By Flower Mound Mayor Tom Hayden
Last month, we had some exciting news about the River Walk project.
Residents have some new restaurants to look forward to along the future restaurant row, including: Torchy’s Tacos, Steel City Pops, Tokyo Joe’s, and Blaze Pizza. Dee Lincoln, of Del Frisco’s fame, is also opening a 5,000-square-foot Dee Lincoln’s Steakhouse at the River Walk.
We also anticipate being able to announce some great entertainment options as well in the coming months, along with some retailers. The buzz continues to grow about the River Walk among the restaurant and retail industry. In fact, many of these great concepts were recruited by our own economic development director, Mark Wood.
While we are waiting for restaurant row to open, there are many portions of the River Walk development already open and thriving. This 158-acre project also includes the River Walk Market, comprised of Market Street, La Madeleine, Mellow Mushroom, Luna Grill, Hollywood Feed, and more.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Flower Mound is also part of the River Walk development, along with its attached fully leased office building. We also have many Flower Mound residents living in the 307 multi-family units at Park Central off of Morriss Road.
By the end of this year, the river pump system will be operational, the east side infrastructure complete and the west portion started and the water wall will be finished along with the traffic signal at Cross Timbers Road and River Walk Drive (formerly Forums Drive). The road through Timber Creek will be started as well as most of the residential units.
By the end of 2016, residents will be able to take advantage of restaurant row, the amphitheater, a farmer’s market, the chapel and the town’s first hotel – the Courtyard by Marriott. Many of the single-family homes will also be complete within the development.
Something you may not know – very soon, more than 2,700 trees (3- to 6-inch caliper) will be planted within the River Walk. Approximately 180 of them were saved during construction for replanting and 700 specimen and protected trees were able to be saved. Some of the tree species that will be planted include: red oak, live oak, Chinquapin oak, cedar elm, slippery elm, lacebark elm, and American elm.
While we often criticize developers for knocking trees down; sometimes we don’t celebrate the ones enough who plant them. This is an impressive number of trees being planted and yes, it will take some years for them to grow large, but it will certainly help our town’s tree canopy.
While we are in the swing of summer, many businesses come to Flower Mound to solicit new customers. Flower Mound has one of the strongest solicitor policies and requires the business and the individual soliciting to have a permit. While it is against the law to fully prohibit solicitors, there are limitations.
There is no soliciting allowed on public property or on Sundays and holidays. Those with permits must do so Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. or civil twilight (whichever comes first). If you do encounter a solicitor without a permit, please call our police department’s non-emergency line at 972-539-0525.
Residents are also welcome to purchase a “no solicitors” sign from the Flower Mound Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association. Our ordinance also makes it illegal for someone to hand out handbills, canvass the property or solicit if there is a “no trespassing” or “no solicitation” sign displayed. These signs must be no smaller than three by four inches in size, and contain the words “no trespassing” or “no solicitors” in letters no smaller than two-thirds of an inch tall.
Of course, any institution or group organized for a political, religious or charitable purpose, such as booster clubs and girl scouts are allowed to go door-to-door, except when a no solicitation sign is present.
For more information about our solicitor ordinance, please take a look at our town ordinance online.
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