Friday, Jul. 18, 2008
P&Z: The River Walk, Not Urban Drilling
By Adrian McCandless
Staff Writer
The River Walk at Central Park was the main discussion topic on the agenda at the Flower Mound Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Monday, but an overflow audience also listened to residents who came to speak about urban drilling and the impact of the Red Oak Sabine petition against the town’s Oil and Gas Board.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Nick Hollingshad said that although the Red Oak petition was listed on the agenda, the meeting would focus on The River Walk. He added that commissioners would listen to comments from the public on urban drilling in the citizen’s comments section of the meeting.
Flower Mound Development Services Executive Director Douglas Powell discussed amendmends to both the Master Plan and land development regulations. He said the Master Plan did not have a definition for the term mixed-use which is needed to develop The River Walk as both a residential and business community.
Powell added that the existing Land and Development Regulations need to be amended to create a Central Business District designation for The River Walk.
"A Central Business District allows flexibility and provides developers the ability to create a unique standard for this area," Powell said.
Representing The River Walk design firm, David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Michael Swartz said mixing residential and business areas will create a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented community.
"The term for mixed-use is defined as different types of buildings in the same area," Swartz said. "We want to build the The River Walk the way towns used to be built … when there weren’t designated areas for living or working."
The commissioners also listened to a presentation on the addition of a new proposed hospital which will be an anchor in potentially built on The River Walk development.
Design plans for the proposed Presbyterian Hospital of Flower Mound were presented by the ThPR Corporation. ThPR Senior Vice President Cindy Slaydon urged plans to be pushed forward to secure the hospital’s existence in Flower Mound.
"This is one of the most exciting hospitals I have ever planned to build," Slaydon said. "However, if we are not moving dirt by the end of September, we will not be on the timeline we need to complete the hospital."
"The River Walk is a fantastic addition to our town, but I think it has significant hurdles to get across to be approved … it is so radically different from everything else we have in this town," Hollingshad said.
Of the three residents who spoke about urban drilling, Sylvia Inboden was the only one who said she supported the drilling required for the town to proceed with The River Walk project.
"It is my understanding that The River Walk project can not go forward as we would like until the gas issue gets resolved," Inboden said.
Speaking against drilling in Flower Mound were residents Deanna Miles and Peggie Kimberlin, who is a PALS Board member.
Miles said she lives in Flower Mound for its clean air, clean water and safe atmosphere and feels urban drilling would take those amenities from the town.
"Drilling in urban areas is a new issue … one that has never been acceptable in the past … even by oil and gas companies," Miles said.
Peggie Kimberlin said Flower Mound has more to offer than oil and gas.
"We are entrusting you as representatives of our community," Kimberlin said. "Please use your common sense and be stewards of this land … protect us from people who are trying to rob us blind."
The Red Oak petition is scheduled to be at the July 17 Flower Mound Town Council workshop and regular Town Council meeting on Monday. The regularly scheduled Oil and Gas Board meeting on July 16 was cancelled.
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