During the Midland City Council meeting on June 25, a motion was unanimously approved for the proposed preliminary plat of Grasslands Estates, Section 26. Designated as agenda item No. 13, it involved a proposal to replat Lot 1, Block 21, Grasslands Estates, Section 16, situated at the southwest corner of West Wadley Avenue and Callaway Drive. The current zoning for this area includes Agricultural Estate District (AE) and Local Retail District (LR).
The applicant, Dunaway Associates, representing Boot Lake Ranch Property Owner LLC, requested the replat for The Preserve. The project will comprise 10 lots, with nine lots designated for commercial development, and one lot set aside for the development of Zoo Midland.
Charles Harrington, Zoo Midland's Project Coordinator, addressed the council during the meeting, clarifying that the replat is intended for retail offices rather than housing or residential purposes.
The Preserve will expand 178 acres and will provide dining, retail, and entertainment options, along with public open areas and a “Central Green” space. The project plans to preserve more than 40% of the land for expansive green spaces and parks, and is interconnected by a public trail network that also runs along the perimeter of the site.
Groundbreaking for The Preserve is set for summer, and an approximate completion of phase one is slated for spring 2026.