Freestone County Commissioners Court Decries Use of Eminent Domain to Acquire Fairfield Lake State Park

The saga of Fairfield Lake State Park continues as the Freestone County Commissioners Court has stepped into the ring. The battle between Todd Interests, the developer that purchased the 5,000 acres that comprise Fairfield Lake and the state park land, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission that voted to condemn the property and acquire it using eminent domain.

In a Wednesday morning meeting, the Freestone County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to draft a letter demanding that the board halt its use of eminent domain.

However, eminent domain experts say that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is well within its rights to condemn the park for use as a public facility. But one Freestone County official says that public opinion on the taking has turned sour.

Shifting Opinions on Freestone County Commissioners Court

During the Wednesday morning meeting, Freestone County Judge Linda Grant’s opinion on the matter took a notable shift. Grant has long been an advocate for saving the park. She’s testified before the Texas Legislature on the issue as well. But the use of eminent domain to seize the land and lake isn’t earning the commission any points.

“I think the opinions have changed and I think people are not as supportive as they used to be,” Grant said in the public meeting.

Additionally, Todd Interests’ plan for the site — a luxury gated housing development featuring a golf course — would benefit Freestone County by increasing the tax base.

“The tax revenue that this project is promising, that we will get, will be a great benefit to our county and to our taxpayers,” Grant said. “Hopefully more services will be able to be provided to our citizens, and I know we need a lot of things in our county that we’ve not been able to afford over time.”

A Strongly Worded Letter

The letter, which was sent to CandysDirt.com this afternoon by reps for Todd Interests, was signed by all four Freestone County Commissioners as well as County Judge Linda Grant. The complete letter is below:

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s agenda to use eminent domain to save Fairfield Lake State Park is an abuse of power and government overreach. To use this action will be an infringement on private property rights. TPWD had ample notification and time to purchase this land before this property was listed for sale, but blatantly and irresponsibly failed to act.

Freestone County and Fairfield ISD stand to gain approximately 20 million dollars in tax revenue annually from this development. One-third of this amount is more than half of the total tax dollars Freestone County receives now from current property owners. The citizens of Freestone County lost a large portion of our tax base when the power plant and coal mine closed. For TPWD to steal an opportunity for us to replace that tax base would be selfish.

We are extremely disappointed in your actions and other state elected officials’ regarding this matter. As Commissioners of Freestone County, it is our duty to be good stewards of the money received from taxpayers and look to the future for what is best for the citizens of Freestone County. We have no doubt that this development will benefit Freestone County and local businesses for years to come and we implore the State of Texas not to proceed with eminent domain to seize this property.

The elected Commissioners of Freestone County do not like the idea of appointed Commissioners who were derelict of their duty to make decisions which will affect the taxpayers of Freestone County.

A letter dated June 21, 2023, to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission from the Freestone County Commissioners Court