A North Texas judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking a municipal utility district accused of illegally supporting a proposed Muslim-centric real estate development known as EPIC City - now rebranded as "The Meadow" - from taking virtually any official action.
Collin County's 493rd Judicial District Court issued the TRO Thursday against the Double R Municipal Utility District No. 2A of Hunt and Collin Counties, as well as named members of its board, one day before the board was set to hold a scheduled meeting.
The order prevents Double R MUD's board from directing the district's activities and operations, accepting or appointing new directors, or taking up any agenda item that was set for Friday's meeting - with narrow exceptions limited to matters related to ongoing litigation.
The five named defendants - Yaneli Molina, Hatim Mahmoud Yusuf, Nadeem Ashraf Khan, Asim Hussain Khan, and Faisal Abbas - are accused of violating portions of the Texas Water Code. The order states they did not own taxable property within the MUD's geographic boundaries before a September 12, 2025, annexation of new lands.
The TRO follows a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who alleges the board orchestrated a takeover of the dormant utility district rather than forming a new one, specifically to provide water and wastewater services to The Meadow. Paxton's office accused the board of helping developers circumvent the state's standard application process for creating a new utility district.
The developer, Community Capital Partners, has pushed back against the lawsuit, calling it religious discrimination by the state. The firm said Paxton's explicit references to EPIC in official press materials confirm the action is not neutral enforcement.
The proposed development would include a mosque, a religious school, and additional community amenities. Construction on The Meadow has not yet begun.
The state's legal pressure is one piece of a sprawling campaign targeting the project. In February, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development opened a Fair Housing Act investigation into The Meadow, with HUD Secretary Scott Turner saying the development may have engaged in religious discrimination. The U.S. Department of Justice has also launched its own investigation following a request by Sen. John Cornyn.
A hearing on the state's request for a full temporary injunction is scheduled for Monday, March 30. If no further action is taken, the TRO expires April 1.
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