The town’s planning and zoning commission took up a request for a specific use permit for the helistop at its Jan. 13 meeting. The commission tabled the matter, allowing the applicant to come back and present their case Feb. 10.
The details
The helistop is proposed for a 7.74 acre undeveloped lot south of Cross Timbers Road and west of Belle Drive. What’s proposed is a 36-feet by 36-feet pad with a grass surface bordered by a 2-foot wide concrete edge. It would sit 175 feet due west of the property line containing an open space lot within the Hillside of Flower Mound residential subdivision, and about 200 feet northwest of a developed single-family lot in the subdivision.
The applicant behind the project, Ken Frisby of Frisby Enterprises, said in documents submitted to the town that the helipad would be used twice a month on average for 2-3 minutes at a time. If the helistop is approved, Frisby will have to apply for a permit of variance because of the level of noise a helicopter could make near the adjacent residential areas.
If the specific use permit is approved, town staff recommended the helipad only be used between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday, along with several other restrictions.
What they’re saying
Several residents turned out to the Jan. 13 meeting of the planning and zoning commission, urging commissioners to deny the specific use permit.
“This helistop is not appropriate for this part of town,” Flower Mound resident Ed Pete said.
Area residents raised concerns about the noise the helicopters could produce and safety.
However, Frisby said residents didn’t understand the application and the process behind it. He said he only heard about their concerns that morning, which is why he requested the commission table its vote on the matter for a month. This would allow his time to put together a presentation to address resident concerns.
What else?
The vote to table was split among commissioners, meaning the chair had to make a vote. He voted to table the vote on the helistop.
“I want to be fair to all parties and I ask you as my neighbors to go with me and give the applicant four weeks to prepare what he wants to prepare so we can thoroughly understand both sides,” Chairperson Donald Gilmore said.
