A special use permit request for a helistop at 250 Simmons Road in Double Oak has been resubmitted with a public hearing scheduled for Thursday, August 7.
The news comes after the original public hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, was canceled when the applicant withdrew the application due to a “procedural error.”
“There’s a requirement to put appropriate signage on the property that the applicant didn’t follow,” said Town Administrator Chris Laugenour. “So, in order to be transparent and follow the rules, he said he will resubmit the application and follow the correct process.”
Double Oak Mayor Patrick Johnson released a statement that supports what he said when the original request was submitted: everyone should have a fair chance when it comes to their land use.
“The Town of Double Oak reaffirms its commitment to open, fair and consistent land use governance by providing clarification on the zoning change and Specific Use Permit process,” he said. “The Town emphasizes that no promises or assurances have been made to any applicant regarding the outcome of their request. All zoning and SUP matters are subject to a legally defined, public review process that applies equally to all property owners.”
Residents near the 250 Simmons Road property raised concerns over the plan, citing noise pollution, safety concerns and a decrease in property values.
While safety concerns can’t be addressed by the Town because the federal rules and regulations will supersede anything the Town can impose, residents still believe no helistop is safer than having one.
“We are a town of neighborhoods, homes, families, wildlife, horses, steers and cows,” said former Double Oak Mayor Mike Donnelly. “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.”
In regard to the noise issues, Johnson noted the plethora of airports in the area, along with other planes and helicopters that often fly over.
When the applicant submitted a request for the helicopter landing area in Flower Mound, residents there said those nearby airports should accommodate the applicant’s flying schedule without having to build one on a property, bothering nearby properties.
The request was unanimously denied by Flower Mound’s Town Council.
A helistop is only part of the application. The applicant wants to replat and rezone the land for residential use, making a compound of houses for him and his children.
The special use permit would allow for a helistop where he would get picked up by a helicopter that is housed off-site “6-8 times per year,” so he can fly to college football games and other events, according to Johnson.
As part of his request, the applicant said he would add adequate lighting that qualifies the helistop to be an emergency landing area in the case of an emergency in the Town, which Johnson said could be beneficial to a Town that has many senior citizens.
The first step in the process is a hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission on August 7 at 7 p.m. It will be in the Cook Wilkinson Community Government Room at 320 Waketon Road.
Johnson encouraged residents to attend and provide comments.
Whether P&Z votes to recommend approval or denial, a hearing before Town Council will be the second step. If the request is approved, the zoning change or special use permit is finalized through the adoption of a formal ordinance.
“This zoning and SUP process is designed to ensure transparency, consistency and fairness,” said Johnson. “It gives every property owner the same opportunity to request a change in land use, while ensuring that all such requests are reviewed openly and under the guidance of applicable local and state laws. No applicant receives special treatment, and decisions are made only after public hearings and full legal compliance.”
For more information on the process or to access hearing agendas, visit the Double Oak website.
