A proposed helistop that was denied by Flower Mound Town Council in February is trying again, this time about three miles away in Double Oak.
The notice of public hearing for the special use permit, an exception to the Town’s zoning regulations, was posted to Double Oak’s website and is scheduled for July 1. According to the notice, the helistop’s location would be near 250 Simmons Road on a 15-acre lot.
Double Oak Mayor Patrick Johnson said the applicant’s plan is to request a zoning change from agricultural to residential, so he can build a group of houses for him and his family.
In addition, he is requesting a special use permit for the helistop so he can go to football games up in Oklahoma and other events, Johnson was told, six to eight times per year.
Johnson also said the applicant plans to put in a lighting system for the town at the helistop that would qualify it to fly out Double Oak or surrounding residents that need to be taken by helicopter to a hospital.
“We’ve got a tenured town, more than half of our residents are over 50 years old,” he said. “Sometimes safety comes down to minutes or seconds, and with how bad [FM] 407 traffic is becoming, if there’s the capability for someone to be CareFlighted from our town, that is why something like this could be beneficial.”
However, he said he has no opinion on the application right now and will let the political process play out.
“We explained to [the applicant] that this has to run its course through planning and zoning and there’s no yes until you hear it in a P&Z meeting and then in a Town Council vote,” said Johnson.
Former Double Oak Mayor Mike Donnelly said a helicopter landing area like the one proposed is not compatible with today’s Double Oak.
“We are a town of neighborhoods, homes, families, wildlife, horses, steers and cows,” he said. “If it was 60 or 70 years ago when nothing was built out here and it was a 100-acre ranch or something, I could see it if somebody wanted to do it.”
Johnson said part of leading is knowing there are more than one side to every request.
“We’re letting the consideration of something like this occur and we’ll see how the vote turns out,” he said. “This gentleman is trying to do things in a proper manner and we think that’s honorable as a friend to our community.”
Donnelly favored how the Town of Flower Mound voted – no, unanimously.
“It was cut and dry in Flower Mound,” he said. “And I think the majority of Double Oak citizens encourage people to enjoy their properties, but we also enjoy peace, quiet and our privacy. A helicopter flying over our properties, it’s going to create safety concerns.”
Johnson said he understands the noise and safety concerns, but noted the location of the Town near multiple airports with aircrafts constantly flying over, saying it’s a normal part of living in the area.
Another point brought up in the Flower Mound hearings was the possibility that it would decrease property values, but Johnson thinks the applicant’s plan might do the opposite.
“He’s going to be building nice, expensive homes for himself and his family, and that will have an added benefit to our town as it relates to property tax revenues,” he said. “I’m keenly interested in hearing both sides, but any positive development that can occur in Double Oak is a good thing, and I think it should be heard out by all citizens.”
The applicant did not respond to calls for comment.
The public hearing before Double Oak’s Planning and Zoning Commission will begin at 7 p.m. in the Cook Wilkinson Community Government Room, located at 320 Waketon Road in Double Oak.
Flower Mound votes no
Between two Flower Mound Planning and Zoning hearings and a Town Council meeting, an overwhelming amount of opposition poured in from the community with concerns of noise, environmental impacts and a lack of benefits for anyone other than the applicant.
The noise from the helicopter during landing or takeoff would have exceeded the Town’s noise ordinance by up to 30 decibels. The applicant’s representatives said the drop-off or pickup process would take around two minutes.
Safety was another concern, but, as was brought up in the second Planning and Zoning hearing, any FAA regulations will preempt anything the Town would impose. This would be the same with the Double Oak application.
However, P&Z unanimously denied recommendation of approval and Town Council unanimously denied approval on the basis that a helistop doesn’t fit the location and fails to maintain the quality of life residents expect.
“The Cross Timbers is such a beautiful area,” said Flower Mound Mayor Pro Tem Ann Martin. “And we have all talked about wanting to preserve that area with special standards and requirements.”
P&Z and Town Council also emphasized not making a precedent for special use permits like this one, which might affect future decisions with similar requests.
The applicant’s lot size in the Flower Mound request was 7.74 acres.
“A helicopter landing area special use permit will produce unreasonable noise and safety concerns for current homeowners and is not compatible with already existing neighborhood homes and existing uses like adjacent horse farms,” said Donnelly. “Therefore, just like Flower Mound did, Double Oak’s government should unanimously deny this helicopter SUP application to fully represent and protect the town and its 3,100 residents.”
For What It’s Worth
One resident pointed out that Dallas had unanimously denied a request from Ross Perot to build a personal helicopter landing area at his Dallas home in 1980, which The New York Times reported on.
