The planning and zoning commission unanimously recommended approval of the site plan, which has exception requests for a reduced landscape buffer and a flat roof, during the June 23 meeting.
The overview
The Flower Mound Hindu Temple is looking to build on undeveloped land near Flower Mound High School. A proposed site plan submitted to the commission included plans for a temple with around 9,145 square feet of space, according to town documents.
Additionally, the site plan included two exceptions that would allow for the removal of a landscape buffer typically required for a different land use adjacent to a residential area and a flat roof for the building. Claire Barnes, a senior planner with Flower Mound, said the landscape buffer exception is necessary to accommodate a 26-foot fire lane needed to access the proposed temple.
The design of the temple, including the flat roof and two proposed vimanas, are dictated by Hindu scriptures, said Jason Kilpatrick, an engineering representative for the project from civil engineering firm Ridinger Associates. The building will be within the 35-foot height requirements outlined by the town, Kilpatrick said.
The site will include 87 parking spaces, per town documents. Bindu Gujjarlapudi, a member of the Hindu temple, said weekday sessions will be held between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m. while weekend sessions will have similar evening hours and an early session from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
“It's like a retail place where you come and go,” Gujjarlapudi said. “It is not like there is a specified time all the people will come at one given time slot.”
Some context
Previously, site plans for other church buildings on the same property were approved, but nothing was ever developed, according to town documents.
The approvals came in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
What they’re saying
Residents of the nearby Walnut Grove neighborhood had concerns about the impact to traffic, such as Friday nights during the high school football season, privacy and noise because of the new temple.
“This building is an extremely unique architectural feature and it is not compatible with the residential structures that are currently bordering that area,” resident Vincent Gallo said. “The entry and exit go from fenceline to fenceline. The entryway will be a foot-and-a-half from [my neighbor’s] back fence.”
Sandeep Sharma, a member of the Flower Mound Hindu Temple, said that all of the activities within the space will be indoors and there are no external speakers that would produce noise.
Going forward
With the recommendation from the planning and zoning commission, council will consider final action at an upcoming meeting.
Sharma said construction of the new temple should begin in January and wrap up in the third quarter of 2026.
