Kroger yanks expansion plans

Kroger’s plan to expand their aging store in Flower Mound is off the table for now.

The company requested Friday that plans to expand their store at FM 1171 and FM 2499 in Flower Mound be removed from the planning and zoning board’s agenda this month.

In a message to the town, Kroger officials stated, “Based on the Town’s decision to deny our request for approval both at Planning and Zoning and Council, Kroger has lost all funding for this project. We will continue to monitor the situation at this Flower Mound store and explore all of our options regarding this location.”

Kroger did not get the approval needed from council on Nov. 21 to green light a proposed $14 million expansion and add gas pumps, primarily due to traffic concerns.  Instead, the project was sent back to planning & zoning committee members for reconsideration at their Dec. 12 meeting. 

Mayor Melissa Northern said that even though the announcement was a disappointment, she and the council are committed to working out something with the grocer.

“We are talking with Kroger corporate in Cincinnati and The Weitzman Group to try to keep this project moving forward,” said Northern.

She said she believes that more dialog needs to occur with The Weitzman Group since they control Kroger’s parking lot and can assist with the changes requested to move the proposed gas station to a safer location.