The Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting comments from the public to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed alteration to the new Fort Worth city hall, according to a May 5 news release.

In a nutshell: The issue at hand is whether or not the city of Fort Worth should be allowed to alter a federal floodway as part of the renovation of the new city hall. According to previous Community Impact reporting, the city purchased the building, located at 100 Energy Way, for $69.5 million in January 2021 from Pier 1 Imports. Cost overruns attributed to added staffing, changes in scope to both the council chambers and tower, increased maintenance issues, changes to the footprint of council chambers caused by floodplain issues, and inflation have pushed the total cost of the new city hall from $180 million to $230 million.

The details: According to the Corps, portions of the proposed 28,000-square-foot council chambers facility, a parking garage, landscaping, sidewalk, access ramps and plaza would be located within a federal floodway. Written comments are being solicited from anyone having an interest in this proposed alteration. Comments will become part of the administrative record and will be considered in determining whether to approve the proposed alteration.

Zooming in: According to the Corps, the city will need to obtain a Section 408 permit in order to alter the floodway. The proposed alteration will be examined by a Corps technical review team considering the following factors:
  • The review team will determine if the proposed alteration would limit the ability of the federally authorized project to function as authorized, or would compromise or change any authorized project conditions, purposes or outputs.
  • The review team will determine the probable impacts of the proposed alteration, including cumulative impacts, on the public interest. Factors that may be relevant to the public interest may include, but are not limited to, such things as conservation, economic development, historic properties, cultural resources, environmental impacts, water supply, water quality, flood hazards, floodplains, residual risk, induced damages, navigation, shore erosion or accretion, and recreation.
  • A decision on a Section 408 request is a federal action subject to the National Environmental Policy Act and other applicable federal environmental and cultural resources compliance requirements.
According to the Corps, alterations to the floodway would have no effect to species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened or endangered within the action area for the Section 408 jurisdiction. Furthermore, the Corps has reviewed the proposed alteration for impacts to cultural resources, including a cultural resources assessment provided by the applicant, which indicates that the undertaking should have no effect to historic properties.

Long story short: The public can submit written comments on the proposed alteration before the June 4 deadline. According to the Corps, comments must reference the Section 408 Request ID #408-SWF-2022-0004 and project name, which is Fort Worth city hall. Comments and requests for additional information should be submitted to [email protected].


According to the Corps, telephone inquiries should be directed to Jason Story at 817-886-1852. Note that names and addresses of those who submit comments in response to this public notice may be made publicly available. For more information, visit the Fort Worth District Section 408 webpage at www.swf.usace.army.mil/Missions/Section-408.