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.
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.
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