A public hearing was scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. in Plano, drawing community members eager to express their opinions on the newly proposed EPIC City expansions. The Dallas Express was in attendance; however, the event did not go as planned.

The hearing was scheduled to take place at 4740 14th Street in Plano, at the EPIC Office Suites near the large mosque. It was attended by residents who wanted to formally speak about their concerns regarding the growth of the mosque and the network of associated buildings in the area.

Officers at The Plano Police Department told The Dallas Express that the public hearing was cancelled after the property owner withdrew permission for community members to speak on-site, leaving attendees confused and frustrated.

Despite the cancellation, two community members who had prepared speeches shared their ideas about EPIC’s leaders’ lack of transparency and raised questions about their expansion efforts.

Kelly Smith, who identified herself as a Christian Texan, was vocal about her concerns regarding infrastructure and resource sustainability in the area, not to mention the cultural impact.

“What’s the plan for the city anyway? Are all the Muslims in Plano going to move out and go live there? Or is it going to result in even more people coming here?” Smith said.

Kelly Smith speaking

“Texas has a water crisis. Doc Chambers even mentioned it when he was campaigning for governor, and nobody’s talking about it. Most people don’t even know. And yet, we keep building and building. No concern. Just because somebody has a lot of money and an idea of wanting to build a city doesn’t mean they should be able to do so, assimilate or leave,” Smith continued.

Ashley Louden offered her remarks, focusing on legal and governance questions surrounding EPIC’s seemingly mysterious oversight board.

“Days before a court hearing, you’re holding an emergency meeting to restructure leadership, which has now been canceled; that does not build trust. It looks like damage control,” Louden said.

“But it doesn’t stop there. There are also serious concerns about whether this board has been operating behind the scenes. From the outside looking in, it appears that discussions and decisions may have taken place outside of properly noticed public meetings, and that raises a major issue. This is a governmental body; you do not get to operate a private under Texas law. Your meetings are required to be open, properly posted, and accessible to the public. The people in this county are paying attention, because if the foundation wasn’t done right, then everything built on top of it is now in question,” Louden added.

“There is a real concern in our community about ensuring that everything associated with this development operates fully within Texas and U.S. law – no parallel systems, no exceptions, and no ambiguity,” Louden said.

The last-minute cancellation of Friday’s hearing – initiated not by organizers but by the property owner himself – added another layer of uncertainty to proceedings that community members say already lack clarity.

Officer J. Hernandez confirmed to The Dallas Express that police were made aware of the hearing’s cancellation, though no further details about the property owner’s decision were immediately available.

Paxton Secures Restraining Order to Halt EPIC City-Backed District Maneuvers

Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a temporary restraining order on Thursday blocking Double R Municipal Utility District No. 2A from advancing plans tied to the controversial EPIC City development, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.

Paxton’s lawsuit alleges that the district was hijacked to skirt state requirements for forming a new municipal utility district, allowing developers to levy taxes and push forward without proper oversight.

“This TRO is a win for the rule of law,” Paxton said. “Allowing Double R MUD to meet in this way would have only furthered its illegal scheme to support EPIC City.”

The freeze remains in place until a temporary injunction hearing later this month. The full temporary restraining order is available here.

The Dallas Express will continue to follow developments related to the EPIC City project as they unfold.