This is an exciting time to be a part of the Flower Mound family. Whether it’s the Independence Fest, our Fort Wildflower community playground project, or our growing shopping and dining opportunities, there are many reasons to be proud of our Town.
On June 21, the Council held a work session that included discussion of the River Walk at Central Park development. Representatives were very positive about the project’s progress and plan to present a site plan to the Planning and Zoning commission in a few weeks. Market Street, an anchor in the River Walk development, formally filed an application with the Town for a 55,000 square-foot store location and hope to open their doors by the end of 2013.
The Council also met with Kroger representatives in June to discuss a $14.3 million improvement plan for the store located at the southwest corner of the FM 1171 and FM 2499 intersection, including the addition of a fueling station. During the meeting safety, traffic flow, and specific store improvements were examined. We believe Kroger will present their plans to the Council during the July 16 regular meeting.
Members of the Town Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, along with Town staff have also been in discussion with representatives from Lakeside DFW to work on the proposed development’s concept plan. Once the details have been finalized, the Lakeside DFW team will present an application status update during an upcoming Council meeting.
The Highlands Plaza project, located at the southeast corner of FM 407 and Chinn Chapel Road, is also moving forward in the development process. Highlands Plaza is slated to include Academy Sports and Outdoors, restaurants, and other retailers. With a renewed emphasis on economic development and the creation of highly-skilled, well-paying jobs, it is the Council’s goal to cultivate an attractive balance of commercial and residential components in our tax base, developing Flower Mound into a Town characterized by sustainable growth.
There is more good news from our business community; the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce was awarded with accredited status by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is one of 233 chambers to achieve this prestigious honor in the country and one of only 20 to be accredited in Texas, placing the Flower Mound Chamber in the top 3 percent of chambers of commerce. To achieve this status, the organization demonstrated competency in nine core areas ranging from finances to facilities. This milestone will help our local business community renew and promote sound business practices, policies, and procedures.
Another important goal of the Council is increased mobility throughout the Town. As you’ve probably noticed, there is a lot of construction happening on FM 407. Crews are working to widen the roadway from two to four lanes from Chinn Chapel Lane to Briar Hill Road. Traffic was recently moved to the south side of the road to allow workers to construct the westbound lanes. Once the westbound lanes are completed, traffic will be moved to the new lanes, while the eastbound lanes are constructed. The entire project is anticipated to be complete in July 2013.
Crews are also hard at work on the Morriss/Gerault Road flyover. Construction is underway to finish the bridge railing, complete the lanes where the flyover will merge with FM 2499, and finalize other enhancements such as painting, stone and brick work, and drainage. The project is estimated to be complete in September and will provide commuters a faster and more convenient way to work. As a commuter myself, I am familiar with the headache of morning traffic and look forward to working on future roadway improvement projects.
Mark Wise serves on the Flower Mound Town Council in Place 3 and is Flower Mound Deputy Mayor Pro Tem
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