The ordinance rezoned the Flower Mound Ranch area that expands from the intersection of Cross Timbers Road and U.S. Highway 377 from agricultural district and interim holding to mixed use district-2.
The plan includes the construction of 6,000 apartments, 3,000 single-family homes and six-eight million square feet of commercial buildings.
The number of multi-family units is capped at 1,700 apartments in the first 10 years, plus one apartment for every 1,000 square feet of commercial development. The limit was amended from a hard cap of 2,750 apartments in the first 10 years.
There is no specific timetable for the development of Flower Mound Ranch, but the full construction is expected to take 30-40 years, according to land planner Randi Rivera.
Rivera added that the ultimate goal is for Flower Mound Ranch to be a “town within a town.”
“When I first ran... I said the town needs to encourage commercial development on our western edge,” councilman Jim Engle said. “This project will fulfill that vision for me... This is going to be like Lakeside but 10 times better.”
The motion passed 3-2, with Mayor Pro Tem Sandeep Sharma and council member Adam Schiestel voting in opposition.
Both Sharma and Schiestel cited issues with the housing density.
“What we’re considering today is 1,000 acres and ultimately we’ll have 9,000 homes, so that’s four times the density of Lantana," Schiestel said. "Even if the project develops exactly as planned, in my opinion, that’s just more density than this area can handle.”
Forty-eight speakers spoke in favor of Flower Mound Ranch. In addition, 35 non-speaking cards were sent to the town council in support of the project and many attendees also silently showed their support by wearing light blue shirts.
Thirteen speakers spoke against the development, most of which were concerned with the density of apartments. Seven non-speaking cards were also submitted against Flower Mound Ranch.
