground—This age-friendly playground at Forest Park is specifically designed for seniors, to improve their mobility by "playing outside" while engaging in low-impact exercise.

Patricia LeBlanc Park playground received national attention for being the first playground in the United States to implement "universal" design methodology, providing access for the mobility-impaired and encouraging side-by-side play for children with and without disabilities. The original playground was replaced with an updated universal playground in 2015.

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Dream Park.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

DOG PARKS

Off-leash dog parks continue to be a popular facility. Current facilities are at Gateway Park (Fort Woof Dog Park), North Z Boaz Dog Park (Z Bonz Dog Park), First Flight Park, and Calhoun Park (Calhound Dog Park). The increase in demand for dog parks reflects nationwide household demographics indicating that more households have dogs (43 million) than children (38 million). Dog park design is evolving to meet growing demand.

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Left: Z Bonz Dog Park at River Park. Right: A dog jump though hoops at the doggie playground.

SKATE PARKS

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Skate parks are a relatively new facility type with the demand increasing. Much has changed with regard to overall demand and skate park construction techniques. Chisholm Trail Community Park, North Z. Boaz Park, Northwest Community Park, and Gateway Park have been identified for skate facilities of various sizes.

Skate Park

RECREATION FACILITIES

ATHLETICS

The Athletics Division of the Park & Recreation Department provides athletic opportunities for youth and adults through direct program offerings and the administration of athletic facility rentals to local, regional, and national athletic organizations.

The athletics division oversees the operations and maintenance of Haws Athletic Center, 82 sports fields, and McLeland Tennis Center. There are 65 Level 1 and 17 Level 2 soccer and baseball/softball fields throughout the city. Level 1 fields accommodate competitive games through leagues and tournaments, which are programmed by the Park & Recreation Department, as well as outside providers through rental agreements. Level 2 fields typically accommodate team practices and lower-level recreation play.

Sports directly provided by the division include pickle ball, basketball, volleyball, flag football, soccer, and softball, as well as the Fort Worth Classic softball tournament and the Fort Worth Cup soccer tournament. City facilities also host kickball, rugby, cricket, and ultimate Frisbee as facilitated by the division.

The City of Fort Worth offers a variety youth and adult recreational sports leagues for residents to join a team. Basketball, baseball, softball, tee-ball, and volleyball leagues are available for youth players. Adult sports leagues are offered for basketball, flag football, softball, and volleyball.

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Gateway Park

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

POOLS AND AQUATICS

Fort Worth’s aquatics facilities provide water safety and drowning prevention programs while also giving Fort Worth families a way to beat the summer heat. The City operates a spray ground and two pools: Sycamore Spray Ground, Forest Park Pool, and Marine Park Pool & Aquatic Center. Swim lessons for school-aged children is offered at Forest Park Pool and Marine Park Aquatic Center. The City-Wide Aquatic Facilities Master Plan provides a comprehensive look at facility types and potential amenities.

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Marine Park Pool

FISHING

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Greenbriar Lake offers great fishing year-round without leaving the city limits. Texas Parks & Wildlife stocks the lake with channel catfish, bluegill sunfish, green sunfish and largemouth bass — as well as rainbow trout in winter months — to create an urban fishery and family recreational fishing experience. Catch and release fishing is popular across the City of Fort Worth in several parks with water-bodies, including Trinity River Park.

Fishing the Trinity River

RECREATION FACILITIES

GOLF

The Golf Division of the Park & Recreation Department provides enjoyable, safe, and accessible golf programs through three municipally owned golf course complexes: Pecan Valley, Meadowbrook, and Rockwood Park.

Pecan Valley Golf Course is a 36-hole facility located in the southwest part of the city with a fully equipped pro shop, snack shop, and driving range. An expansive outdoor pavilion is also available to handle large tournaments and corporate outings.

Meadowbrook Golf Course is an 18-hole facility located in the east side of the city. It has a fully equipped pro shop and features a full snack bar and indoor hitting bays.

Rockwood Park Golf Course is an 18-hole facility with a driving range, pro shop, snack shop, 9-hole Foot Golf course, and a 6-hole practice course. Rockwood Park has the distinction of serving as the host site to The First Tee of Fort Worth and the Ben Hogan Learning Center. The 18-hole course has received an extensive renovation and reopened in June 2017.

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Rockwood Park Golf Course

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

FORESTRY

Urban forestry is the management of tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the environment and providing aesthetic benefits. As stewards of the city’s green infrastructure, the Forestry Section administers the plan review and permitting process for any planting, pruning, or removal of trees from municipal property and enforces the city’s Urban Forestry Ordinance, which protects trees and works to achieve the city’s goal of 30 percent canopy cover.

The Forestry Section operates the 71-acre municipal tree farm, where trees are grown from seeds and acorns harvested from the best trees in the city. Crews offer citizen forestry training, volunteer opportunities and grants to provide trees to Fort Worth communities. When they are ready, the trees grown at the tree farm are transplanted to parks and public spaces throughout the city and maintained by the Forestry Section.

Additionally, the Forestry Section operates the Hazard Abatement program, caring for more than 250,000 trees in street rights-of-way and countless other trees in parks and other municipal property. Special events across the city such as the Arbor Day celebration, a tree giveaway booth at Mayfest, tree planting projects, and a variety of outreach events are hosted by the Forestry Section annually.

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Veterans Memorial Park Grove

RECREATION FACILITIES

COMMUNITY CENTERS

Community centers offer multiple functions to the community, each within a 1½ to 3-mile radius service area. Fourteen community centers are operated by the Park & Recreation Department, seven are operated by the Neighborhood Services Department, and one is a partnership with the YMCA (North Park Y).

Community centers provide a variety of recreational, educational, social, and cultural programs.

• Recreation programs include sports programs and leagues, plus individual recreation opportunities such as weight training, swimming lessons, Zumba, and senior citizen programs.
• Cultural and social programs include concerts, performance poetry, dance, homework assistance, literacy programs, nutrition services, and health programs.
• Meeting spaces serve homeowners' associations, neighborhood advisory councils, youth organizations, and special event rentals. Some serve as emergency shelters and designated safe havens for children.

The Neighborhood Services Department offers Community Action Partners (CAP) programs to provide comprehensive services to economically disadvantaged individuals, families, and the elderly. The programs include a variety of job skills and employment assistance programs, educational workshops and life skills programs, and financial assistance for utility bills.

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Como Community Center.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

COMMUNITY CENTERS AND POPULATION DENSITY

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RECREATION FACILITIES

TRAILS IN CITY PARKS

Trails and greenways create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with attractive, safe, accessible places to cycle, walk, hike, and jog. Trails help people of all ages incorporate exercise into their daily routines by connecting them with places they want or need to go. Fort Worth has numerous trail networks and neighborhood trails that provide accessible recreation opportunities at a number of City parks.

Trails identified in the Active Transportation Plan within the floodplain of the Trinity River and its tributaries will continue to be provided as green infrastructure, through partnerships with the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and multiple City departments.

TRINITY RIVER TRAILS

Over 100 miles of surfaced trails exist along the Trinity River, Marine Creek, Mary’s Creek, and Sycamore Creek. Surfaces are provided for biking, walking, in-line skating, and horseback riding. Trails along the Trinity River corridor and its tributaries provide a natural means of linking the City’s recreation sites and open space, as well as linking neighborhoods to centers of activity.

CONFLUENCE: THE TRINITY RIVER STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN

In partnership with Streams & Valleys and Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), the City has created a plan to enhance the Trinity River. The Park & Recreation Department (PARD) provides a recreation-focused perspective to the Trinity River system, which ensures that new recreation opportunities are available along the river, and that these amenities are enhanced and maintained. PARD functions as the maintainer and operator of river-based recreation facilities, educational programmer, designer and developer of park spaces along the river, and local project funder. PARD will play a key role in implementing Confluence as a content leader on the Technical Committee, and by monitoring and implementing projects within its jurisdiction. PARD will also help identify funding sources (with local capital allocations and grants) and will advocate for Trinity River recreational projects to be included in local bond programs.

TRAIL SYSTEM

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2021.

OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION

OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

The City of Fort Worth developed the interdepartmental Open Space Conservation Program in 2019 to identify and protect high-quality natural areas for future generations. These spaces will not be developed and will remain in a natural state. Promoting sustainable and compatible development along the Trinity River, Lake Arlington, and prairie areas is essential to preserving Fort Worth’s great natural assets.

As the city grows, these open spaces will help protect the environment and provide recreational opportunities to residents and visitors that support economic development and enhance the livability and desirability of Fort Worth. Landowners and developers can also donate land or utilize conservation easements to protect parcels from development. Preserving the floodplain as open space allows for natural filtration of surface runoff before it reaches waterways, and also protects structures from flooding.

Early in the development of the Open Space Conservation Program, residents brought to the attention of the city a parcel of land for sale at an iconic landmark, Broadcast Hill, adjacent to Tandy Hills Nature Area. This parcel was home to the first television station in Texas, WBAP-TV, Fort Worth. WBAP was owned by Amon G. Carter Sr. It is a unique property with remnant Fort Worth Prairie habitat and boasts a scenic view of downtown. Through a joint effort between the Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area, private residents, and the City of Fort Worth, Broadcast Hill became the first open space acquired under the Open Space Conservation Program in June of 2020.

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Nature scenes from Broadcast Hill.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Park & Recreation Department, 2021.

OPEN SPACE PRIORITIZATION MODEL

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is developing a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based prioritization model to assist the City in identifying priority areas for conservation. The criteria in the model is weighted for importance based on stakeholder input and public feedback, and is entered into the GIS as data layers. When all of the layers are combined, the highest priority areas for natural area protection will be identified. This effort will help the City to identify the 20 most high-priority natural areas suitable for acquisition or conservation.

The City of Fort Worth will conduct three stakeholder meetings and three public meetings between 2020 and 2021 to gather insight on how the model can best represent the priorities of Fort Worth residents and interest groups and to obtain feedback on the Open Space Conservation Program.

SEVEN FOCUS AREAS ARE PRIORITIZED FOR THE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

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Outdoor Recreation

Community Health

Equitable Access

Flood Control

Economic Development

Ecosystem Preservation

Stream, River, and Lake Health

GOALS & OBJECTIVES - PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT

1 Restore and maintain the viability of the park, recreation, and open space system by investing and re-investing in existing facilities.

• Establish priorities to replace or renovate existing playgrounds on a 20-year cycle.
• Renovate or replace segments of existing trails which have exceeded their useful life or are deteriorated beyond repair.
• Determine the need for first-phase development of reserve parks acquired through the Neighborhood and Community Park Dedication Policy.
• Strategically reinvest in the current and developing park system, to protect the existing infrastructure and to plan and develop new parks and facilities.

2 Improve the variety of park, recreation, and open space opportunities available to the community.

• Provide new park facilities where service levels fall below standards consistent with the priorities established in the Park, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan.
• Focus should occur on priorities established to ensure that the highest rated facilities and amenities are addressed in a prudent and proactive manner.
• Integrate visions from plans outlined in the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
• Monitor emerging trends in park and recreation facilities development both locally and nationally.

3 Expand recreational opportunities in the floodplains of the trinity river and its tributaries.

• Continue cooperative efforts with Streams and Valleys, Inc., the Tarrant Regional Water District, Tarrant County and the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and partner municipalities.
• Understand the boundaries of public open space managed by the Tarrant Regional Water District and investigate the opportunities for inclusion in City-wide open space.

4 Provide new parkland and facilities to meet park, recreation, and open space needs when developing areas of the city.

• Increase neighborhood and community park acreage from 5.9 acres per 1,000 persons to 6.25 acres per 1,000 persons by 2025, concentrating on under-served areas throughout the city.
• Conduct an assessment of the current trail system, and identify areas for connectivity and expansion.

5 Preserve and enhance the city’s natural, historical, and cultural developed resources.

• Implement current park master plans that address the preservation and restoration of natural open spaces: Northwest Community Park, Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, Tandy Hills and Stratford Park Natural Areas, and Overton and Foster Parks.
• Implement current park master plans that address the preservation and restoration of historic and cultural landscapes including the following park facilities: Log Cabin Village, Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Rockwood Golf Course, Heritage Plaza, the Fort Worth Zoo and Lake Worth.

6 Build and enhance community partnerships to deliver quality services and facilities.

• Seek partnerships for cooperative facility use and development with Independent School Districts, other governmental entities and non-profit agencies serving the City of Fort Worth to expand recreational programs and community services opportunities.
• Continue to work with the Independent School Districts to avoid duplication of park and recreational facilities; and utilize shared facility agreements for park sites, athletic facilities, educational facilities and services, and transportation.
• Reaffirm existing partnerships for cooperative facility use and development with Independent School Districts, other governmental entities and non-profit agencies serving the City of Fort Worth.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

GOALS & OBJECTIVES - OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

1 Identify, then acquire or protect, the 20 most high-priority natural areas in Fort Worth.

• Work with Streams & Valleys, Inc., the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Tarrant Regional Water District, the Park & Recreation Department, stakeholder partners, and the Trust for Public Land to identify and consider priority areas for conservation.
• Review City-owned vacant lands for inclusion in the Program prior to sale.
• Prioritize open space for acquisition according to the program criteria: Recreation — Community Health — Flood Control — Equitable Access to Natural Space — Economic Development — Ecosystem Preservation — Stream, River, and Lake Health.
• Promote the Mayor and City Council’s strategic goals.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

PARK & RECREATION DEPARTMENT

POLICIES

• Work with local, state, and federal organizations to provide coordinated community services and a City park system that is effectively managed and conserves and protects City resources.
• Develop attractive and secure park, recreation, open space, and community service facilities that are accessible to all citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, income, sexual orientation, or physical ability.
• Actively promote citizen involvement in determining park, recreation, and open space needs and desires of the community.
• Provide parkland in areas of the City that are currently deficient.
• Seek the means to develop and support a system of urban parks and open space that link neighborhoods to growth centers, as well as other park, recreation, and community facilities.
• Pursue implementation of the Confluence: The Trinity River Strategic Master Plan in cooperation with Streams and Valleys, Inc., the Tarrant Regional Water District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Seek grants and other non-City funding resources for riparian buffer conservation, park development, including bike trail linkages and other projects.
• Pursue implementation of the Park, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan, and The 2020 Update.
• Pursue implementation of the Fort Worth Aquatics Master Plan.

STRATEGIES

• Recognize the importance of urban parks and plazas to the success of central city redevelopment efforts, and to the creation of attractive and vibrant transit-oriented development areas, and support development of urban parks and plazas in these areas.
• Support implementation of the park, trail, and open space recommendations of the Lake Worth Vision Plan.
• Annually review services which may be handled by other agencies or groups without adversely affecting service levels.
• Improve and enhance the role Fort Worth’s significant park facilities play in tourism and educational opportunities.
• Continue partnership with Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), Trinity River Authority (TRA), and the Trinity River Vision Authority.
• The Park & Recreation Department will continue to partner with Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and work with the City’s Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) to implement trail construction that respects goals of the whole city and the Active Transportation Plan.
• The Park & Recreation Department will continue to work with the Open Space Conservation Program to jointly look at land for park or conservation uses utilizing the established parameters for land acquisition or preservation.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

STRATEGIES

• Prioritize open space in an objective way that serves the community in the most impactful way.
• Protect riparian corridors as natural buffers to reduce erosion, filter pollutants and provide stormwater conveyance and storage.
• Preserve endangered and threatened natural ecosystems, as well as the habitats of endangered and threatened species.
• Create and enhance trail connectivity to provide recreation opportunities, especially trails identified in the Active Transportation Plan.
• Collaborate with partners and pursue appropriate grant opportunities to leverage open space funding.
• Encourage sustainable development and help maintain an attractive and livable city.
• Provide access to natural areas and recreation in underserved communities.
• Collaborate with other city departments to acquire open space that achieves multiple objectives
• Preserve mature trees to help the air filtering process and to reduce the ambient outdoor temperature in summertime.
• Consult the adopted Lake Worth Vision Plan and Greenprint for guidance on high priority areas for land acquisition and conservation around Lake Worth.
• In accordance with the Lake Arlington Master Plan, support land acquisition and conservation along the Fort Worth side of Lake Arlington to establish a publicly accessible shoreline
• Encourage the preservation of publicly accessible natural landscape by retaining trees, natural drainage ways, and unique vistas.
• Promote the clustering of new residential development or construction of high density residential development by preserving publicly accessible open space such as: floodplains, riparian buffers, steep slopes, wooded areas, prairies, special habitat areas, and unique views.
• Protect land needed for natural stormwater conveyance and detention, riparian buffer protection, and linear greenways with hike & bike trail alignments.
• Support the expansion of a regional public hike & bike trail system through open space acquisition.
• Promote a connected system of pathways within floodplains, riparian buffers, and other open space corridors.
• Support innovative development projects that showcase low-impact development practices, conserve riparian buffers, and extend greenway networks with hike/bike trails.
• Encourage the use of conservation easements to protect high priority natural areas.

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CHAPTER 7

LIBRARIES

For more than one hundred years, the Library has been standing strong and proud in this city, serving as a community gathering place and point of entry for those who are seeking to better themselves or learn something new. The Fort Worth Public Library delivers services across 16 locations, as well as virtual and outreach services.

QUICK FACTS

1

Flagship Central Library

14

Branch Libraries

1

Satellite Library

2

Libraries Opening 2020 - 2022

INTER-CITY LIBRARY COORDINATION: MetroPAC

The cities of Fort Worth, Burleson, Haltom City, Keller, Richland Hills, and Watauga have an agreement (MetroPAC) by which residents of the six cities may use their library cards at each respective library. Fort Worth provides automation services to these libraries for a fee.

LIBRARY SPACE & POPULATION: 1970-2040

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Public Libraries Department, 2021.

FACILITIES

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STRATEGIC SERVICES PLAN

LIBRARY STRATEGIC SERVICES PLAN

The 2019 Library Strategic Services Plan is a roadmap to drive the expansion and evolution of the Fort Worth Public Library system. The plan provides a blueprint for staff and decision-making stakeholders to position the Library as a relevant and essential civic asset, responsive to the many ways the Library can and will serve the community now and in the future.

Primary Objectives of the Strategic Services Plan:

• Re-envision the Library’s programs and services to create meaningful and impactful customer experiences;
• Lay the groundwork for future community partnerships and collaborations with other like-minded organizations; and
• Provide library staff with direction for the future.

During the strategic planning process, the team identified community needs, strengths and assets of the Fort Worth Public Library, challenges currently facing the Library, and opportunities for future innovations and expansion. With this information, six clear, strategic focus areas emerged:

• Customer Engagement
• Books & Reading
• Arts & Culture
• Community Vitality
• Education & Growth
• Employee Empowerment

Service needs were identified and key strategies were defined for each of these focus areas. Several plan objectives were advanced with the implementation of two key decisions:

• Expansion of library hours
• Elimination of fines and fees

IMPLEMENTATION: ELIMINATE FINES AND FEES

In October 2019, the Library eliminated daily late fines for all ages. With this change, the Library saw a continued increase in the use of library services. We also looked at policies and procedures that created barriers or were inconsistent. For example, a change was made to increase the loan period for DVD’s. With this change, repeated checkouts of physical materials decreased.

IMPLEMENTATION: EXPANDED HOURS

In April 2019, the Library added 202 additional open hours per week across the city. As the library works to break down barriers to access and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment, being open when families are able to visit is extremely important. When libraries are open during the times needed, more residents will use this valuable city service. The graphic below demonstrates the positive impact of initial plan implementation, prior to COVID-19.

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Top Left: Proud libary cardholder. Top Middle: Adults at public-use computers. Top Right: Cultural programs include dance class. Bottom Left: Modern Library use. Bottom Middle: Library visits by children. Bottom Right: Employees at the circulation desk. (Source: City of Fort Worth, Public Libraries Department, 2021.)

LIBRARY FACILITIES DISTRIBUTION

Most of Fort Worth’s current libraries – including the Central Library – are out of alignment with the vision for the 21st century library and the community impact described in the Strategic Services Plan.

Most of the current libraries are crowded and lack sufficient or appropriate space for programs. Overall, library buildings in Fort Worth are very well maintained. However, the growth of library space has not kept up with population growth.

The average Fort Worth resident has access to less library space today than they did in 1980. Today’s library space is primarily located within or near the central part of the city. Residents inside Within Loop 820, approximately 40% of the population has access to 80% of the library space. However, the average age of libraries within or adjacent to Loop 820 is aging compared to branch libraries in growing parts of the city.

LIBRARY SPACE & POPULATION: 1970-2040

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Public Libraries Department, 2021.

VISION

Your community gathering place for learning, self-discovery, shared experiences, and personal growth.

Residents inside Loop 820 have more than three times the space than residents have in the rapidly-growing communities in the north, west, and south.

CURRENT POPULATION & LIBRARY FACILITIES

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LIBRARY FACILITIES MASTER PLAN

The primary purposes of the Facilities Master Plan are to determine the current physical condition of library buildings and sites; ascertain the capacity of library facilities to support 21st century services; and identify the amount and geographic distribution of library space needed for the next twenty years. The proposal is to renovate existing library space in years 1 to 10; and expand or relocate in years 11 to 20. New facilities built between 2015 and 2022 will receive lifecycle maintenance repairs, updates/refreshes to align with evolving service models over the next twenty years. In the north, west and south, a lack of library space requires new facilities to be built. In the south, space is at 40% of targets. In the north where population is expected to double, library space is at 33% of targets.

RENOVATE & MAINTAIN LIBRARY BRANCHES

• Riverside
• East Berry
• Seminary South
• Wedgwood
• Northside
• Ridglea
• Southwest Regional
• Diamond Hill-Jarvis
• Ella Mae Shamblee
• East Regional

BUILD NEW OR EXPAND BRANCH

• Replace or Expand eSkills (ESK)
• Expand Summerglen (SGN)
• Add ~100,000 square foot of new branch library space in the North, West, and South zones

RELOCATE

• Genealogy
• Operations Center
• Central Library

ENHANCE ACCESS

• Locations & Strategies TBD

MASTER PLAN VISION 2020 - 2040

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The Facilities Master Plan has identified areas of the City that will increase in population over the next twenty years in order to plan for new library facilities.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Public Libraries Department, Facilities Master Plan, 2020.

FACILITIES MASTER PLAN

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Public Libraries Department, 2021.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The Fort Worth Public Library's uses the follow goals and objectives to build a community of learners, dreamers and doers. To fulfill this mission, the Fort Worth Public Library (FWPL) identified community needs and strengths, the assets of the Library, challenges currently facing the Library, and opportunities for future innovations and expansion.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

1 Customer Engagement

• Reduce barriers to access.
• Expand the Library’s reach.
• Evolve services beyond buildings.

2 Arts & Culture

• Contribute to the City’s thriving arts scene while celebrating the past and embracing the future.

3 Education & Growth

• Enrich out-of-school time and make learning fun and enjoyable.

4 Books & Reading

• Cultivate a community of readers.
• Serve as the literary hub for the City.

5 Community Vitality

• Nurture economic development, entrepreneurship and opportunity for all.

6 Employee Empowerment

• Support City goals.
• Develop employees.
• Align capacity with strategy.

⬚ figure All About the Orchestra

⬚ figure Adults enjoying the library.

⬚ figure Community tax preparation at a branch library.

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⬚ figure Public participating in the Strategic Plan process.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

The City of Fort Worth uses the following strategies to create a community gathering place for learning, self-discovery, shared experiences, and personal growth.

STRATEGIES – STRATEGIC SERVICES PLAN

Customer Engagement

• Increase the percentage of city residents and students with an active library card.
• Begin implementation of an outreach services plan.
• Improve access to technology by implementing a mobile printing service option at all library locations.
• Increase the use of new express check service equipment at all library locations.

Arts & Culture

• Create a service plan for local history to increase programming & strengthen partnerships.
• Promote civic engagement; engage the community through voter registration/polling places.
• Provide programs to support the arts in all its forms.

Education & Growth

• Develop and implement service plans for youth and adults.
• Increase the number of STEAM programs throughout the system.
• Increase the number of early literacy programs throughout the system.
• Develop a Technology Master Plan.
• Increase participation in the Mayor’s Summer Reading program.

Books & Reading

• Increase programming related to books and reading.
• Complete an internal audit of the collection management department.
• Increase partnerships with the school districts in Fort Worth.

Community Vitality

• Reinvent library spaces.
• Expand workforce development programs.

Employee Empowerment

• Implement a learning management system for library staff.
• Develop a comprehensive Training and Development Plan.

STRATEGIES – FACILITIES MASTER PLAN

Expand Library Capacity:

• Achieve the recommended space planning targets of 0.3 square feet per person in each planning zone and Citywide.

Enhance Service at Libraries

• Renovate existing branches to meet 21st century needs.
• Transform the Central Library into a citywide destination.

Improve Access & Operations:

• Relocate Genealogy, History & Archives.
• Create an operations center to accommodate library divisions and functions away from downtown and outside of the Central Library.
• Expand outside services to complement inside library services.

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CHAPTER 8

HUMAN SERVICES

Human services are vital to the health of every community. Timely delivery of an array of human services is an important component of the City of Fort Worth’s vision of a future with strong neighborhoods, a sound economy, and a safe community.

QUICK FACTS

Human service programs and resources cross all socio-economic levels. However, households at the poverty level and with limited funds struggle to meet personal needs, resulting in those households frequently accessing human services to fill the gap for a variety of needs, including rent assistance, food, utilities, job training, etc.

ASSET LIMITED, INCOME CONSTRAINED, EMPLOYED (ALICE)

ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed for households that earn more than the federal poverty level, but not enough to afford basic household necessities.

TARRANT COUNTY ALICE - 2018

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Source: United for Alice, 2018.

POVERTY

Poverty refers to people who lack sufficient income or other means to meet their needs. The federal government uses two measures for poverty.

Poverty Thresholds are set by the U.S. Census Bureau and are used for statistical purposes to determine how many people are in poverty.

Poverty Guidelines are issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and are used for administrative purposes to determine eligibility for federal programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).

POVERTY LEVEL 2010-2019

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1 Year Estimates, 2010-2019.

SELECTED COMMUNITY IMPACT

Sources: City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Services Department, United Way of Tarrant County, Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, 2021.

HUMAN SERVICE SYSTEMS

HUMAN SERVICE SYSTEMS

Human services is an integrated system of multiple public and private agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, corporations, public health agencies, and individuals focused on addressing human services for individuals and families struggling to meet personal needs.

ORGANIZATIONS

Numerous nonprofit organizations and government agencies provide various human service programs for Fort Worth residents. City departments – along with other public and private agencies – provide efficient delivery of services through assistance programs, information and referral, and soliciting and leveraging funds.

SERVICE DELIVERY

Community-based nonprofits are typically smaller organizations that often specilize in a specific program area, e.g., education, homelessness, elderly issues, youth focus, etc. Many nonprofits provide direct assistance to individuals and families in need of social service assistance.

FUNDING SOURCES

Funding for human service organizations comes from a variety of sources. Below are some of the key funding sources.

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Source: www.usaspending.gov, City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, United Way of Tarrant County, 2021.

2-1-1 TEXAS

2-1-1 Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day throughout the year. The 2-1-1 program operates through the work of 25 Area Information Centers (AICs) across the state. United Way of Tarrant County is one of the AICs that make up the 2-1-1 Texas network.

113,325

Total Calls in 2021

78.3%

Percentage of Total Calls for Housing & Shelter, Utilities, Healthcare & COVID-19, or Food Related in 2021

2-1-1 CALLS FOR TARRANT COUNTY, 2021

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Source: United Way of Tarrant County, 211 Program, www.211counts.org, 2021.

2-1-1 CALL COUNT BY ZIP CODES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning and Data Analytics Department, United Way of Tarrant County, 2021.

2-1-1: HOUSING & SHELTER

HOUSING & SHELTER CALLS TO 2-1-1

Housing and shelter was the top 2021 Tarrant County 2-1-1 call request for people seeking financial help for low cost, emergency, or other housing and shelter.

34,904

Total Calls to 2-1-1 for Housing and Shelter in 2021

COVID-19 ASSISTANCE

$7.2M

COVID-19 Assistance Funding

3,000+

Clients assisted with Rental, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance using COVID-19 Assistance Funding

TARRANT COUNTY - TOTAL 2-1-1 HOUSING & SHELTER CALLS, 2021

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Source: Texas 2-1-1, www.211counts.org, Tarrant County, January to December 2021.

TOP 10 TEXAS COUNTIES, 2021

TARRANT COUNTY - HOUSING & SHELTER CALLS BY AGE & GENDER, 2021

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FEMALE

39.8%

MALE

15.5%

Not Reported: 44.7%

HOUSING AND SHELTER

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (PSH)

Research provides evidence that Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)—combined with case management for people experiencing chronic and severe issues—reduces social service costs, which may offset the cost of supportive housing. Case management services include help finding housing, working with a landlord, physical and behavioral health care, assistance finding employment, and other services.

$6,000

Average Savings a Year per Person*

*Study based on chronic homeless disabled persons in the United States. Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Supportive Housing Helps Vulnerable People Live and Thrive in the Community”, May 31, 2016.

Supportive Housing Benefits*

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POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN PSH, TARRANT COUNTY, 2021

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Positive Outcomes:

• Remain in PSH, or
• Exit to another permanent housing

Source: Tarrant County Homeless Coalition, Positive Outcomes in Permanent Supportive Housing January to December 2021.

CASA DE ESPERANZA

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Housing Solutions (FWHS), and Ojala Holdings, a private development partner, converted a 122-unit motel into the largest PSH project in Fort Worth, named Casa De Esperanza. FWHS estimates that half of the residents were referred from shelters and the remainder had been living unsheltered. Project-based vouchers are used to support the property’s operating cost. FWHS works with several service providers to provide case management for all residents at the property. Case managers are onsite five days a week to assist residents as they stabilize their households.

Casa Esperanza Service Partners:

• Tarrant County Homeless Coalition
• Presbyterian Night Shelter
• My Health My Resources of Tarrant County
• John Peter Smith (JPS) Health Network

119

Permanent Supportive Housing Units to House Persons Experiencing Chronic Homelessness

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Source: Fort Worth Housing Solutions Press Release, December 21, 2020, National Alliance to End Homelessness, “Hotels to Housing Case Studies”, July 20, 2021.

BASIC NEEDS

Basic needs—such as food, hygiene, electricity, and clothing—is one of the top priorities identified by The United Way of Tarrant County’s Community Assessment, 2018-2019. When individuals and families are deficient in basic needs, it can impact wellness, educational attainment, quality of life, and mental and physical health.

39,324

Total Calls to 2-1-1 for Food or Utility Assistance in 2021

Source: Texas 2-1-1, Tarrant County, January to December 2021.

WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM

The City of Fort Worth’s Weatherization Assistance Program provides services to improve the energy efficiency of homes occupied by income-eligible households in Tarrant County. Weatherization program technicians perform an energy assessment to determine which energy saving repairs or services are most appropriate and cost-effective for each home.

FOOD AND UTILITIES ASSISTANCE

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Source: Texas 2-1-1, Tarrant County Food & Utilities Assistance Data and Reported Demographics, January to December 2021.

FOOD AND UTILITIES ASSISTANCE BY AGE

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Source: Texas 2-1-1, Tarrant County Food & Utilities Assistance Data and Reported Demographics, January to December 2021.

COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALLOCATIONS, TARRANT COUNTY, 2011-2021

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Source: Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Information System, 2021.

BASIC NEEDS

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The Texas Department of Health and Human Services manages the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Family) federal programs. SNAP and TANF are intended to meet the food and basic needs of low-income families and households.

HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVING SNAP ASSISTANCE, FORT WORTH

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census; 2013, 2016, & 2019 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates.

SNAP ASSISTANCE, TARRANT COUNTY

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91,885

Total Cases in 2021

$32.1M

Total Payments in 2021

$350

Average Payment per Case in 2021

Source: Texas Health and Human Services, SNAP Statistics, 2021.

TANF ASSISTANCE, TARRANT COUNTY

$110,210

Total Payments in 2021

$222

Average Payment per Case in 2021

496

Total Cases in 2021

89.5%

Percentage of Assistance for Children in 2021

Source: Texas Health and Human Services, TANF Statistics, 2021.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

FRAMEWORK FOR PREVENTION OF CHILD MALTREATMENT

Childen thrive in stable environments where they feel safe and bonded to their family. These facts are one of the underlying premises behind the 2018 Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). FFPSA covers a range of child welfare topics with the most significant and transformational being increased funding for prevention services. The primary goal is to keep families together and children out of the child welfare system when possible.

FFPSA's prevention activities include:

• Parenting programs
• Substance abuse prevention
• Mental health services
• Kinship navigator services

ACH CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

Based in Fort Worth, All Church Home (ACH) Child and Family Services uses a solution-focused, competency-based care approach to working with clients. All ACH services are child-centered and family-focused to best address the needs of children while closely involving families. ACH partners with clients to provide the right services and levels of assistance that will help them overcome life's challenges and achieve their goals.

FACTS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

Exposure to violence in childhood increases the risks of future violence, victimization and perpetration, substance misuse, chronic health conditions, lower educational attainment, and limited employment opportunities.

Rates of Child Abuse and Neglect are

5 times higher

in Families with Low Socio-Economic Status

1 in 7

Children Experience Child Abuse

1,840

Children Died of Abuse and Neglect in the U.S in 2019

$428B

Estimated Lifetime Economic Burden Associated with Child Abuse and Neglect in 2015

STRATEGIES TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

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Strengthen economic supports to families.

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Change social norms to support parents and positive parenting.

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Provide quality care and education early in life.

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Enhance parenting skills to promote healthy child development.

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Intervene to lessen harms and prevent future risk.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, 2021.

CHILDREN & YOUTH

SELECTED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

Rising Stars Youth Leadership Academy is a hands-on leadership program that emphasizes career exploration, problem-solving, and life skills development. Youth participate in interactive sessions and learn firsthand about emerging community issues, expand their knowledge of career opportunities, and engage with leaders in Tarrant County. Program activities include:

• Attend classes and workshops to enhance their future opportunities at college campuses.
• Attend field trips to complement classes.
• Connect with employers, businesses, and government officials.
• Be empowered with professional and personal etiquette, public speaking, networking, and technology skills.
• Be exposed to training and employment opportunities.

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Rising Star Youth Leadership Academy Recognition event held at Worth Heights Community Center on August 3, 2021.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, 2021.

TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE (TCC) COLLEGE FOR KIDS

As one of TCC’s many Youth Enrichment Programs designed to help young people reach their full potential, College for Kids provides an opportunity for children to enroll in academic, arts and crafts, science and technology, and health and fitness courses. Courses are taught by experienced and motivated faculty who encourage and challenge students in an atmosphere that supports inquiry and exploration.

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CHISHOLM TRAIL

Junior Achievement (JA) is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA’s programs—in the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy—ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS LONE STAR

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. BBBS makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”) ages 5 through young adulthood, resulting in positive relationships that help children reach their potential and build their futures.

NORTH TEXAS JOB CORPS CENTER

Job Corps’ mission is to educate and train young people with the skills they need to become employable, independent, and have successful careers in the nation’s fastest-growing industries.

CHILDHOOD & ADULT CONNECTION

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

Healthy child development contributes to overall population health and prosperity. Decades of research have shown that exposure to violence in childhood and witnessing potentially traumatic experiences in the home, collectively referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), can have profound and lasting negative effects on health and social outcomes. Given the connection between adverse childhood experiences and health, preventing these experiences is strategic for reducing several of the leading causes of adult morbidity and mortality.

Preventing ACEs can help children and adults thrive and potentially:

• Lower risk for conditions like depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes in adulthood.
• Reduce risky behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking.
• Improve education and job potential.
• Stop ACEs from being passed from one generation to the next.

ACES PREVENTION’S POTENTIAL REDUCTION OF NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN ADULTHOOD

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Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, November 8, 2019; CDC Vital Signs, November 2019.

TYPES OF ACES

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1 in 6

Adults Experienced Four or More Types of ACEs in their Childhood

1/2

Of the Top Leading Causes of Death are Associated with ACEs

SIX STRATEGIES TO PREVENT ACES

1. Strengthen economic supports for families.
2. Promote social norms that protect against violence and adversity.
3. Ensure a strong start for children.
4. Enhance skills to help parents and youths handle stress, manage emotions, and tackle everyday challenges.
5. Connect youths to caring adults and activities.
6. Intervene to lessen immediate and long-term harms.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Strategy FY 2021-2024; CDC Vital Signs, Nov. 2019.

SENIORS & PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The percentage of the older adult population 65 years and older is steadily increasing in Fort Worth. Based on census data, persons 65 years and older made up 10 percent of the Fort Worth population in 2019, an increase of 1.9 percent from the 2010 figure. Additional resources and policies will be needed to address the needs of older adults. Some issues that older adults, and in some cases, persons with disabilities, face that could benefit from social service intervention:

• Limited Income
• Healthcare Costs
• Declining Health and Mobility
• Social Isolation
• Transportation
• Safety and Security

FORT WORTH POPULATION AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census; 2013, 2016, & 2019 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates.

NATIONALLY

71M

People will be 65+ in 2030

75%

Percentage of Older Adults have at least 2 Chronic Health Conditions

TEXAS

85+

Years Old is the Fastest Growing Segment of the Older Population

1.6M

People will be 85+ by 2050 (Increasing from 305,000 in 2010)

FORT WORTH

35.9%

Fort Worth Residents Age 65+ are Disabled

SELECTED RESOURCES

AREA AGENCY ON AGING OF TARRANT COUNTY (AAATC) AAATC is part of a network of 629 Area Agencies nationwide and one of 28 in the state of Texas. AAATC is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of older adults.

AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER (ADRC) OF TARRANT COUNTY The ADRC of Tarrant County serves people who are 60 or older or have a disability, and their caregivers, by connecting them to resources.

EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS (EBPS) EBPs are based on research and offer proven ways to prevent disease among older adults and promote health. Two programs include:

• A Matter of Balance – Eight-week falls prevention class
• Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors (PEARLS) – Depression management program for elderly adults

SIXTY AND BETTER Sixty and Better, founded in the wake of the 1965 Older Americans Act, provides a means for older adults to have fun, be well, and stay connected.

COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERS (CAP)

Administered by the City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Services Department, Community Action Partners (CAP) serves as the Community Action Agency for Tarrant County and provides comprehensive services to economically disadvantaged individuals, families, and the elderly. Through CAP programs, residents learn to become financially independent, reducing and eliminating their reliance on social services.

$13.3M

CAP Funding for 2022

$8.9M

CAP Funding for 2021

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2021 CAP PROGRAM EXPENDITURES

Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services and Planning & Data Analytics Departments, 2022.

COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERS (CAP) CENTERS

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1. Andrew "Doc" Sessions CAP Center
2. Arlington CAP Center
3. Como CAP Center
4. MLK CAP Center
5. North Tri-Ethnic CAP Center
6. Northside CAP Center
7. Southside CAP Center
8. Worth Heights CAP Center

UNITED WAY OF TARRANT COUNTY

United Way of Tarrant County (UWTC) has worked to improve the lives of Tarrant County residents since 1922. As a nonprofit leader, UWTC collaborates with individuals, groups, donors, and service providers to help solve some of the toughest social issues affecting Tarrant County. Each year, UWTC helps more than 550,000 people through its resources. UWTC collects no fees on donor designations, with 100 percent of the donations going to the selected agency or cause.

Goals of United Way:

• Make life better in Tarrant County by bringing more resources to affect populations, not just individuals.
• Build a strong, collaborative network of social, faith-based, private, and government-sector stakeholders for Tarrant County’s social and economic well-being.
• Realize a donor-centric culture of philanthropy within United Way and throughout the county.
• Increase the financial resources available to our community for sustainable positive change through public and private philanthropy.

UNITED WAY OF TARRANT COUNTY EXPENDITURES JULY 1, 2019–JUNE 30, 2020

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Source: United Way of Tarrant County, 2021.

COMMUNITY IMPACT 2019-2020*

$1.7 Million

raised and allocated through the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to 60 agencies through North Texas Cares, impacting 550,000 people

1,200 Volunteers

through Food Tarrant donated 3,000 hours during a six-month timeframe to provide 163,310 meals to 6,200 families at a value of $865,544

$52,711

raised by Women United for COVID-19 relief, distributing 11,363 units of baby forumla to families in Tarrant County

$54.9 Million

1,640 grants distributed to Fort Worth small businesses in partnership with the City of Fort Worth through the Preserve the Fort grant program

$565,750

invested in personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution program to 500 organizations

*Selected programs and initiatives.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The following policies and strategies will help to achieve the City’s human service goal and objectives:

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

1 Provide efficient and equitable access to human services to benefit the city’s diverse communities.

2 Community Centers will provide holistic services to children, youth, young/aging adults, and families to encourage and reinforce personal development, healthy lifestyles, and socialization through structured activities that enhance quality of life and foster positive outcomes.

3 The Community Action Partners program will lessen the impact of poverty by employing programs designed to lead clients toward self-sufficiency.

STRATEGIES

• Support the provision of quality, affordable child care and early education opportunities.
• Provide leadership to increase and improve after-school programs that keep children safe, provide academic enrichment, and help working families.
• Support efforts to provide child development training to help families ensure that children have social, emotional, and cognitive skills needed in kindergarten.
• Continue the Camp Connection program that provides internet and computer access at community centers and wifi access to assist students with virtual classes.
• Launch the GO Centers initiative at community centers to assist youth with college and financial aid applications.
• Continue the Envision Center partnership with GoogleDrive to provide online career-building workshops for job seekers to gain new employment skills.
• Develop, coordinate, or participate in educational programs, outreach events, community meetings, and collaborations that celebrate our city’s diversity, promote cooperative efforts, increase communication with the community, reduce disparities, reduce prejudice, and promote tolerance.
• Ensure compliance with federal funds requirements by improving software programs to track program inputs and outcomes.
• Target market to zip codes that are in need of social service assistance.

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CHAPTER 9

NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING

Neighborhoods are the building blocks of strong communities. Strengthening the capacity of neighborhoods to achieve their goals will have a positive impact on Fort Worth’s future. This chapter focuses on the programs that have been developed to respond to the needs and issues facing Fort Worth neighborhoods.

QUICK FACTS

The City’s goal is to have an active neighborhood association in every residential part of Fort Worth. Neighborhood organizations such as mandatory and voluntary neighborhood associations, non-profits, neighborhood alliances, and faith-based organizations are a means to build neighborhood capacity. An active, functioning neighborhood association can achieve many benefits including the following:

• Create a strong neighborhood image, pride, and sense of community among residents.
• Increase resident involvement in neighborhood improvements.
• Improve neighborhood safety.
• Promote skill and knowledge among members.
• Achieve consensus on priority issues and a course of action.
• Enable the City to better serve the neighborhood.

8,301

City Program Volunteers in FY 2021

137,302

Total City Volunteer Hours in FY 2021

129,161

Robocalls made for 28 Events in FY 2021

45,000

Average Daily City News Subscribers

1,443

Weekly Community Engagement Bulletin Subscribers

422

Monthly Faith-Based Bulletin Subscribers

70,340

Viewers on Fort Worth TV Webpage in FY 2021

38,971

My Fort Worth (MyFW) App/Web/Text Uses in FY 2021

312,737

Calls to the City Call Center in FY 2021

Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications & Public Engagement Department, 2021.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS STATUS

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KEY ATTRIBUTES OF SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS

• Inclusive of all residents within its boundaries.
• Operates via an open, democratic process.
• Communicates regularly with members.
• Responds to neighborhood needs and concerns.
• Taps into City resources for the benefit of members.

CFW SOCIAL MEDIA USERS*

*Figures as of November 2021. **Number of viewers.

SOCIAL MEDIA USE BY AGE

Percent of U.S. adults who say they use at least one social media site, by age.

Source: Pew Research Center, Social Media Fact Sheet, 2021.

CAPACITY BUILDING

The purpose of capacity building is to enable neighborhood residents to work together, make well-considered and collaborative decisions, develop a vision and strategy for the future, and take the necessary steps to bring their collective vision to fruition. Through a collaborative decision-making process, individual skills are developed and an open atmosphere that invites participation from all members of the neighorhood can be achieved.

CAPACITY BUILDING ESSENTIALS

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Source: Measuring Community Capacity Building, The Aspen Institute, 1996.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The City's Community Engagement Office offers the following adult education workshops that promote capacity building. The workshops range from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

$\rightarrow$ Neighborhood Leadership Training Covers officer responsibilities, bylaws, how to have productive and informative meetings, and tools for consensus building.

$\rightarrow$ Building Trust, Building Community Presents ways to develop new relationships and take strategic steps for building trust and a more engaged community.

$\rightarrow$ Community Outreach & Recruiting Volunteers Tools and techniques for planning events and using social media to grow a neighborhood association and recruit volunteers.

$\rightarrow$ City Hall 101 Learn how city laws are made and how city government is structured. Learn who represents a neighborhood's interests and how concerns are heard.

$\rightarrow$ Civics 101 Learn about your role in promoting good government that works for all citizens.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications & Public Engagement Department, 2022.

NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS

NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS

Mandatory Associations - Legal Entities Primarily Homeowners Associations (HOAs), which are often established when a subdivision is created. As legal entities every homeowner is legally required to belong to the association, pay dues, and abide by restrictions. Often, there are requirements and restrictions included in the deeds that go beyond what city ordinance requires.

Voluntary Associations - Social Organizations Formed by concerned neighbors who want to get to know each other or who want to deal with crime, code violations, zoning issues, etc. and generally known as Neighborhood Associations (NAs). Residents within the boundaries of an association are not required to join or pay dues, nor enforce any rules.

REGISTERED NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS

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*Land Owners (LOA), Owners (OA), Property Owner (POA), and Residents (RA) Associations.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications and Public Engagement Department and Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS

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NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS

NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCES

Neighborhood alliances are umbrella organizations that consist of multiple neighborhood organizations that organize to foster communication and/or advance common interests or initiatives.

• Alliances are active in influencing City policy and decisions about how City resources will be used to address neighborhood needs.
• Alliance boundaries are not permitted to overlap with another alliance.
• Forming or joining an existing alliance requires a majority membership vote from neighborhood associations.

REDEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

Redevelopment organizations are generally nonprofits that focus on locations that the private sector has bypassed. Their activities are varied but can include corridor redevelopment, business development, advocacy, and other activities. In many instances, the target areas for redevelopment organizations include or are adjacent to neighborhoods, which provide an opportunity for collaboration. Example redevelopment organizations include:

• Berry Street Initiative
• Near Southside Inc.
• Southeast Fort Worth, Inc.

FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

Faith-based organizations are religious organizations or places of worship whose mission and purpose includes outreach and assistance to communities in need.

• Faith-based organizations often are active in meeting needs in their immediate community or the city as a whole.
• Registering with the City helps faith-based groups stay informed about City projects and programs they may want to partner with or provide input on.
• Faith-based organizations can be instrumental in helping the City communicate information to residents.

NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications & Public Engagement Department and Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN | NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING

NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVITIES

Neighborhood organizations are involved in a wide variety of activities, such as planting trees, organizing clean-ups, participating in Citizens on Patrol and Code Rangers, raising funds to cover the cost of improvements like street sign toppers, and many other activities.

898+

Estimated NA and HOA Meetings Each Year

15+

Neighborhoods that Receive Free Trees Each Year

61

Average Annual Clean-Up Events

130

Events for 2021 National Night Out

⬚ figure Neighborhood street sign topper.

⬚ figure Eagle Ranch Property Owner Association clean-up held February 2019 at Eagle Ranch.

⬚ figure Volunteers at the City of Fort Worth's tree farm.

⬚ figure Ridgmar Neighborhood Association National Night Out held at Mary and Marvin Leonard Park in 2015.

⬚ figure Bomber Heights Neighborhood Association and Luella Merrett Elementary School community mural project, located at Kermit Avenue, painted in March 2019.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications and Public Engagement and Park and Recreation Departments, 2021.

SAFETY GROUPS

CODE RANGERS PROGRAM

The Code Rangers program promotes healthy neighborhoods through community empowerment and action by establishing and maintaining a strong relationship between neighborhood organizations and the Code Compliance Department.

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Bandit signs illegally located along a street right-of-way.

26,275

Bandit signs removed from public property between FY 2016 and FY 2021

CODE RANGERS TRENDS FY 2016/2021

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Code Compliance Department, 2022.

CITIZENS ON PATROL PROGRAM

The Citizens on Patrol (COP) program is a volunteer program through the Fort Worth Police Department. Residents are trained to work with Neighborhood Patrol Officers (NPOs) to identify and address neighborhood crime issues. Although there was a 65.6 percent decline in COP neighborhood patrol groups between 2016 and 2021, the program continues to be the primary reason for the decrease in Part I Crimes, which include theft, burglary, and auto theft.

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Citizens on Patrol recruitment at Sam's Club, 8301 Anderson Blvd., November 28, 2018.

CITIZENS ON PATROL TRENDS FY 2016/2021

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Police Department, 2022.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE

The City of Fort Worth Community Engagement Office assists residents as they organize associations, provides support to existing associations, facilitates comunication between residents and City departments, provides useful information to neighborhoods, and develops educational opportunities for associations to continue to grow and be successful. Neighborhood organizations are encouraged to register with the City to receive the benefits listed to the right.

45-55

Assigned Neighborhoods for the 6 Community Engagement Liaisons

15

Redistricting Software Training Sessions Held in 2021

199

Meetings Attended by Community Engagement Liaisons in FY 2021

282

Student and Adult Presentations between 2019 and 2020

⬚ figure

Summer Open House meeting, held on July 29, 2021, at the future City Hall, 100 Energy Way, to discuss the 2022 Bond Election, 2022 Annual Budget, Comprehensive Plan, Redistricting Software, and City Services.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications and Public Engagement Department, 2021.

REGISTRATION BENEFITS

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN | NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY BUILDING

ANNUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD AWARDS

Each year, neighborhood leaders, elected officials, area agencies, and City departments come together to share and discover effective ways to actively engage Fort Worth neighborhoods.

The Fort Worth Neighborhood Awards recognize registered neighborhood association efforts to revitalize, socialize, engage, collaborate, stay healthy, and communicate with neighbors.

276

People Attended the Neighborhood Workshops and Awards Event in 2020

40

Exhibitors Offered City, Community, and Social Service Information at the Workshops and Awards Event in 2020

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2019 Community Engagement Workshops and Awards held on February 22, 2020, at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Communications & Public Engagement Department, 2021.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY PROGRAM

The City of Fort Worth launched the Neighborhood Improvement Strategy (NIS) Program in 2017 to make strategic investments in distressed Fort Worth neighborhoods in collaboration with neighborhood associations and residents. The vision of the Neighborhood Improvement Strategy Program is sustainable neighborhood renewal that improves conditions and quality of life for residents.

The NIS program was initially funded by a 1/2-cent of municipal property tax but has evolved into an annual allocation from the operation and maintenance portion of the property tax funds for capital expenditures. Each neighborhood receives between $3M and $4M that is typically spent on capital improvements that significantly improve neighborhood physical conditions, such as sidewalks, street trees, lighting, police cameras, park improvements, and street repaving, as well as increased City services such as code enforcement and mowing. The selection of projects is made by neighborhood residents based upon their highest rated concerns for the neighborhood.

TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department and Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT STRATEGY OUTCOMES

*Represent changes one year prior to Neighborhood Improvement Strategy designation through the end of 2020.

PUBLIC WI-FI SERVICE

In 2021, the City enhanced the NIS program by pledging $5M of COVID-19 Relief funding to provide free Wi-Fi service to the five NIS neighborhoods to assist residents with online resources, job applications, etc.

The program extends the City's free public Wi-Fi signal into area's with limited access. Equipment installed on utility poles uses radio signals to relay Wi-Fi from existing City facilities (e.g., community centers, libraries) into the neighborhood.

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, 2021.

PUBLIC INVESTMENTS

The public investments that are made in the Neighborhood Improvement Strategy target areas generally falls under one of the three categories listed below.

1 Physical Improvements

• Park Improvements
• Streetlights
• Sidewalk construction
• Street repaving
• Tree Planting

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2 Public Safety

• Brush removal
• Demolition of blighted structures
• Illegal dumping enforcement
• Litter removal
• Surveillance cameras

⬚ figure

3 Increase Community Engagement

• Mailers
• Social Media
• Surveys

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NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES

HUD GRANT ALLOCATIONS FY 2018/19 - FY 2021/22

The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

The City’s HUD-funded projects and programs are listed in the City’s Annual Action Plan and Consolidated Plan.

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HUD PROGRAM GRANTS FY 2021/22

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Neighborhood Services Department, 2021.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

The Community Development Council (CDC) is a citizens’ advisory board established to advise the City Council on setting priorities for projects funded from the HUD grant programs listed in the chart below, and to assist in ensuring compliance with the federal grant requirements. Funding priorities are listed in the City’s Annual Action Plan as directed by the five-year Consolidated Plan.

COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (CHDO)

A CHDO is a private nonprofit, community-based organization focused on developing affordable housing for the community it serves. Some CHDOs offer first-time homebuyer training.

In order to qualify for designation as a CHDO, the organization must meet certain requirements pertaining to its legal status, organizational structure, and capacity and experience.

Currently, Fort Worth has three active CHDOs:

• Development Corporation of Tarrant County
• Housing Channel
• Samaritan House

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES

The City of Fort Worth uses the following goals, objectives, and strategies to create and support high quality neighborhoods that are livable, sustainable, neighborhoods of choice that serve the needs of households in all stages of life.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

1 Maintain or increase the number of registered neighborhood associations.

• Promote the retention of existing neighborhood associations and the creation of new associations.

2 Increase leadership capacity levels of registered associations.

• Each year, assist 10% of all registered neighborhood associations to expand their communication, outreach, and knowledge-base.

3 Reduce distress indicators in historically disenfranchised neighborhoods.

• Conduct surveys of distressed neighborhoods.
• Initiate intervention strategies to bring distress indicators in line with the Citywide average.

STRATEGIES

Neighborhood Associations and Leadership Capacity

• Encourage neighborhood organizations to complete leadership training.
• Provide Hispanic outreach and translation services to registered organizations.
• Encourage neighborhood associations to connect with an Alliance to address issues that span neighborhood boundaries.
• Review the City of Fort Worth Registration Policies for Community Organizations and update, if needed.
• Increase the awareness of the MyFW app to neighborhood associations through testimonies of issues solved in a timely manner.

Reduce Neighborhood Distress Indicators

• Utilize best practice approaches to address neighborhoods that have moderately declining indicators, e.g., Middle Neighborhoods initiative.
• Promote neighborhood associations' participation in the Citizens On Patrol (COP) program.
• Compile data on central city residential areas to determine level of distress indicators.
• Conduct surveys of distressed Neighborhood Improvement Strategy Program selected neighborhoods to determine major issues from neighborhood's perspective.

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PART 3

DEVELOPING A SOUND ECONOMY

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CHAPTER 10

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Economic development is a process that influences the growth and restructuring of an economy to enhance the well-being of a community. Through economic development activities, existing businesses are nurtured and expanded, new businesses are attracted to an area, entrepreneurship is fostered, and new enterprises are created. Each of these activities leads to job creation, an increase in the tax base, and improvement of the overall quality of life within a community.

QUICK FACTS

Fort Worth is developing into a major center for industry, technology, transportation, and government. The diversity of Fort Worth’s economy should continue to expand in various economic sectors, such as electronics, manufacturing, corporate headquarters and offices, finance, health care, transportation, education, and hospitality. Employment centers are areas with large concentrations of employees, including business parks, business clusters, and industrial parks. These centers are generally located in areas with access to major highways. Fort Worth has six significant employment centers: Downtown, Medical District/Near Southside, NAS-JRB/Lockheed Martin, CentrePort Business Park, Alliance, and Carter Industrial Park.

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

29.7%

Percent of total population that is college educated.

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Source: Texas Workforce Commission, 2020; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2015-2019.

JOBS INFLOW / OUTFLOW

⬚ figure

66.5%

Commute to job in Fort Worth from outside

60.4%

Live in Fort Worth and commute to jobs outside

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Source: U.S.Census Bureau, OnTheMap Application, 2019.

EMPLOYMENT CENTERS IN FORT WORTH

⬚ figure

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Source: Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, 2018.

TARGET INDUSTRIES

ESTABLISHED INDUSTRIES

Five established sectors play a key role in the Fort Worth economy (i.e., employment, visibility, part of the city’s culture).

⬚ figure

Healthcare

47,000+ Jobs

⬚ figure

Manufacturing

42,000+ Jobs

⬚ figure

Hospitality & Tourism

29,000+ Jobs

⬚ figure

Transportation & Warehousing

26,000+ Jobs

⬚ figure

Oil & Gas

5,000+ Jobs

The five established sectors profiled in this section comprise a significant share of total employment across all geographies. However, they comprise a distinctly large share of jobs in located within the city of Fort Worth. As a group, the established sectors account for more than a third of employment in Fort Worth compared with less than one-quarter of the job base at the regional (Dallas-Fort Worth MSA), state, or national level.

39%

Percent of total employment in Fort Worth that the five established industries comprise.

149,000+

Total number of people employed in Fort Worth within the five established industries.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2016.

EMERGING INDUSTRIES

Fort Worth’s economy is defined by strong existing industry clusters with additional growth potential. These include established sectors and emerging sectors with high-growth potential in Fort Worth. The industries identified below are identified as target industries for their sustained impact on the Fort Worth economy and continued importance to its future growth and development. Fort Worth recognizes the importance of these industries and looks to prioritize incentives and the investment of limited public resources in ways that maximize the long-term strategic, economic, and fiscal impact of those investments into these industries.

Target industries of emerging opportunity:

⬚ figure Aerospace Manufacturing & Design ⬚ figure International Business ⬚ figure Transportation Innovation ⬚ figure Corporate & Regional HQs ⬚ figure Life Sciences Delivery & Innovation ⬚ figure Professional Services ⬚ figure Geotechnical Engineering ⬚ figure Financial Services

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Left: Bell Air Taxi Simulator. Right: Frost Bank Tower. (Source: GeekWire Photo/Kurt Schlosser, 2018; Architecture in Fort Worth, 2018.)

TOURISM

Tourism, conventions and events can be a powerful force in helping shape communities into diverse, vibrant and thriving places. Fort Worth has outpaced many other destinations’ visitor growth rate over the past five years. The city’s evolving reputation as a sophisticated international destination that embraces its western roots has created awareness and visitation from leisure and business travelers alike.

Primary Entertainment Districts

• Stockyards National Historic District
• Fort Worth Cultural District
• Sundance Square/Downtown
• Near Southside District
• West 7th District
• Camp Bowie
• Clearfork
• TCU/Zoo
• Texas Motor Speedway/Alliance

$2.4B

Total economic impact of tourism in 2017

23,000+

Jobs associated with tourism in Fort Worth

$116M

Local tax revenues generated from tourism in 2017

$881M

Wages and benefits added from tourism in 2017

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Source: Visit Fort Worth, Annual Report, 2017

VISITOR PROFILE

9.1M

Total Number of Visitors in 2017

$216

Daily Amount Spent by Visitors in 2017

50.1%

Percent of Visitors that Stay Overnight

2.9 Nights

Average Stay for Overnight Visitors

PURPOSE OF TRAVEL

⬚ figure

ORIGIN OF VISITORS

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TOURISM MASTER PLAN "DESTINATION: FORT WORTH"

This Destination Master Plan identifies key opportunities and priorities to build Fort Worth's tourism industry and attract more visitors.

1. ENHANCED EXPERIENCES Create and enhance experiences for visitors, helping people connect with things to do around the city.

2. STRENGTHENED MESSAGING Strengthen the message and awareness about Fort Worth.

3. EXPANDED FACILITIES Work together on visitor facility needs, especially convention center and headquarters hotel, which are vital welcome mats for business.

4. IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY Fort Worth will soon complete development of commuter rail from DFW Airport to downtown, and now must rally support for the transportation master plan.

5. GREATER COLLABORATION Visit Fort Worth must work more closely with its partners at the City and Chambers of Commerce on economic development strategies and enhancements to visitor destinations.

Fort Worth has the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area’s single largest concentration of medical jobs. As a result, the recently developed TCU-UNTHSC School of Medicine is opening a new set of opportunities for innovation. The district benefits from proximity to Downtown and growing urban vitality along the Magnolia Avenue corridor and South Main Street. These elements—concentrated employment, proximity to medical research, and connections to dynamic neighborhoods and amenities—constitute many of the ingredients necessary to establish a formal “medical innovation district” that can fuel citywide growth.

A formal “medical innovation district” designation, as proposed by the Economic Development Strategic Plan, would start with additional public investments to enhance walkability and pedestrian connectivity, as well as support broadband that creates extended connectivity across all devices, both wired and wireless. It would also involve the creation of incentives for talent recruitment (e.g., a nationally recognized life sciences researchers) that would advance the district and attract additional research staff. Establishing the district formally will also provide opportunities to generate national attention about the district and to invite outside organizations to evaluate the area and uncover strategies for accelerating its development.

Medical innovation districts also have the potential to act as magnets for talent. As a result, these districts tend to favor locations with dense activity in a mixed-use environment. The mixed-use environment surrounding Fort Worth’s medical district represents a major advantage and opportunity for the city versus other districts in the state and beyond.

Affiliated Medical District Institutions

• Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center
• Texas Health Resources Harris Methodist Hospital
• UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer Institute & Monty and Tex Moncrief Medical Center
• Cook Children’s Health Care System
• Medical City Fort Worth
• JPS Health Network
• Texas Christian University
• University of North Texas Health Science Center
• TCU-UNTHSC School of Medicine
• Texas Wesleyan University
• University of Texas at Arlington

MEDICAL FACILITIES

⬚ figure

Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 20218.

SMALL BUSINESSES

Dynamic local economies are often defined by a strong base of independent, locally-owned, small businesses. Distinctive retailers, restaurants, and coffee shops help otherwise sterile corridors build unique identities. They also provide enhanced opportunities for minority and woman-owned business development. Independent, locally owned firms also recirculate a higher share of their revenue in the local economy compared to national chain businesses. Additionally, these businesses help attract tech companies and often become magnets for young people, even beyond the city limits. Supporting small businesses is critical to ensuring the vitality and uniqueness of our community.

There are over 30 million small businesses in the United States. Over half of the U.S. workforce either owns or works for a small business, and small businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the private sector.

Source: Small Business Administration National Resource Guide, Spring 2018.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER

The James E. Guinn Entrepreneurial Campus (Guinn Campus), located at 1150 South Freeway in Fort Worth, is the city's hub for small business and entrepreneurial development. The campus is a vibrant resource for current business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs within Fort Worth and surrounding counties who are looking to take their business to the next level. The campus consists of three distinct buildings: the Fort Worth Business Assistance Center, TECH Fort Worth and IDEA Works FW.

The Fort Worth Business Assistance Center (BAC) is an initiative of the City of Fort Worth Economic Development Department located at the James E. Guinn Entrepreneurial Campus. The BAC, supported by Accelerate DFW Foundation, Inc., provides a wide variety of training and counseling through eight partner organizations. The training workshops range from classes designed to help create new start-ups to classes to address day to day business operations.

PERCENTAGE OF SMALL BUSINESSES

⬚ figure

Source: ReferenceUSA, 2014-2018

DIVERSITY

Gender

⬚ figure

Men-owned Businesses 59% Women-owned Businesses 41%

Race

⬚ figure

Nonminority-owned Businesses 52% Minority-owned Businesses 48%

Source: US Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census

In 2000, the City Council adopted a definition of the central city for revitalization purposes as the area within Interstate 820 that consists of the following:

• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) eligible block groups.
• State designated enterprise zones.
• Census block groups that are contiguous by 75 percent or more of their perimeter to CDBG eligible block groups or state designated enterprise zones.

Areas identified using this criteria are referred to as designated investment zones (DIZs).

REVITALIZATION STRATEGIES

• Develop compact, pedestrian-oriented mixed-use growth centers.
• Revitalize distressed commercial corridors by developing mixed-use urban villages along those corridors.
• Develop a rail transit system that connects the growth centers and urban villages, and promotes transit-oriented development (TOD) in appropriate transit station locations.

Mixed-use growth centers and urban villages are urban districts having a concentration of jobs, housing, schools, parks, and public facilities. They also provide access to public transportation in a walkable, compact area with a unique sense of place. Integrating transit in growth centers and villages will facilitate economic vibrancy and sustainability in these districts.

DESIGNATED INVESTMENT ZONES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2018.

Urban villages are small geographic areas (usually one square mile) zoned for dense, multiple-use development that is mass-transit and pedestrian friendly. Urban villages serve as catalysts for public and private investment and support renewed economic activity in the central city, effectively building on the strengths of the area and connecting to adjacent neighborhoods.

In addition to capital improvements, mixed-use zoning, and the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone program, incentive programs have included: seeking state and federal grants, partnering with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on multifamily and senior housing, establishng community development corporations, establishing low-interest loan pools, encouraging historic preservation investment tax credits, and streamlining the development process.

URBAN VILLAGES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2018.

A Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District is a designated reinvestment zone for a limited number of years in which tax revenues exceeding the base year amount are used primarily for public improvements, but can also include services within the zone. TIF districts help fund public improvements which attract investment, create jobs, and diversify our economy.

A board of directors, consisting of 5 to 15 members who are representatives from the participating taxing entities and representatives of other areas as set forth in Chapter 311 of the Texas Tax Code, is established for each TIF. The TIF revenues are spent according to an approved project and financial plan for development of the designated reinvestment zone.

$1.3B

Base value of all TIF districts.

$6.6B

Current taxable value of all TIF districts.

410%

Increase in taxable value of all TIF districts to date.

TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PROCESS

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The tax increment is derived from the difference in appraised value between the year in which the reinvestment zone is established (base year) and each year the reinvestment zone is in existence.

TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICTS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Economic Development Department and Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2019.

Opportunity Zones are a new community development program established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. It encourages long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. The Opportunity Zones program provides a tax incentive for investors to re-invest their unrealized capital gains into Opportunity Funds; funds that are dedicated to investing in state-designated Opportunity Zones. In March of 2018, the State of Texas designated 628 eligible low-income census tracts in 145 counties as Opportunity Zones. Six of the designated census tracts are located within the City of Fort Worth.

The Economic Development Department of the City of Fort Worth will assist investors in achieving a general understanding of the program and will promote the use of Opportunity Funds for investment in designated Fort Worth Opportunity Zones. In particular, the Economic Development Department may serve as a resource to local investors wishing to benefit from the program while also generating a positive impact on the local community. The City may likewise help to identify eligible project opportunities. Where appropriate, the use of local incentives and other economic development tools will be considered in support of qualified Opportunity Zone investments.

OPPORTUNITY ZONES

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2018.

The City of Fort Worth chose to devise its first economic development strategic plan. Working with TIP Strategies (an economic development consultant), the City of Fort Worth has engaged the business community and local stakeholders to create a strategic framework to guide the City’s economic development activities for the next five years.

VISION

“To compete successfully on the national and international stage for creative, high growth businesses and the talented individuals who fuel them.”

GOALS

1 Establish Fort Worth’s Competitive Edge

• Brand & Image. Elevate the profile of Fort Worth at the regional, national, and international levels.
• Marketing & Target Industry Recruitment. Attract new investments and businesses into the community, focusing on target industries that align with Fort Worth’s assets.
• Business Retention & Expansion (BRE). Improve the competitiveness of existing businesses and help them remain and grow in the community.
• Workforce & Industry Partnerships. Expand collaboration between employers and training providers to address the needs of local industries and build a pipeline of talent to fuel future business growth.

2 Become a Hub for Creative Businesses

• Near Southside Medical Innovation District. Enhance and expand the Near Southside’s role as a medical innovation district and position it to become the most livable medical district in the US.
• Entrepreneurship. Build on the dynamic environment that embraces and fuels high-growth business in Fort Worth. Ensure that expanding startups see the city as hospitable to their continuing growth.
• Broader Promotion of the Arts. Expand the connection between the arts community and tech entrepreneurs as well as established businesses.
• Establish a “Futures Forum” at the City. Create a formal working group, led by the mayor, that addresses city issues from a “futures perspective.” Implicit in this initiative is the recognition that major public investments, from transportation to water to energy, can be a significant stimulus for economic development.

3 Ensure Community Vitality

• Downtown Fort Worth. Accelerate downtown Fort Worth’s emergence as the premier mixed-use business district in Texas.
• Neighborhood Alignment. Align neighborhood assets (people, businesses, and real estate) to benefit from and support citywide economic growth.
• Small Business Support. Restructure small business assistance based on a communitywide audit.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT “THREE CS”

1 COMPETITIVENESS

2 CREATIVITY

3 COMMUNITY VITALITY

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

POLICIES

• Use the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone program to promote the development of designated urban villages and other targeted redevelopment areas.
• Attract redevelopment and new development in the corridors linking the major districts of Downtown, the Historic Stockyards, and the Cultural District.
• Use the City's interim land banking policy to expedite redevelopment and reuse of underutilized property and to support the creation of successful transit-oriented developments (TOD).
• Use the siting and co-location of City facilities as a catalyst for redevelopment.
• Strengthen the effectiveness of economic development incentives by including appropriate capital improvement funding in an overall incentive package that would encourage central city redevelopment.

STRATEGIES

Competitiveness

• Develop and implement targeted revitalization strategies for the City's commercial districts in order to create environments that will attract private investment.
• Encourage renovation and reuse of existing commercial structures throughout commercial districts, where feasible.
• Use appropriate incentives to promote development of vacant land and redevelopment or reuse of deteriorated properties within designated commercial districts.
• Continue the close partnership between the City and the local chambers of commerce in marketing Fort Worth to business prospects.
• Protect industrial areas from encroachment. Through zoning, ensure that existing and planned major employment nodes and districts are protected from incompatible land uses and development.
• Start with protection efforts aimed directly at maintaining the appropriate land use and zoning regulations in and around the city's three airports (Alliance, Meacham, Spinks) and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS-JRB) Fort Worth.
• Ensure protection for other significant industrial districts with concentrations of manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing businesses that generate heavy truck traffic.
• Identify and preserve strategically located sites within emerging employment/business districts (i.e. Chisholm Trail Parkway, Walsh Ranch) to encourage development of high-value, high density employment nodes.
• Establish incentive guidelines for public investments that are not typically considered incentives, but function as indirect incentives. This would include infrastructure extensions (roads, water/wastewater, electric, and other utilities) necessary for a new facility.

Creativity

• Support the growth of small minority- and women-owned businesses by continuing to fund agencies that provide counseling and technical assistance to these businesses.
• Market available low interest loan programs for business start-ups and expansion in the central city.
• Enhance collaboration between the Business Assistance Center (BAC) and local chambers of commerce in offering technical and mentorship services to central city businesses
• Encourage local businesses to create paid training programs that provide unemployed residents with skills for high technology jobs and building trades.
• Encourage partnerships between the business community and local chambers of commerce that are designed to strengthen and expand employer coalition groups; increase linkages between business and education to ensure necessary skills are achieved for the future labor force; expand and coordinate customized employer services; provide job fairs; offer assessment and screening for new hires; and help employers identify skill sets.

Community Vitality

• Include capital improvement funding in enhanced incentive packages under Neighborhood Empowerment Zone and State Enterprise Zone programs to further central city redevelopment goals.
• Support redevelopment, community development, and nonprofit organizations' efforts to spur the revitalization of central city business districts where investment is not occurring but that have redevelopment potential.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES (CONT.)

• Recognize the importance of tourism to Fort Worth’s economic development, and support programs such as Linkages.
• Encourage the use of federal brownfields programs to assist in central city revitalization.
• Encourage economic development within the Central City by influencing targeted investments in catalytic projects that leverage private/public partnerships.
• Encourage transit oriented development projects (TOD) to connect employment centers and surrounding higher density, walkable neighborhoods near transit stations of Fort Worth.
• Evaluate and revise zoning and land use regulations to allow and encourage dense mixed-use development (office, hotel, retail/restaurant, and residential) along key corridors radiating out from downtown Fort Worth.
• Focus City investments strategically along higher density development specific corridors and at nodes of existing business activity.
• Apply an internal due-diligence process in advance of any major City-led investments intended to revitalize specific neighborhoods.
• Investments that enhance the economic potential of a target area (such as an Urban Village) include broadband internet investments in under-served portions of the city, streetscape improvements that enhance a corridor’s appeal for pedestrians and cyclists, and storefront/façade improvements for buildings along a commercial street.
• Use City-owned land and other publicly owned properties (such as FWISD and TCC properties) as a redevelopment tool to encourage investment in specific neighborhoods.
• Pursue public/private development offerings through an RFEI (Request for Expressions of Interest) process that gauges demand and tests ideas from area developers for potential redevelopment of specific sites such as Fort Worth ISD’s properties near Farrington Field and the ISD’s headquarters site near the Cultural District.

CHAPTER 11

TRANSPORTATION

The transportation system is the framework upon which the city is built. A healthy transportation system can improve the economic, social, and cultural conditions of the city and its citizens by providing efficient goods movement and options for people to get to and from work, home, school, shopping and leisure activities.

This chapter presents a multi-modal transportation approach that includes all forms of surface transportation (auto, bus, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.), as well as aviation activities, to support the City’s mobility goals.

QUICK FACTS

The City of Fort Worth is committed to creating a balanced, comprehensive, context-sensitive transportation system to move people and goods safely and efficiently. This balanced system will increase:

1. Mobility, by providing regional connectivity for all modes and addressing existing/future congestion,
2. Safety, by accommodating all users and addressing safety hazards, and
3. Opportunity, by supporting strategic economic development and acting as a catalyst for redevelopment.

As the City continues to grow, it is important to provide a safe and efficient transportation system that responds to the growing needs of all the city’s residents, businesses, and visitors.

POPULATION GROWTH AND INCREASING DEMAND

Fort Worth is projected to grow by over 270,000 people in the next 24 years.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 Population Estimates; NCTCOG 2045 Population Projection; and City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

EXISTING CONDITIONS, 2021

Source: City of Fort Worth, Transportation & Public Works Department, 2022.

DESIGNING OUR ROADWAY NETWORK

LAND USE & TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION

Sustainable development, as it relates to transportation, can be defined as:

• Land use and transportation practices that promote economic development while using limited resources in an efficient manner.
• Transportation decision-making that seeks to reduce the adverse impacts of congestion and vehicle miles traveled, while maximizing compatibility with adjacent land uses and the viability of alternative transportation modes.
• Planning efforts that effectively balance access, finance, mobility, affordability, community cohesion, and environmental quality.

Sustainable development leverages the land use and transportation relationship to improve mobility, enhance air quality, support economic growth, and ensure the financial stability of the transportation system. A successful multi-modal transportation system will support and encourage sustainable development. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is an important component of sustainable development. TOD refers to a compact, walkable, urban village that is centered around and coordinated with a transit station in its use and design. The purpose of TOD is to establish land uses and to design structures and public spaces that will encourage residents, workers, and shoppers to drive their cars less while walking, cycling, and riding transit more.

In order to encourage mixed-use and transit-oriented development, the City of Fort Worth employs mixed-use and urban residential zoning classifications. These categories encourage mixed-use and higher density developments, especially in designated mixed-use growth centers and urban villages (see Chapter 4: Land Use). Mixed-use zoning significantly reduces parking requirements and provides urban design standards that are transit- and pedestrian friendly.

COMPLETE STREETS

An overarching theme for the transportation system in Fort Worth is the concept of Complete Streets. Complete Streets are planned, designed, constructed, and maintained to enable safe access for all road users, including people walking, bicycling, driving, or using public transportation. The Fort Worth Complete Streets Policy, adopted in 2016, directs projects to ensure that the entire right of way is safe and comfortable for all users, regardless of age, ability, or transportation mode choice.

A Complete Street is not one-size-fits-all. Each project is context-sensitive and designed to support mobility options, accessibility, healthy living, and economic benefit, and to ensure the safety, accessibility, comfort, and convenience of people of all ages and abilities. This policy is applicable to all development and redevelopment in the public domain within the City of Fort Worth and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

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Source: Neighborhood Main Street, National Association of City Transportation Officials Urban Street Design Guide.

COMPLETE STREETS VISION

“Provide a safe, accessible, complete, connected, comfortable, efficient, and community-oriented transportation system for all people that supports mobility options, healthy living, and economic benefit.”

DESIGNING OUR ROADWAY NETWORK

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN | TRANSPORTATION

MASTER THOROUGHFARE PLAN

The City maintains a Master Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) and associated Street Development Standards to guide development of a complete, connected, context-sensitive transportation system. The Street Development Standards recommend specific cross sections for each street classification and provide the framework for a hierarchical system of freeways, arterials, collectors, and local streets.

The vision of the MTP is supported by three goals, each with a set of objectives. Ultimately, the MTP attempts to balance these goals in the following ways:

• Mobility: The MTP includes a network of thoroughfares to provide citywide transportation connectivity and capacity.
• Safety: The MTP includes street cross-sections that encourage moderate automobile speeds and provide safe accommodations for non-motorized transportation modes.
• Opportunity: The MTP includes future transportation facilities serving planned growth areas.

MTP VISION

"Provide a complete and connected, context-sensitive transportation system for all users that supports mobility, healthy living and economic benefit."

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Source: Street Types from the City of Fort Worth Master Thoroughfare Plan, 2016.

DESIGNING OUR ROADWAY NETWORK

ACCESS MANAGEMENT

In 2018, the City of Fort Worth adopted an Access Management Policy to reduce crashes, increase roadway capacity, and reduce travel time delay. (M&C G-19287 Ordinance No. 23225-06-2018)

The purpose of access management is to provide vehicular access to land development in a manner that preserves the safety and efficiency of the transportation system. This balance between access and traffic flow/safety is accomplished by guiding the location, spacing, design, and operation of intersections, driveways, median openings, and street connections on a roadway, as well as auxiliary turn lanes, and joint- and cross-access.

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2020.

COLLECTOR STREETS

Local and collector street networks support the street system by providing alternative routes from major thoroughfares for short trips. Without this collector street network, all local trips are funneled onto a few major streets, resulting in significant traffic delays and driver frustration. Collectors provide critical connections throughout the network and bridge the gap between local streets and the major thoroughfares of a community.

Reasonable connectivity of the local street network is also important. Fragmented street systems impede emergency access and increase the number and length of individual trips. Residential street systems must be designed in a manner that discourages “through” traffic across multiple neighborhoods, without eliminating connectivity.

PLANNING FOR COLLECTOR STREETS

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DESIGNING OUR ROADWAY NETWORK

TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING MANUAL

For the City of Fort Worth, the Transportation Engineering Manual defines the design requirements for transportation infrastructure. The design requirements outlined in this manual offer recommendations, standards, and criteria for design questions that frequently arise in transportation planning, traffic operations, street design, and site development.

The key intention of the manual is to provide consistency of traffic and transportation design practices for existing and future site development in the City. In addition, the Transportation Engineering Manual provides design criteria for street elements required by the City’s adopted Master Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) and Complete Streets Policy.

This manual is intended for use as a professional design resource by the City, the professional development community, and any individuals or groups involved in the planning and design of the City’s street network. The manual applies to all projects that impact public right-of-way along the City streets, including improvements to existing streets and alleys, construction of new streets, and redevelopments.

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Figure 2-3. Sample Roadway Cross Section for Commerce/Mixed-Use Street.

Source: City of Fort Worth Transportation Engineering Manual, 2019 pages 2-6, 4-23, and 4-35.

Example graphics from the Transportation Engineering Manual.

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Figure 4-19. Preferred Design of a Two-Way Separated Bicycle Lane Transition to a One-Way Separated Bicycle Lane on a Cross Street.

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Figure 4-13. Example Cross Section with Contra-flow Bicycle Lanes.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Fort Worth’s goal is to develop an effective transportation system that provides multiple alternatives for travel, while supporting sustainable development patterns and economic opportunities. This includes walking, cycling and using transit, as well as the needs of wheelchair users and other types of non-motorized mobility devices. Active transportation is a means of getting around that is achieved through human-powered mobility.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN

The Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan (ATP) serves as an update to the Bike Fort Worth Plan and the Walk Fort Worth Plan, and it is Fort Worth’s first ever citywide trails master plan. Each of these elements supports access to the city’s transit network. “Access to transit” refers to a priority woven into all of the modal networks.

ELEMENTS

⬚ figure Each element prioritizes connections to transit.

NETWORK

⬚ figure Together the elements create an active transportation network.

ATP VISION

“The Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan aims to create a regionally coordinated and locally connected bicycle and pedestrian system that provides a safe, comfortable, accessible, and equitable network of trails, sidewalks, and on-street bicycle facilities for people of all ages and abilities that encourages a healthy lifestyle, economic development, and increases community awareness and funding for alternative modes of transportation.”

In 2019, the City adopted the Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan. The Active Transportation Plan focused on walking and cycling, including connectivity between other modes such as transit. This plan integrates efforts such as the Walk Fort Worth and Bike Fort Worth plans, the Task Force on Race and Culture, trail planning, and coordination with the regional Transit Master Plan and Transit Moves Fort Worth Plan. The result is a unified citywide transportation network plan for people who walk, bike and use transit. The primary objectives of the Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan included the following:

1. Identify the Active Transportation network for people who walk, use transit, and ride bicycles, thereby creating a citywide seamless network of on- and off-street bicycle and pedestrian ways suitable for people of all ages and abilities.
2. Identify appropriate level of comfort scores or metrics across the Active Transportation network.
3. Update the City’s Bike Fort Worth and Walk Fort Worth plans and develop a new comprehensive Trails Master Plan.
4. Develop guiding principles and criteria for evaluating network alternatives and for prioritizing funding and projects that include equity, health, safety, economic development, and access.
5. Develop policies, performance targets, and design guidelines.
6. Prioritize projects.
7. Develop an implementation and funding plan.

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Source: City of Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan, 2019.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN (CONT)

Two analyses were conducted on current conditions: a Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) analysis and a Pedestrian Experience Index (PEI) of walking conditions.

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PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE INDEX

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The ATP developed a methodology to measure how comfortable a pedestrian will feel on a street. Several factors influence pedestrian comfort: scale, the design and orientation of buildings to the sidewalk (built form), the street grid, and other infrastructure. The methodology, called the Pedestrian Experience Index (PEI), uses existing public data to evaluate the pedestrian comfort of each block and intersection in Fort Worth.

BICYCLE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS ANALYSIS

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Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) is a nationally recognized analysis that assesses each road segment and intersection in a community to estimate how comfortable each would be for different types of bicyclists. The methodology is based on national research that shows that roadway factors such as bike facility design, location, and traffic volumes influence the comfort of riding a bicycle. Busier roads are more stressful, so bicycle facilities that separate riders from traffic increase comfort.

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PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN

The City of Fort Worth has begun to implement Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) in the downtown area. An LPI gives people crossing the street a 3-7 second head start when entering the crosswalk before the corresponding green signal allows people driving to continue forward. LPIs enhance the visibility of people walking in the crosswalk and reinforce their right-of-way. The use of LPIs has been shown to reduce pedestrian-vehicle collisions as much as 60%¹ at treated intersections¹.

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PHASE 1: PEDESTRAINS ONLY

Pedestrians are given a minimum 3-7 second head start entering the intersection.

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PHASE 2: PEDESTRIANS & CARS

Through and turning traffic are given the green light. Turning traffic yields to pedestrians already in the crosswalk.

Source: National Association of City Transportation Officials Urban Street Design Guide.

Footnotes

1. Source: A.C. Fayish and Frank Gross, "Safety effectiveness of leading pedestrian intervals evaluated by a before-after study with comparison groups," Transportation Research Record No. 2198 (2010): 15-22. ↩ ↩²

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL (SRTS)

The City of Fort Worth’s Safe Routes to School program designs and constructs new sidewalks, crosswalks, curb ramps, signs and bicycle facilities within a quarter-mile radius of selected schools. The Fort Worth City Council passed a resolution in May 2015 supporting the pursuit of funding to create safe routes for children to get to and from school.

10-14%

Morning traffic is attributted to dropping children off at K-12 schools.

48% in 1969

Of students walked or biked to school (national average).

13% in 2009

Of students walked or biked to school (national average).

44% decrease in pedestrian injuries

25% increase in walking & biking

Where SRTS engineering, education and encouragement interventions have been implemented.

35,000

Pounds of pollutants out of the air if 100 students at one school walked or biked everyday for one school year.

ISD COORDINATION/ OUTREACH PROGRAM

The ISD Coordination/Outreach Program works to ensure proper vehicular and pedestrian circulation at and near existing and planned schools. City staff works with ISD officials to obtain information on future school sites to ensure implementation of proper infrastructure (i.e. roadway, signals, sidewalks, school zone flashers, pavement markings, crosswalks, crossing guards, etc.) prior to opening day.

Source: NCTCOG Safe Routes to School.

UNDER DEVELOPMENT: VISION ZERO POLICY

The Vision Zero approach to traffic safety seeks to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries — while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. When adopted, Fort Worth will join Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo as Texas examples of this nationwide network making systemic changes in transportation planning in order to eliminate traffic fatalities.

Source: Vision Zero Network.

ROADWAY MANAGEMENT & MAINTENANCE

OVERALL CONDITION INDEX (OCI)

The city pavement condition assessment is performed on a 3-5 year basis. The assessment determines the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for each street segment based on the severity and extent of the pavement defects. The defects for asphalt streets may consist of ride quality, rutting, raveling/ flushing, alligator cracking, patching and transverse or longitudinal cracking. For concrete streets, defects such as ride quality, faulting, joint seal loss, joint spalling, scaling, patching, transverse and longitudinal cracking are evaluated. PCI is grouped into 6 categories: Failed, Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, and Excellent. An Overall Condition Index (OCI) number is calculated for each street segment based on the PCI and flatworks (curb/gutters) condition and replacement percentage. The lower the number, the worse the overall street condition.

OVERALL CONDITION INDEX (OCI)

OCI is categorized in to 4 groups:

Poor/Failed Street Condition: Street in this category has an OCI rating less than 40 has severe cracking, numerous areas of failed pavement with possible sub-base failure with failed and high percentage of flatwork replacement, and exhibits an extremely rough ride. It is beyond repair and qualifies for a total reconstruction, meaning that a street may be replaced from the ground up.

Fair/Lower Good Condition: Street in this category has an OCI between 40-80 that consist of moderate cracking, minor potholes and has adequate drivability. It is typically in need of street preservation which requires proper street rehabilitation technique.

High Good Condition: Street in the high good condition has an OCI between 80-90 which exhibit minimal cracking or other distresses. It has good drivability and needs minimal remedial repairs.

Excellent Condition: Street has OCI above 95 has little or no cracking or other distresses. It has excellent drivability and does not require any maintenance.

STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

The Annual Street Maintenance Program assists in the maintenance of all City streets, including asphalt, concrete, and brick surfaces. Streets that are maintained through the program are selected each year based on citizen’s requests and staff evaluation of conditions. Some streets outside the city limits are also maintained through jointly funded interlocal agreements between the City and other jurisdictions.

STREET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The Street Management Program coordinates and manages all aspects of street construction, closures, and uses that affect vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic flow. This includes review of traffic control plans for street and sidewalk closures due to special events, construction, and utility work. The program aims to keep city streets and sidewalks open for public use to the extent possible.

ROADWAY MANAGEMENT & MAINTENANCE

HAZARDOUS ROADWAY OVERTOPPING

City of Fort Worth has many Hazardous Roadway Overtopping locations that vehicles drive into every year. The worst locations were initially identified and ranked in 2005 because those locations were known to flood frequently and some locations experienced incidents involving fatalities, bodily injury, or property damage. Some locations that did not have incidents were still known as frequently problematic locations based on complaints received from citizens.

Since 2005, the list of hazardous crossings in Fort Worth has expanded from 40 to approximately 300 locations, which were further investigated and prioritized based on several criteria and site observations.

To address these safety issues, high water warning systems have been installed at some locations and culverts were upsized to provide more conveyance capacity. In the future, further improvements such as guard rails, lighting, flood warning flashers, and capacity improvements will be implemented.

The Stormwater Management group is planning to invest more resources into addressing Hazardous Roadway overtopping locations going forward. This group will refine the ranking system to prioritize safety and capacity improvements based on most hazardous crossings and cost for improving the crossings. Due to limited funding resources and competing needs for storm drain rehab, channel rehab, flood mitigation and other reactive needs, the Stormwater group has been actively working to estimate the total project costs to improve the 50 most hazardous locations.

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Location: Morningside at South Main, June 2019.

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When you see water on the road, Turn Around Don’t Drown.

Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other weather related hazard because people underestimate the force and power of the water. Many of the deaths occur in automobiles as they are swept downstream. Whether you are driving or walking, if you come to a flooded road, Turn Around Don’t Drown.

Follow these safety rules: • Be on the lookout for flashing signs or barricades warning of high water. NEVER drive around or move barriers blocking the high water. • If flooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to flooding. • Avoid areas already flooded, especially if the water is flowing fast. Do not attempt to cross flowing streams. • Road beds may be washed out under flood water. NEVER drive through flooded roadways. If your vehicle is suddenly caught in rising water, leave it immediately and seek higher ground. • Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions. • Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

The city has installed high-water warning flashers at some of the most dangerous road flooding areas. WHEN YOU SEE LIGHTS FLASHING, follow these simple safety rules: • Turn around; the roadway is closed because water is covering the road. • NEVER drive around barricades. Water on the roadway can be much deeper than it appears and water levels can rise quickly. • If lights are not flashing and water is coming over the road, do not drive through water. The best warning system is common sense.

Source: Transportation Public Works.

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Location: Old Granbury Road, July 2019.

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS (ITS) PLAN

ITS uses technology and management strategies to ease real-time traffic congestion with the adjustment of traffic signal timing and the coordination of response activities with local or regional transportation and emergency services. Fort Worth’s ITS plan was developed in coordination with TxDOT’s regional ITS plan and in cooperation with NCTCOG. This plan includes:

• Incident management system to provide timely information to responding agencies such as fire, police, and emergency medical services.
• Coordinated traffic signal system to manage the timing of signals to improve traffic flow.
• Methods to alert motorists of congested areas and offer alternative routes or modes of travel.
• Traffic monitoring system to monitor system flow.

As part of the ITS Communication Master Plan, the City installed cable modems and radio systems into several hundred intelligent transportation system (ITS) devices citywide. This allows the ITS devices to be managed from the City’s Traffic Management Center downtown.

FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM

Fort Worth experiences rapidly moving storm fronts that can lead to hazardous flooding at roadways. The flood warning system in Fort Worth, also known as the High Water Warning System (HWWS), relies on real-time water level measurements at 52 of the most hazardous low-water crossing locations. Roadside flashers at these locations immediately warn drivers of the flood hazard. Email alarms are sent to first responders and emergency managers from the City, County, School Districts, the National Weather Service, and other partners when the water level sensors of each flasher system are triggered from rising water. First responders from the Stormwater Division of TPW barricade the roads to prevent vehicles from entering the flooded areas. Many of the locations without the flashers have road side flood warning signage.

Transportation Public Works – Stormwater launched a publicly accessible webpage displaying real-time road flooding information gathered from sensors located at the HWWS crossings. This makes vital public safety information readily available to the community to help residents plan ahead and avoid dangerous road flooding conditions. The flood warning information collected by the sensor network will be integrated with the Office of Emergency Management’s notification system in the near future. Recent improvements to the Flood Warning System consist of:

• Improved system reliability by upgrading communication equipment with ALERT2 and software.
• Twenty one new weather stations to better capture rainfall intensity and location.
• A public facing webpage showing real-time flood risk information.
• Development of a Flood Response Plan to document the response to flooding prior to, during, and following major events.

TRANSVISION

TxDOT Fort Worth District manages and operates TransVISION, the traffic management center in Tarrant County which provides real-time information on congestion, traffic incidents, and lane closures.

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Transportation and Public Works, Texas Department of Transportation.

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Location: Great Southwest and Mark IV Parkways.

PARKING MANAGEMENT

Parking Management involves the employment of policies and strategies to balance both the supply of parking as well as demand. Efficient parking management is critical as the City of Fort Worth’s population grows, land uses change, economic development occurs, and parking demand increases. Studies have shown that urban motorists spend excessive amounts of time searching for parking due to inefficient parking management. This increases travel time for motorists and contributes to idling and diminished air quality in cities. For the City of Fort Worth, improvements in parking management will come through deployment of smart technology and information sharing across interconnected platforms.

SMART PARKING TECHNOLOGY

The City of Fort Worth’s goal is to use its parking assets (i.e. on-street parking, surface lots, and garages) in the most efficient manner to increase the availability and ease of parking and to promote economic development. Toward that end, deployment of Smart Parking Technology can be used to 1) facilitate optimal utilization of the City’s parking assets, 2) manage parking demand, 3) reduce congestion, thus improving air quality, and 4) communicate with drivers visiting the City’s business and entertainment districts. Smart Parking Technology also provides the City with invaluable data used to plan for future parking needs.

CURB LANE MANAGEMENT

There are competing demands for curb space in urban centers. Some of these competing demands include transit, bicycle facilities, commercial loading, valet, transportation network companies, bus loading zones, and ground transportation (i.e. taxi limousine, shuttle, non-motorized). In time, the expanded use of smart parking technology will enable the City of Fort Worth to efficiently manage demand for curb space and improve mobility.

EXISTING AND PLANNED SMART PARKING TECHNOLOGY

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Parking Applications Parking applications are software on mobile devices that enable remote payment. These applications also provide data on parking options and availability near the user’s location. Over 100,000 unique users utilize FW Park, the City of Fort Worth’s parking application.

License Plate Enabled (LPE) Technology LPE allows the parker to pay using their vehicle plate number as the identifier in the parking transaction. This eliminates the need to pay at a physical location and enables remote payment. This technology is currently in use in the FW Park app.

Parking Reservation System (PRS) PRS enables the parker to use a mobile application or a website to make a parking reservation. The parker pays in advance of an event or appointment, which guarantees a space for the user and eliminates variability in parking availability. PRS also enables access to premium parking spaces which reduces and simplifies parking transaction time.

⬚ figure FW Park App.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) RFID technology uses radio waves via a fixed reader to collect and identify tags on vehicles in City garages. The use of RFID provides a faster process time per vehicle, especially in times of high demand.

Parking Guidance System (PGS) PGS enables parkers to locate desired parking and obtain pricing and occupancy information on those spaces in the location they desire to visit. PGS also creates a path from a parker’s current location or any location identified as a starting point to the place that they would like to visit.

Smart Meters Smart meters are configured to take multiple forms of payments, including credit and debit cards. They also deliver event and local information to citizens.

⬚ figure Parking meter on Monroe Street.

REGIONAL PLANNING

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS (NCTCOG)

Regional transportation planning in North Central Texas is conducted by the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), comprised of the NCTCOG Transportation Department, NCTCOG Executive Board, Regional Transportation Council (RTC), and several technical committees. The planning area of the MPO consists of 12 counties including Tarrant County. Major products produced by the MPO include:

• Long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)
• Shorter-term Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
• Congestion Management Process (CMP)
• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

The City works closely with the MPO to plan and recommend transportation projects that will improve mobility, increase safety, and provide opportunities for economic development. The City coordinates with the MPO on a number of different planning efforts:

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AIR QUALITY

A key goal of regional coordination is to improve the efficiency of our transportation system and in turn improve our air quality. While the ozone concentration of North Texas is still above 2015 US EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the regional, coordinated efforts have led to much improvement in overall air quality since 1999.

Attainment Goal - According to the US EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards, attainment is reached when, at each monitor, the Design Value (three-year average of the annual fourth-highest daily maximum eight-hour average ozone concentration) is equal to or less than 70 parts per billion (ppb).

Air Quality: Region continues to reach increasingly higher standards.

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Data Source: North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG).

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

UNDER DEVELOPMENT: TRANSIT MOVES FORT WORTH

To increase transit’s role in Fort Worth’s overall transportation system, the City is implementing Transit Moves | Fort Worth. This comprehensive long-range plan for improving the City’s transit system is comprised of four main elements:

1. A transit vision for Fort Worth to guide improvements through 2045.
2. Specific improvements that should be implemented to achieve the vision.
3. Identification of potential new sources of funding for the improvements.
4. Governance changes recommended to facilitate implementation of the plan and improve transit service delivery.

BUSES, PARATRANSIT, & COMMUTER RAIL

Transit service in Fort Worth is primarily provided by Trinity Metro, and existing services include a network of fixed-route bus service, door-to-door paratransit service, and commuter rail service via the recently completed TEXRail. Trinity Metro also jointly own and operates the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) through a partnership with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Trinity Metro maintains a number of passenger facilities associated with these services. These include:

• 10 transfer centers
• 2,000 bus stops
• 16 park and ride lots
• 15 rail stations serving TEXRail and the TRE within Tarrant County.

Fort Worth Central Station in downtown Fort Worth, serves as the hub of the Trinity Metro System and provides connections to:

• 24 bus routes
• TRE to Dallas
• TEXRail to DFW Airport
• Greyhound buses
• Amtrak passenger service from Fort Worth to Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio.

Source: Transit Moves Fort Worth State of the System Report 2019.

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41 Local Bus Routes

provide fixed-route bus service in and around Fort Worth

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7 Express Bus Routes

connect Fort Worth to regional activity centers

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Paratransit Service

is available through Trinity Metro's door-to-door ACCESS program

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2 Regional Rail Lines

provide commuter service via Trinity Railway Express (TRE) and TEXRail

Source: Transit Moves Fort Worth State of the System Report 2019.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

The transit network in Fort Worth includes four primary types of routes: radial routes, feeder routes, circulator routes, and crosstown routes. Generally, these routes are arranged in a hub-and-spoke system primarily oriented towards serving the downtown core of Fort Worth.

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Radial routes act as the spokes of the network and are designed to move large numbers of riders along major travel corridors. These include local corridor bus routes as well as regional express bus and rail routes.

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Feeder routes are designed to provide a connection to other transit services and transportation options, such as radial routes on major travel corridors. They expand the coverage of the transit network.

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Circulator routes provide frequent local service within major activity centers. These routes may offer service all day long, or may be limited to peak travel periods.

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Crosstown routes create opportunities to connect between neighborhoods and activity centers without requiring a trip through downtown. These routes can help reduce the number of transfers riders are required to make.

Source: Transit Moves Fort Worth State of the System Report, 2019.

TRINITY METRO ROUTE MAP

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Source: Transit Moves Fort Worth State of the System Report, 2019.

TARRANT TRANSIT ALLIANCE

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Started in 2018, the Tarrant Transit Alliance (TTA), a nonprofit community advocacy group, works with contributors, community officials, and regional leaders to build support for funding regional transit in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Their purpose is to educate, empower, and mobilize policy to serve the region.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

FIRST & LAST MILE CONNECTIONS: BICYCLES

All buses on Trinity Metro routes include folding bicycle racks on the front of vehicles. Cyclists are permitted to bring their bikes on TEXRail and TRE trains. TEXRail trains include on-board bike racks, while TRE trains include designated areas for riders to stand with bikes. These accommodations provide opportunities for potential transit riders to use bikes for making first and last mile connections.

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FORT WORTH BIKE SHARE (FWBS)

The City of Fort Worth's bike share program is provided by Fort Worth Bike Sharing (FWBS), a department under Trinity Metro, in charge of operating TREK's B-Cycle equipment. Fort Worth Bike Sharing launched the system in 2013 with stations set up across Downtown, the Cultural District, the Trinity Trails, the Stockyards, Near Southside, and on TCU's campus. In 2019, Fort Worth Bike Sharing introduced electric assist bikes to its fleet. Electric-assist bicycles provide a faster, less strenuous option for getting people where they need to go, but with the same minimal impact on our environment and efficient use of public space. In 2021, Fort Worth Bike Sharing began a 27-station expansion, focusing on providing bike sharing stations to neighborhoods previously unserved by the system. This expansion will be complete in 2022.

Source: Fort Worth Bike Sharing, 2019.

FWBS MISSION

"To enhance our community by providing an affordable, efficient, environmentally-friendly bike share program that complements our existing public transportation system and provides both residents and visitors a healthy, convenient way to move around our city."

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FIRST & LAST MILE CONNECTIONS: ZIPZONES

The first area Trinity Metro is offering the new ZIPZONE service is in the Alliance corridor. Alliance ZIPZONE is the result of a regional partnership with the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA), allowing riders to connect with the North Texas Xpress that operates between downtown Fort Worth and Alliance and Denton. Alliance ZIPZONE replaces the Alliance Link, a first mile/last mile pilot started by Toyota.

Alliance ZIPZONE service is provided through Lyft, an on-demand Transportation Network Company. Trinity Metro passengers can conveniently use the Lyft app, entering a specific code to gain access to the first mile/last mile rides.

From system launch in April 2013 through the end of 2021:

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AVIATION

DALLAS-FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), jointly owned by the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas, is a large hub airport serving the North Texas region, and providing nonstop service to over 200 cities worldwide. Opened in 1974, DFW is now providing an economic impact of $37 billion annually, supporting 228,000 full time jobs. DFW is the largest hub for American Airlines, which is headquartered in Fort Worth.

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DFW International

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26.9

Square Miles (Larger than Manhattan)

CITY OF FORT WORTH AVIATION SYSTEM

The City of Fort Worth Aviation System is home to three world-class airports – Alliance, Meacham International, and Spinks. Owned by the City of Fort Worth, each airport offers a diverse industrial base, which makes it an attractive location for a variety of businesses.

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Alliance

AIRPORT LOCATIONS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2020.

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Meacham

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Spinks

FREIGHT

INTERSTATES, RAILROAD CORRIDORS, & AIR CARGO

The movement of goods is a key component of the regional economy in North Texas. The region serves as one of the largest inland ports in the nation, where freight is moved, transferred, and distributed worldwide.

Interstate Highway 35, which runs north/south through the center of Fort Worth, has served as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) corridor since 2015. In addition to truck freight, national railroad corridors and air cargo hubs make the City a national logistics hub. Emerging technologies in vehicle automation are on track to influence how freight moves in the future.

98%

Of the U.S. population can be reached within 48 hours by truck from Fort Worth.

Source: NCTCOG.

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Alliance Intermodal Facility. (Source: Working Nation, “Focus on Fort Worth: Continued growth in its logistics hub”, March 22, 2021.

FHWA PRIMARY HIGHWAY FREIGHT SYSTEM

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Source: NCTCOG, City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2020.

FREIGHT

GRADE CROSSINGS & QUIET ZONES

With the high amount of train activity and large number of railroad crossings in Fort Worth, the City is committed to improving railroad crossing safety and developing new quiet zones. Quiet zones are improved railroad grade crossings where locomotives are not required to sound their horn. A quiet zone can therefore significantly improve the environmental quality of a neighborhood. A crossing or a group of railroad crossings can qualify for a quiet zone if, in addition to modern crossing flashers and gates, additional specific crossing devices are used to increase the safety of each crossing. City projects underway include quiet zone projects, new railroad crossing signal upgrades, crossing surface projects, grade separations (bridges and underpasses), and other rail projects.

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No Train Horn sign on Museum Way.

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Example of an enhanced crossing in a quiet zone on Museum Way. In order to prevent drivers from deliberately driving around lowered railroad gates in this quiet zone, a median barrier is placed in the center of the roadway.

RAIL OWNERSHIP

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Source: NCTCOG, City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

FUNDING & PRIORITIZING OUR NETWORK

Funding transportation projects can be categorized based on the project phase, target user, and funding source. A project’s type, such as roadway, bridge, intersection, trail, or wayside facility, can also affect which funding programs to target. Its location can affect this decision as well. When pursuing funding, smaller projects can often be grouped in with larger, more complex projects that may require a mix of funding sources. These sources include the General Fund, Bond Programs, Public Improvement Districts (PIDs)/Tax Increment Financing, federal funding, and private and nonprofit partnerships.

GENERAL FUND ANNUAL BUDGET

The General Fund is the largest fund within the City with the largest amount of revenue in the overall City budget. The General Fund revenues include property tax; sales tax; operating transfers; charges for service; license and permit fees; fines forfeitures; and special assessment, and other miscellaneous revenues. The Transportation and Public Works Department is funded through four different funds:

• General Fund
• Stormwater Utility Fund
• Municipal Parking Fund
• Capital Project Services Fund

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS (PID) & TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICTS (TIF)

Transportation improvements can often be included as part of larger efforts of business improvement and retail district beautification. Similar to benefit assessments, PIDs collect levies on businesses in order to fund area-wide improvements that benefit businesses and improve access for customers.

PIDS AND TIFS

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Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

FUNDING & PRIORITIZING OUR NETWORK

TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES

Transportation impact fees:

1. Collected by the City from new development projects to help fund transportation improvements that will be needed to support a balanced transportation network.
2. Applied to individual building permits and collected prior to issuance of the building permit.
3. Collected funds are used within a defined Transportation Service Area (TSA).

In order to assess an impact fee, land use assumptions must be developed to provide the basis for residential and employment growth projections within a transportation service area. As defined by Chapter 395 of the Texas Local Government Code, these assumptions include a description of changes in land uses, densities, and development in the TSA.

The City completed a study to define these land use assumptions and subdivided the City into 21 TSAs. The land use assumptions are then used in determining the need and timing of transportation improvements to serve future development.

TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE SERVICE AREAS

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* non-impact fee eligible

Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2020.

FUNDING & PRIORITIZING OUR NETWORK

PROJECT PRIORITIZATION: RACE & CULTURE TASK FORCE TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS (2018)

The City of Fort Worth’s Race and Culture Task Force provided recommendations on disparities in majority minority areas, including the topic of transportation. The report found that Super-Majority Minority Areas (S-MMAs) of Fort Worth, defined as those census block groups that have a minority population of 75% or greater, have a disproportionate share of streets, sidewalks, and street lights in poor condition and are disproportionately affected by pedestrian and bicycle crashes, including fatal crashes. Three recommendations were proposed and a dashboard for tracking progress was created:

1. Adopt a Transportation Equity Policy and Five-Year Action Plan.
2. Change transportation funding criteria to emphasize S-MMAs.
3. After-Action reviews of pedestrian and bicycle crashes.

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Source: Fort Worth Task Force on Race and Culture Final Recommendations, November 2018.

EMERGING TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

AUTONOMOUS & CONNECTED VEHICLES

Autonomous vehicles use advanced technology including sensors, actuators, and a central computer to "perceive" or "view" their surrounding environment and automate the driving process. This results in little to no human involvement in moving around a city. In addition to autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles include communication devices (embedded or portable) that enable in-car connectivity with other devices present in the vehicle and/or enable connection of the vehicle to external devices, networks, applications, and services.

In the future, autonomous and/or connected vehicles may be used in urban shuttle routes, on-demand services, and trucking companies to move people and goods. Fort Worth will partner with the North Central Council of Governments to exercise proactive leadership to ensure that these emerging technologies will safely benefit the public.

Shuttle Routes

Fixed, low-speed shuttle routes could be implemented in urban residential communities, office parks, large events, or school campuses to provide first- and last-mile options, expanding the reach of trains and buses. Shuttle routes are a possible gateway technology to on-demand routes. Concerns for safety, especially the interaction between vehicles and people walking and bicycling, must be addressed before non-route specific services could become available.

Connected Freight

Autonomous, connected freight trucks could take advantage of advanced technologies on interstate highways. The reduced number of vulnerable road users, traffic lights, and visual distractions, combined with the consistent speeds, clear marks, and gradual turns, lend interstate highways to be a favorable environment for autonomous vehicles.

Trucking companies could reduce costs by decreasing the number of drivers and taking advantage of platooning. In truck platooning, a lead truck sends wireless commands to one or more following trucks to regulate speed, steering, braking and distance between the trucks. Air drag is reduced, reducing fuel consumption by up to 15%. Safety distance between trucks can be reduced, thereby reducing highway congestion. Platooning could reduce the driver’s workload, or remove the driver entirely. This application is controversial because reducing the number of drivers will also affect many people’s livelihoods, as there are currently 3.5 million truck drivers in the US alone.

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Automation Levels

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 2018.

EMERGING TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

MICROMOBILITY

Globally, dockless bike and scooter sharing systems are popular ways to allow the short-term use of bicycles and scooters for transportation or recreation trips. Traditional bike share systems have utilized fixed stations that require a user to dock the bicycle in a station at the end of a trip.

Dockless bikes/scooters:

• App-based systems.
• Users locate and check out a vehicle using their phone.
• Users leave the vehicle at their final destination without needing a station.
• Onboard locks prohibit the vehicle from being ridden until it is unlocked via the app.

These systems have been found to provide first and last mile connections to transit and provide a convenient alternative transportation mode for short trips. However, these systems have raised concerns. When not in use, the vehicles may be left in the public right-of-way and, if not parked correctly, can obstruct ADA curb ramps and clutter pedestrian paths. Other U.S. cities have created legal processes and permits to regulate and mitigate some of these concerns. At this time, the City does not have a legal process to allow dockless bike or scooter companies from conducting commercial activity in the City's right-of-way. Personal, privately-owned electric scooters however are currently not prohibited to operate on streets and sidewalks in Fort Worth.

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Location: Scooter on West 7th Street. Photo Credit: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics, 2019.

UNCREWED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

Uncrewed aircraft systems have significantly grown in popularity for commercial and civilian use over the last decade. The introduction of these systems into regional airspace provides both opportunities and challenges. The NCTCOG has convened the North Texas Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Safety and Integration Task. This task force will help mitigate reckless UAS operation and promote the safe integration of UAS technology into the DFW regional airspace. The Task Force is comprised of public-sector representatives at the federal, state, and local levels as well as private-sector representatives from the Aviation and UAS Industries, Academia, Military, and others.

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Source: NCTCOG.

ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) refers to an air transportation system that moves people and cargo between places using new aircraft designs that are integrated into existing airspace operations, as well as operated in local, regional, intraregional, rural, and urban environments. Aircraft designed for Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) will require both regional and local planning efforts to effectively manage the transportation of passengers and cargo. The City's Aviation Department supports the safe and efficient integration of these aeronautical advancements into its airport system.

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Source: NASA Advanced Mobility Project, 2021.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The City of Fort Worth uses the following goals and objectives to provide a multimodal transportation system that builds community, supports economic growth, and improves air quality.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

1 Improve mobility and air quality by providing a multimodal transportation system that is effectively coordinated with existing and planned adjacent land uses.

• Work with Trinity Metro to improve transit services in Fort Worth.
• Plan for and implement Transit-Oriented Development adjacent to regional rail stations in Fort Worth.
• Create a Transit-Oriented Development Plan and implementing Form-Based Code for the Northside/Stockyards TEXRail Station area.
• Implement the Complete Streets policy through the Master Thoroughfare Plan.
• Develop new bikeways and trails to connect neighborhoods to the Trinity River, Downtown, schools, parks, and other destinations.
• Implement projects identified in the Active Transportation Plan.

2 Develop and maintain a safe, efficient, and economically sound transportation system that meets the needs of all users.

• Periodically review safety, operation, and construction activities that impact the efficient movement of all modes of transportation.
• Evaluate traffic, cyclist, and pedestrian safety near shopping, schools, and other pedestrian-oriented areas on a continuous basis.
• Work closely with property owners and developers to plan and implement an effective and well connected collector street network.
• Implement the City's access management policy in conjunction with new development and redevelopment.
• Update the transportation impact fee study and collect appropriate fees to ensure new growth pays its share of roadway and infrastructure costs.
• Keep the percentage of City streets in good and excellent condition above 75 percent (%).

3 Improve transportation coordination with area Transportation agencies.

• Coordinate with TxDOT on State projects within the city's boundary.
• Coordinate with the NCTCOGs Metropolitan Planning Organization.
• Coordinate closely with other City departments on transportation projects.
• Coordinate with Independent School Districts on new school locations and needs.

4 Develop and maintain a safe, efficient, and economically impactful aviation system.

• Provide sufficient infrastructure, maintained in sound condition, to meet the demands and advancements of the aviation industry and community.
• Ensure a strong financial foundation through prudent and sensible use of current resources and expansion of additional revenue streams through the development of airport property and other revenue generating strategies.
• Attract new investments and businesses into the city of Fort Worth community that focus on targeted aeronautical industries and partnerships.

POLICIES & STRATEGIES

The City of Fort Worth uses the following policies and strategies to provide a multimodal transportation system that builds community, supports economic growth, and improves air quality.

POLICIES

• Evaluate development proposals and transportation investments based on the impacts of land use and platting decisions on the overall transportation system, and the impacts of transportation decisions on land use.
• Emphasize public transportation, bicycle, and pedestrian improvements in designated growth centers, urban villages, and transit-oriented developments.
• Support and encourage appropriate mixed-use zoning and mixed-use development in designated growth centers, urban villages, and transit-oriented developments.
• Promote street system patterns that provide greater connectivity between streets and between developments to reduce traffic demands on arterial streets, improve emergency access, and make bicycling and walking more attractive transportation options.
• Preserve and maintain the existing street infrastructure.
• Promote sustainable development patterns that include greater density at appropriate locations, mixed-use development, public transit, park-and-ride facilities, and access management (e.g. encouraging shared driveways and limiting the number of curb cuts) to reduce vehicle trips.
• Encourage the use of parallel local access streets along collector and minor arterial roadways to allow the front façade of homes to face the street without the need for multiple driveway curb-cuts on the main street, thereby preserving traffic safety while increasing the pedestrian friendliness of the collector or minor arterial.
• Protect residential and historic areas from the impacts of excessive traffic.
• Encourage appropriate development through the planning and implementation of a multimodal transportation system.
• Incorporate the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and persons of all ages and abilities when planning and designing transportation projects.
• Use the existing Community Facilities Agreement (CFA) program to develop transportation facilities in conjunction with new private development.
• Integrate the City’s airport system as part of the overall transportation system.

STRATEGIES

• Promote the expansion of rail transit.
• Identify and promote potential locations for transit-oriented development, especially in designated growth centers and urban villages.
• Protect planned transit-oriented development locations from inappropriate new low-density development by adopting high-intensity mixed-use zoning or form-based codes in planned TOD areas.
• Continue to work with Trinity Metro to expand and integrate public transit, including rail transit, into the City’s transportation system.
• Implement the Complete Streets policy that requires streets to be designed to accommodate all likely users.
• Ensure collaboration among City departments, Trinity Metro, and the community to ensure effective coordination among the various transportation modes.
• Promote park-and-ride facilities to increase the use of public transit.
• Incorporate all modes of transportation in corridor studies.
• Seek input from other entities, including schools, cities, counties, Trinity Metro, NCTCOG, and TxDOT when making land use and transportation decisions.
• Continue to coordinate with NCTCOG to use the travel forecasting model.
• Implement the Intelligent Transportation System Plan for Fort Worth, in coordination with TxDOT, NCTCOG, Trinity Metro, and other Metroplex cities.
• Establish links for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross natural barriers, such as rivers and creeks, and man-made obstacles, such as railroads and highways.
• Improve linkages between adjacent neighborhoods and integrate nearby land uses to decrease vehicle miles traveled.
• Provide pedestrian access from residential areas to shopping, parks, public buildings, and neighboring subdivisions.
• Promote and participate in local and regional activities that encourage bicycling and walking as a means of transportation.
• Foster roadway designs that decrease noise and improve air quality along major arterials.
• Include landscaping plans in corridor projects.
• Develop an appropriate strategy to address the maintenance of public alleys.

CHAPTER 12

EDUCATION

Fort Worth’s schools are striving to provide quality education for all students, and to produce a skilled workforce capable of filling high-paying jobs in local businesses. In response to the demand for an educated workforce, Fort Worth is offering an increasingly wider variety of opportunities for education, both in the public and private realm.

QUICK FACTS

POPULATION BY AGE

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196,929

School-Age (5-19 Years Old) Children in Fort Worth in 2019

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

EDUCATION ATTAINMENT - PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL POPULATION

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---

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

15

Independent School Districts (ISDs) with Schools inside Fort Worth City Limits or ETJ (Planning Jurisdiction)

248

Public Schools in ISDs within Fort Worth Planning Jurisdiction

19

Public Charter Schools within Tarrant County

50

Private Schools within Fort Worth City Limits or ETJ

2022/2023 ISD STUDENT ENROLLMENT & TAX RATES

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*2021/2022 Enrollment Number. Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department; Independent School Districts with schools located within Fort Worth city limits and ETJ.

8

Early Learning Centers and Pre-Kindergarten Facilities within Fort Worth City Limits

$670

Average Median Monthly Cost for Childcare at a Licensed Day Care Center for Texas in 2021

259

Licensed Day Cares within Fort Worth City Limits

69,874

Under 5 Children in Fort Worth in 2019

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

TYPES OF EDUCATION

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Texas public schools provide a tuition-free education for all Texas children regardless of race, religion, or ability. Public schools are self-governing, with their own leadership hierarchy and policymaking processes, but they are still accountable to state and federal entities.

A public school district or independent school district (ISD) is a school district that is separate from any municipality, county, or state—the school district has its own taxing authority outside the direct control of other governmental entities.

1,247

Public School Districts in Texas

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Location: Rosemont Elementary School, 1401 W. Seminary Drive Photo Source: Architecture in Fort Worth, 2018. Data Source: Texas Education Agency.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Public charter schools are tuition-free, open-enrollment public schools that have additional flexibility to adapt to the educational needs of individual students, but in exchange are held to stricter state academic, financial, and governance standards than district schools.

180

Public Charter Schools in Texas

55

Public Charter School Campuses in Tarrant County

27,000+

Students Attending Public Charter Schools within Tarrant County

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Location: Uplift Education, 1200 Cooks Lane Photo Source: Uplift Education, 2021. Data Source: Texas Public Charter Schools Association, 2022.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

A private school is a school which is not supported financially by the government and which charges tuition for children to attend. Private schools have the option of limiting enrollment.

48

Private Schools within Fort Worth City Limits

2

Private Schools within Fort Worth ETJ

17,000+

Fort Worth Residents Attending Private Schools

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Location: Nolan Catholic High School, 4501 Bridge Street Photo Source: Nolan Catholic High School, 2022. Data Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2021.

TYPES OF EDUCATION

UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES

A college or university is an institution for higher learning after high school that provides education and grants degrees or certification.

45,788

Fort Worth Residents Enrolled in Undergraduate Schools

13,870

Fort Worth Residents Enrolled in Graduate or Professional Schools

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Location: Tarrant County College (multiple campuses) - Trinity River Campus, 300 Trinity Campus Circle Photo Source: Tarrant County College - Trinity River Campus Facebook, posted 2017. Data Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2016-2020.

TRADE SCHOOLS

A trade school or technical school is a postsecondary educational institution designed to train students for a specific job in a skilled trade career. A trade school offers hands-on training to prepare students for work in their chosen field. Trade school programs are focused entirely on job training.

Examples of trade schools:

• Culinary School
• Auto Technology
• Blacksmithing
• Welding
• Construction
• HVAC
• Plumbing
• Cosmetology

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Students plating desserts for an event hosted at the Culinary School of Fort Worth. Location: The Culinary School of Fort Worth, 6550 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Suite 110 Photo Source: The Culinary School of Fort Worth, 2021.

EARLY LEARNING CENTERS

Early learning programs or early education programs provide education for children outside their own home before kindergarten. Children are actively learning wherever they are – at home, in early learning programs, and in their communities. Young children need meaningful learning opportunities to develop skills, sense of self, and a foundation for learning throughout life. Children who attend high quality early learning programs gain other essential skills such as:

• Listening and understanding
• Increased vocabulary
• Speaking in sentences/conversation
• Emergent writing
• Mathematical thinking, counting, and measuring
• Scientific thinking and inquiry
• Understanding of people, places, and environments
• Early literacy
• Problem solving

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Location: Keller ISD Early Learning Center South, 3975 Summerfields Boulevard Photo Source: Image Engineering Group, Ltd. (architecture firm).

PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN FORT WORTH

*Only includes schools within Fort Worth city limits or ETJ. Does not include new schools being built or early learning centers, or pre-kindergarten centers. **Area includes the square mileage in both Fort Worth city limits and ETJ. 1 For comparison purposes, intermediate schools have been included in the middle school category. 2 For comparison purposes, 9th grade only schools have been included in the high school category.

Source: City of Fort Worth, Planning & Data Analytics Department, 2022.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT LOCATIONS

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Footnotes

1. For comparison purposes, intermediate schools have been included in the middle school category. ↩

2. For comparison purposes, 9th grade only schools have been included in the high school category. ↩

PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT

TOTAL ENROLLMENT TRENDS - SCHOOLS OVER 20,000 STUDENTS

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TOTAL ENROLLMENT TRENDS - SCHOOLS UNDER 20,000 STUDENTS

⬚ figure

Source: Texas Education Agency, 2015/2016 - 2020/2021 Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR).

PUBLIC SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

3RD GRADE READING LEVEL - MEETS GRADE LEVEL OR ABOVE

⬚ figure indicates a decreasing trend. ⬚ figure indicates an increasing trend. ⬚ figure indicates consistent results.

NR = not reported due to Texas Stae of Disaster declaration for COVID-19. XXXX/XXXX indicates COVID-19 impact years

Source: Texas Education Agency, 2015/2016 - 2020/2021 TARP.

"MEETS GRADE LEVEL" READING STANDARD

Third grade reading is the percentage of students who achieve the "Meets Grade Level" standard on the STAAR third grade reading exam by answering 76 percent of questions correctly.

READ FORT WORTH

Fort Worth has formed an unprecedented coalition of business, civic, education, philanthropic, nonprofit, and volunteer leaders to ensure that 100 percent of Fort Worth third-graders are reading on grade level. Read Fort Worth serves as the backbone organization that connects and supports initiatives, programs, and providers toward the common goal of third grade reading.

145+

Summer Reading Sites Available to Students Across Tarrant County in 2020/2021

5,031

Students Enrolled in a Summer Scholars Collaborative Partner Program in 2020/2021

WHAT READ FORT WORTH IS DOING

Supporting education leaders with data and effective practices to advance strategies across community partners and local districts that are critical to student recovery & achievement

Source: Read Fort Worth, Impact Report 2020-2021; Strategic Framework, 2022.

PUBLIC SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

DROPOUT RATES (GRADES 9-12)

⬚ figure indicates a decreasing trend. ⬚ figure indicates an increasing trend. ⬚ figure indicates consistent results. XXXX/XXXX indicates COVID-19 impact years

GRADUATION RATES (4-YEAR RATE FOR GRADES 9-12)

⬚ figure indicates a decreasing trend. ⬚ figure indicates an increasing trend. ⬚ figure indicates consistent results. XXXX/XXXX indicates COVID-19 impact years

Source: Texas Education Agency, 2015/2016 - 2020/2021 TARP; College Board - SAT 2020 Scores; ACT, Inc. - ACT 2020 Scores.