Discover the Charles F. Ladd Nature Preserve
The Charles F. Ladd Nature Preserve is a 50-acre natural retreat located in southwest Duncanville. This scenic preserve follows the path of Tenmile Creek and offers peaceful landscapes filled with native plants, shaded woodlands, and limestone creek beds. It is home to birds, beavers, butterflies, and even river otters.
Visitors can enjoy soft surface trails, scenic overlooks, outdoor classrooms, and boardwalks that wind through prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats. Whether you're walking, learning, or simply looking for quiet, the Ladd Preserve offers a place to slow down and connect with nature.
Created with education, conservation, and community in mind, the Ladd Preserve protects one of North Texas’s rarest ecosystems: the Blackland Prairie. Thanks to generous support from the Ladd family and the City of Duncanville, this preserve is now a living classroom and a place of beauty for all.
CREATING THE SPECIAL DESIGNATION USE FOR THE LADD PROPERTY
Summary of Public Engagement and Zoning Process for Opportunity Area 8 (2022–2023)
The City of Duncanville presented a proposed strategy for Opportunity Area 8 during the City Council Regular Meeting on December 20, 2022.
In early 2023, the City conducted public meetings to gather feedback on the area, along with outreach to key municipal boards and commissions. These included the Economic Development Corporation, Keep Duncanville Beautiful, and the Neighborhood Vitality Commission. Meetings took place on regularly scheduled dates in January, February, and March.
Following this engagement, City staff processed public and board input and incorporated feedback into the Five-Year Comprehensive Plan Update. This phase concluded by early April 2023.
Next, a zoning change request was initiated to amend the Planned Development District under Ordinance No. 1078. The amendment sought to expand the permitted uses beyond Office and Retail, allowing for a special designation use and accompanying text amendment.
Per the City Manager’s direction, an application for the zoning change and text amendment was submitted to city staff by early April. Staff then prepared a formal case report, issued public notices to property owners within 200 feet, and published legal notices in the newspaper. The zoning change request was placed on the agenda for an upcoming Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.
By late April or early May, staff defined the applicable land use category and completed the required public notifications.
In June 2023, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed the proposed zoning change and text amendment and made a recommendation to the City Council for further consideration.