City asked to annex 3,400-acre ranch

[MootPoint]

City asked to annex 3,400-acre ranch

Proposal includes planned upscale housing and a possible UNT golf course

07:16 AM CST on Tuesday, January 31, 2006

By Cliff Despres / Staff Writer

Homes, businesses, Loop 288 and maybe a University of North Texas golf course are headed for the expansive M.T. Cole Ranch outside Denton, where cattle roamed up to now, city officials and land­owners said Monday.

The Stratford Co. of Dallas has asked the city of Denton to annex its 3,400-acre ranch to make way for a master-planned community off Interstate 35W.

Development could start in 2008 and finish in 2020, Stratford officials say.

Dave Denison of Stratford, which owns the ranch with the Cole family, said his firm has a deal, in principle, to donate land to UNT so university officials can build a “championship” golf course near Tom Cole Road, perhaps in five years. UNT leaders did not confirm the deal Monday.

Denison briefed the City Council on the project at a meeting Monday.

Council members say Cole Ranch can add high-end housing, attract other master-planned communities and speed up road projects, such as extending Loop 288.

“Large, master-planned communities are very valuable to a city like Denton. We have some control over what happens there over a large period of time,” said Mayor Euline Brock, noting that the city is trying to craft new rules to ease the path for such master-planned developments after past mixed-use projects failed to bring more than apartments. “We’ve been looking forward to a project like this.”

First, however, the project must overcome some obstacles.

Developers still must get utility service, address city concerns about apartments and establish plans for the golf course with UNT.

http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/...o.580d107c.html

[keith]

Why the ? Is there something between the lines I'm missing?

Keith

[FirefightnRick]

I'm curious as to what the limitations will be set at, once the university takes posession of the land? Must it be used for a golf course or can it be sold for $?

Rick

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Rick, I would think both. Some of the land could be sold for homesites and the remainder would be used for a golf course.

I do not think that the Denton City Council would consider taking in Cole Ranch as a part of the city without it being a planned community. The sale of the homesites would largely fund the building of the golf course. Then opening the course to the public would provide income for the operation and maintenance of the facility. It seems like a sweetheart deal.

There could be a few drawbacks. There would need to be some up-front money for planning. I don't know the terrain of the land but moving west out of Denton, it's largely treeless which could mean a massive planting project. Finally, that property is very close to the Denton Municipal Airport which could be a deterring factor to some interested in buying golf course property.

All in all, it could help recruit the caliber of golfers that could get us back to the glory days. After all, our only national NCAA championships have been in golf.

[Cowtown]

Golf and Cheer.