Fort Worth moves to rezone Keller ISD properties amid uncertainty over district split
Fort Worth Report
Free. Fair. Local.
Sign up for essential news for the Fort Worth area. Delivered to your inbox — completely free.
Fort Worth City Council member Charles Lauersdorf learned his lesson on zoning laws last year.
When a developer purchased land next to Keller ISD’s Basswood Elementary where a Studio 6 motel was nearly built — due to its zoning designation as “light industrial,” a category that allows hotels by right — Lauersdorf acknowledged his oversight.
“I take full responsibility,” he said in a statement posted to Facebook Feb. 13. That incident, which ultimately resulted in the district purchasing the land and the city rezoning the acreage, showed him Fort Worth must be proactive, not reactive, when it comes to zoning around schools, he recently told the Report.
The lesson learned drove Lauersdorf and his colleagues to initiate rezoning of 23 Keller ISD properties within Fort Worth city limits. The rezoning initiative comes as Keller ISD trustees discuss the possibility of splitting the district into two — a proposal that has already triggered the superintendent’s exit, multiple lawsuits and a student walkout.
Lauersdorf and fellow council members Macy Hill and Alan Blaylock — whose districts cover large portions of north and northeast Fort Worth, including many of the Keller ISD properties under discussion — introduced a proposal to rezone the properties as “community facilities,” ensuring they remain designated for educational or public use purposes.
Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area.
Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free.
Those properties are currently spread across multiple zoning designations, ranging from agricultural and residential to commercial and industrial. While schools can technically operate in any zoning category, the absence of a “community facilities” designation leaves them vulnerable to unexpected developments, Lauersdorf said.
Especially if schools close.
City Council isn’t forecasting any closures, nor are they predicting any land sales, Lauersdorf emphasized. But with ongoing discussions about a potential Keller ISD split — in which some schools might break away from the district — the council wants to ensure zoning protections remain in place. City Council members will hear a report about the rezoning process during their Feb. 18 work session.
“With all the uncertainty surrounding the Keller ISD potential split, I just want to ensure that any Keller ISD-owned properties that fall within Fort Worth are properly zoned,” he said.
Under “community facilities” zoning, the properties would be restricted to educational institutions, government offices, health services, public safety buildings and community use facilities — eliminating the possibility of commercial or industrial projects moving in without further city approval.
The district’s uncertain future has accelerated these conversations, Lauersdorf said. Keller ISD serves part of Fort Worth and parts of Keller, making governance and land use decisions complex.
“The bottom line is making sure that the properties out there are conforming with our future plans for the city,” he said.
Residents will have the opportunity to weigh in on the zoning proposal in the coming weeks. The proposal is expected to be considered at a March 12 zoning commission meeting, followed by a City Council vote March 25.
Notices will be sent to property owners within 300 to 500 feet of the affected sites. Keller ISD administrators have already been notified. Lauersdorf assured this will be a transparent process with ample public input. The rezoning initiative is expected to pass with strong council support, he told the Report.
“It’s not as simple as the City Council making the decision unilaterally behind closed doors and without community input or due process,” he said in his statement on Facebook.
Lauersdorf, who represents District 4 — parts of north Fort Worth that includes many of the Keller ISD properties under discussion — said the district also has little remaining vacant land, making it essential to regulate future developments carefully.
“We have to be very protective of that land and make sure that whatever is built — which will be there for a long, long time — we gotta make sure that it fits the vision, that 2050 vision, of Fort Worth,” Lauersdorf said.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
In “Education”
In “Business”
In “Education”
Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.
Republish This Story
Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for Fort Worth Report. He can be reached at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or (503)-828-4063. Sgroi is a graduate of Texas Christian University and has worked… More by Matthew Sgroi
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 50216, Fort Worth, TX 76105
PHONE: 817.405.9318
EMAIL: hello@fortworthreport.org
NEWSLETTERS
DONATE
Media Kit
Merch shop
Privacy Policy
Our Mission
We pledge to produce high-quality objective local journalism that informs public decision-making, addresses the quality of life of our community’s citizens, holds our policymakers accountable and tells our readers’ stories by listening to them and making sure they are valued and understood. In all that we do, earning the trust and respect of our audience is paramount. Our reporting will be free to all who access our primary digital channels.
THIS SITE IS PROTECTED BY RECAPTCHA AND THE GOOGLE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE APPLY.
MATTHEW SGROIEducation Reporter
LATEST NEWS
MOST POPULAR
Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area.
Related
Fort Worth tourism impact sets record for tax revenue generated by visitors
Arlington residents ring in new Rotary Dream Park with photo contest, memories of downtown
Downtown Fort Worth march honors civil rights legends MLK, Judge L. Clifford Davis
Fort Worth sewage sludge fertilizer leads Johnson County to declare ‘state of disaster’
‘We’re running out of areas to cut.’ Fort Worth-area school districts brace for no state funding bump
Fort Worth officials move forward with effort to rezone area near Keller ISD’s Basswood Elementary
Fort Worth proposes new zoning rules to protect schools from nearby hotel developments
Fort Worth rezones area near Keller ISD elementary school after controversy
Watch CBS News
©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Live Now
Latest Videos
Where to Watch
Jack Fink Interviews
CBS News Texas Poll
Eat See Play
CBS News 24/7
CBS News Baltimore: Local News, Weather & More
CBS News Bay Area
CBS News Boston
CBS News Chicago: Local News, Weather & More
CBS News Colorado: Local News, Weather & More
CBS News Detroit
CBS News Los Angeles: Local News, Weather & More
Some North Texas schools closed amid winter w…
Express lanes closed on I-635 due to winter w…
Allen Police Department to break ground on ne…
Texas agricultural commissioner calls for ban…
Tips to protecting pipes as bitterly cold wea…
Extreme cold warning in effect as bitter weat…
Dangerously low temperatures and wind chill e…
Karen Molinar named lone finalist for Fort Wo…
Gov. Abbott says he feels “very good” about h…
Rep. Gonzales says getting Congress to reimbu…
Cornyn discusses Texas being reimbursed by Co…
Rep. Veasey Governor calls Abbott’s request f…
Rep. Goldman says Texas has “every right” to …
U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey supports Texas getting …
Senator Cruz says the White House allocated b…
Rep. Van Duyne explains why Texas should be r…
Eye On Politics: June 30, 2022
CBS News poll looks into Texas Gubernatorial …
CBS News poll shows some Texans feel ‘fairly …
Eat See Play: Loop 9
Eat See Play: The Landmark
Eat See Play: Popstroke
Eat See Play: Color Analysis
Eat. See. Play: Meow Wolf
Eat See Play at Rooftop Cinema Club
Eat See Play: Glazed Ceramic Studio
Eat See Play: Permanent Jewelry at Mod + Jo
Fort Worth City Council calls for zoning changes to 23 Keller ISD properties
Storage Preferences
The Fort Worth City Council will discuss a proposal to rezone 23 properties owned by the Keller school district at its work session on Feb. 18.
Should the proposal pass a March vote, the sites would be zoned only for community facilities such as schools and colleges, churches, recreational centers and community and group homes.
According to an audit shared at a Jan. 30 board meeting, Keller ISD is wrestling with a $35 million shortfall in its general fund, along with an expected $9.4 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year. Auditors blamed this on former district leaders who they say made unrealistic assumptions and overestimated attendance and revenue projections.
This has led to speculation that the district may close schools and sell off property. Should that happen, the city council’s proposal would ensure no commercial or industrial development could take place on these sites.
One of the 23 properties is currently zoned for agriculture, and another is zoned for intensive commercial. The rest include a mixture of light industrial and single-family, two-family and multifamily residential zoning.
The list of properties being considered for rezoning includes Timber Creek High School, Woodland Springs Elementary, Independence Elementary, Freedom Elementary, Eagle Ridge Elementary, Central High School, Bette Perot Elementary, Lone Star Elementary, Friendship Elementary, Fossil Ridge High School, Heritage Elementary, Vista Ridge Middle School, Hillwood Middle School, Parkwood Hill Intermediate, Keller Collegiate Academy, Early Learning Center South, North Riverside Elementary, Park Glen Elementary, Fossil Hill Middle School, Sunset Valley Elementary, Basswood Elementary and Parkwood Elementary. A tentative future school site near the intersection of Keller Hicks Road and North Riverside Drive would also be impacted.
The rezoning proposal is being initiated by council members Charles Lauersdorf (District 4), Macy Hill (District 7) and Alan Blaylock (District 10).
Lauersdorf said he, Hill and Blaylock wanted to protect the integrity of the neighborhoods in these areas and make sure any future development falls in line with city plans.
“With everything Keller ISD related, we want to take a closer look,” Lauersdorf said.
According to Lauersdorf, the Keller school district has received notice of the proposed rezoning. The council will consider the resolution at its Feb. 25 meeting. A Fort Worth Zoning Commission public hearing is scheduled for March 12, followed by a Fort Worth City Council public hearing on March 25 before action is taken. Representatives from Keller, along with members of the public, will be able to speak in favor of or against rezoning at those hearings.
“Let this be a lesson to KISD,” Lauersdorf said. “It still needs to go through a public process.”
That was in reference to a plan put forth by members of the Keller school board to split the district in half, using U.S. 377 (Denton Highway) as the dividing line. The plan was originally discussed behind closed doors, angering many residents who believe such a plan should be voted on publicly.
Lauersdorf originally heard about that plan from a board member who opposed it, he told the Star-Telegram in January.
Board members supporting the split have argued the move is needed to address funding challenges brought on by dropping enrollment and the failure of the state legislature to increase per pupil funding. A Dec. 19 email from a school finance consultant to members of the school board revealed the split would shift costs for underfunded programs onto the new district west of U.S. 377, which includes Fort Worth and pockets of unincorporated Tarrant County.
A Keller representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the rezoning resolution.
This story was originally published February 13, 2025 at 6:37 PM.
Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.
Part of the McClatchy Media Network
