Judge Grants Injunction Blocking East Plano Development

A North Texas judge issued a temporary injunction halting development efforts for The Meadow, a massive 402-acre mixed-use project planned for Collin and Hunt counties.

The ruling from the 493rd District Court effectively blocks the Double R Municipal Utility District No. 2A of Hunt and Collin counties from taking action to support the site’s infrastructure. The Dallas Morning News reported that the injunction is the latest move in a legal battle involving the Texas Attorney General’s office and the utility district created to support development of The Meadow, formerly referred to as the East Plano Islamic Center, or EPIC City.

State officials allege the district attempted to evade oversight through improper board appointments and an unlawful expansion of its boundaries to include the development area.

The Meadow was designed as a Muslim-centric neighborhood featuring more than 1,000 homes and a K-12 faith-based school. The master plan also includes a mosque, elderly and assisted living facilities, retail shops and a community college roughly 40 miles northeast of downtown Dallas.

The court order specifically requires the Double R MUD to cease service to any lands recently annexed by its board, which includes the entire development site, according to the publication. The restriction effectively prevents the district from moving forward with sewer and water infrastructure necessary for the residential components.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit claims that the district’s original board members resigned in favor of new leaders who did not meet state qualifications to serve. The state alleges these members did not own land or maintain voter registration within the district, rendering their annexation of the 400-acre site illegal.

Under Texas law, municipal utility districts are authorized to issue bonds to repay developers for infrastructure costs like drainage and flood control. However, Community Capital Partners had not yet received the necessary utility district approvals or permits required to begin construction on the project, according to the outlet.

The legal challenge is compounded by a recent decision from Hunt County officials to reject a preliminary plat application for the development. General counsel Daniel Ray cited “technical, regulatory and legal deficiencies” as the primary reasons for the commissioners court’s denial.

Ray said that the decision was not based on the project’s religious or demographic focus, according to the outlet, which has drawn significant community attention. He stated that such factors cannot legally form the basis of any decision made by the county’s governing body.

Developer Community Capital Partners and attorney Eric Hudson have defended the project, characterizing The Meadow as a lawful residential development. Representatives for the firm did not immediately return requests for comment following the issuance of the temporary injunction.

The project remains under intense scrutiny from state leadership, with Gov. Greg Abbott directing four separate state agencies to investigate the development and its affiliated entities. Abbott confirmed via social media that these investigations remain ongoing.

The legal proceedings are expected to continue through the year, with a trial for the Attorney General’s lawsuit currently scheduled for November.

— Eric Weilbacher