FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council approved the purchase of approximately 16.26 acres known as the Pinson Farm for the purposes of creating a new city park and open space preservation of the farm.
FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council approved the purchase of approximately 16.26 acres known as the Pinson Farm for the purposes of creating a new city park and open space preservation of the farm.
The Pinson Farm, which is located at 900 North Pinson Road just north of U.S. Highway 80, was recognized by the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Family Land Heritage Program in 1991 for the farm’s continual agricultural operation by the Pinson family for more than 100 years.
The last Pinson family member to live at the farm, Sarah Pinson Harp, passed away in August 2016 and it was her wish to sell the farm to the City of Forney for the purposes of creating a new city park and preserving the farm, according to her husband, Leon Harp, who spoke to the city council last week.
The park will be named The Pinson Farm Heritage Park and, according to the purchase agreement approved by the city council, shall only include such uses consistent with a family-oriented city park that may include, but will not be limited to, picnic areas, playground equipment, biking and/or walking trails, sports and recreational fields, and tennis courts.
The agreement also states the City of Forney agrees to maintain the existing buildings and improvements except in such instances where doing so would create a danger to the public. The City of Forney also agrees to develop the unimproved portions of the property into the proposed city park.
Although specific park designs have not been determined, under the current provisions of the purchase agreement, the park may be similar in nature to the City of Mesquite’s Westlake Park and Westlake House and the City of Dallas’ Samuell Farms which is also located in Mesquite.
The city council approved a purchase price of $460,000 to be owner financed over nine years with no interest and monthly payments of $4,259. The City of Forney will have an option to pay the outstanding balance at any time.
