Fort Worth fire chief Raymond Hill to retire after 30 years of service. Published August 7, 2026 11:44 AM CDT Fort Worth Fire Chief Raymond Hill The brief. * * Fort Worth Fire Chief Raymond Hill is retiring after 30 years of service with the department, having first joined in 1994. * Over the past year, Chief Hill led the department's successful transition to taking over the city's emergency medical services. * Hill will step down at the start of next month, with the city scheduled to begin searching for his replacement in the coming weeks. FORT WORTH, Texas - The city of Fort Worth's fire chief announced his retirement. What Fox 4 News know: Chief Raymond Hill has served the community for the past 30 years. He first joined the fire department in 1994 and worked his way up the ladder. Under his leadership over the past year, the department has successfully assumed responsibility for the city's emergency medical services to improve response times. What they're saying: "It has been an honor to serve alongside the dedicated men and women of the Fort Worth Fire Department over the past 30 years," Chief Hill said. "Together, we've strengthened this department and achieved meaningful progress for the community we serve. I will always be proud of what we've accomplished and have every confidence the department will continue to build on that success." "Chief Hill has dedicated more than 30 years to serving the residents of Fort Worth with integrity, professionalism and unwavering commitment," said Assistant City Manager William Johnson. "His leadership during the City's transition to a fire-based EMS system has transformed emergency response and positioned the department for continued success. On behalf of the City, I want to thank Chief Hill for his extraordinary service and wish him all the best on his well-earned retirement." What's next: Hill is set to retire at the start of next month. Fort Worth will begin searching for his replacement in the coming weeks. The Source: The information in this story comes from a news release from the city of Fort Worth.

Fort Worth approves agreement with Brown Ranch developer. Enjoy reading the news again. Join over 110,000 neighbors that count on our newsletters for stories happening in your backyard. Sign up for free. Fort Worth officials approved an agreement to guide development for about 1,476 acres in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction to the west. Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday approved the development agreement with Hines Acquisitions LLC for land known as Brown Ranch in Tarrant and Parker counties. The area is north of Old Weatherford Road, south of White Settlement Road and northeast of the booming Walsh Ranch development. Under the agreement, Hines Acquisitions will develop the property with single-family homes, urban residential units and commercial uses. The agreement will also help protect open spaces and provide public and private amenities, according to a city staff report. Dana Burghdoff, a Fort Worth assistant city manager, described the document to council members as "win-win" for the city since Hines agreed to a number of concessions, including the preservation of parkland, while helping to build roads in the area. She added that Hines would not have eminent domain authority when it comes to building roads. Fort Worth will provide water and sewer services to the area since public infrastructure is not currently available to the property. The developer will design, construct, install or make financial contributions for public improvements, including extensions of thoroughfares to improve regional mobility. City officials said Hines Acquisitions plans to file an application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to create a municipal utility district for the area. That district would collect sales taxes to help finance roads, water, sewer, drainage and other improvements for the development. The city council will consider agreements for strategic partnership and utilities at a later date, officials said. The partnership agreement will set conditions for the city to conduct limited and full-purpose annexations of the land in the proposed district and help control development of commercial areas. The utility agreement would address easements, road repair standards and provisions relating to water conservation and water pretreatment standards, according to the report. Council members also approved owner-initiated annexations of nearly 500 acres in Tarrant, Parker and Denton counties to Fort Worth. Those annexations include 232 acres of the Walsh Ranch area west of the city. Council members decided to authorize a joint ordinance with Burleson to adjust extraterritorial jurisdiction boundaries between the two cities. Under that agreement, Fort Worth would cede about 108 acres known as Animal Pancakes Roadway Tract to Burleson. That tract includes portions of the Chisholm Trail Parkway, County Road 915 and FM 1902. Zoning cases. Council members delayed consideration of a site plan for a proposed $10 billion, 187-acre data center by Black Mountain Energy that is opposed by a number of residents who live near Lon Stephenson Road and Anglin Drive. That case will go before the council next month. Fort Worth City Council also delayed a proposal to rezone a 61-acre site at 2204-2400 Cantrell Sansom Road. Developers seek to rezone the property from agricultural, intensive commercial and medium-density multifamily to light industrial in order to build warehouse and distribution buildings. That case will be heard in August. A rezoning proposal to allow an outdoor sales and recycling center at 7640 Jacksboro Highway in north Fort Worth was denied by council members. A developer sought to change the zoning from one-family to neighborhood commercial with a conditional use permit. Council approved a zoning change on 4.5 acres for uniform residential development. The land at 8715 and 8801 Wagley Robertson Road was changed from agricultural and one-family residential to one-family residential. Council approved a proposed rezoning for a 2-acre tract at 151 Huguley Blvd. from agricultural to community facilities to allow for a medical office parking lot. A proposed conditional use permit for an oil change facility was approved at 9700 Oxenfree Drive. A waiver was approved since the business bay doors face a one-family residential district. Zoning changes for two Fort Worth ISD properties were also approved. Council member Mia Hall, the district's executive director of strategic recruitment, recused herself from voting to rezone the now-closed De Zavala Elementary, 1419 College Ave., and a related school overflow parking lot at 1405 Alston Ave. under community facilities zoning, with the latter property also receiving a Historical and Cultural District overlay. Council members also approved a request to add the Historic and Cultural Landmark overlay to the former North Fort Worth Baptist Church building and additions located at 1519 Circle Park Blvd. on the city's North side. Developers want to use the building for Irma Park, an 84-unit project for seniors 55 years and up from Austin-based O-SDA Industries. Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at [email protected]. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.

Fort Worth opens next chapter in search for new downtown library. Enjoy reading the news again. Join over 110,000 neighbors that count on our newsletters for stories happening in your backyard. Sign up for free. The city of Fort Worth is turning the page on its search for a new downtown Fort Worth library, now making plans to buy 1.38 acres on Summit Avenue south of West 7th Street. City Council members on June 23 will vote to buy several pieces of property for up to $5.95 million. The city would demolish buildings currently on the sites and combine the lots to "accomodate a library and adjacent parking," it said in a release late Wednesday afternoon. The city said it would seek public input on what to build on the small property, but didn't elaborate on whether there are any preliminary ideas for the site. City staff previously said Fort Worth will invest nearly $36 million to construct a new 20,000- to 30,000-square-foot library on a yet-to-be-determined site. "We are excited that an ideal site for a new downtown library has been found so quickly, a step that will keep the project moving forward," Midori Clark, the city's library director, said in the release. "We are committed to making this new library one that Fort Worth residents will be proud of for years to come." Fort Worth's plans for a library downtown have gone through multiple iterations since the city sold the former Central Library building at 500 W. 3rd St. in May 2023 and closed the library in June the same year. The city subsequently bought the historic building then housing the Center for Transforming Lives at 512 W. 4th St. and positioned it as the next downtown library branch. But the city said this spring the required renovations make the building unsuitable for a library. The city announced it would renovate the 4th Street building as a community arts incubator. The city continues to maintain Downtown Express, a temporary satellite library it opened in March 2024 at Old City Hall, 200 Texas St. The sites the city plans to buy for the new library: * 901 Summit Ave. and 900 Ballinger St. from 901 Summit LLC. * 915 and 919 Summit Ave. and 906 and 914 Ballinger St. from Patsy Pridgeon Drechsel, trustee of the Drechsel Bypass Trust, Dee Ann Drechsel and Roland Drechsel III. * 1400 Texas St. from Gary Drechsel, Randy Drechsel, Roland H.W. Drechsel III and Dee Ann Drechsel. One of the combined plots of land fronts Summit on the west, 10th on the north, and Ballinger on the south. There is a shuttered office building on the Summit section and parking along 10th and Ballinger. The second combined site is on the other side of 10th, fronts Summit, 10th and Ballinger, and is undeveloped. In addition to the purchase price for the sites, the City Council also will vote on up to $55,000 in closing costs for the transactions. Scott Nishimura is a senior editor for local government accountability and a Fort Worth City Hall reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Reach him at [email protected]. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.