Double Oak residents gained some peace of mind shortly before midnight Thursday when the Town’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend that Town Council reject the proposed helistop.
Hundreds of Double Oak residents showed up to speak at a packed, hot, stuffy Town Hall Community Room against the proposed helistop on 250 Simmons Road.
After more than two hours of public hearing, P&Z recommended the Town Council deny the special use permit that would allow a helistop on 15 acres at 250 Simmons Road.
“None of the zones in the Town of Double Oak, by right, give permission for a helistop,” said Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Andrew Weaver. “It is our job to decide if this is compatible with the surrounding area and our recommendation reflects that.”
Mayor Patrick Johnson was in attendance and watched the meeting. Afterwards, he applauded the residents for showing up to voice their opinions and gave credit to Weaver for keeping the 5-hour meeting in order the whole time.
“The process is working,” he said. “Residents showed up and our Planning and Zoning Commission did a great job, especially Chairman Weaver. Next, it will go to Town Council and we will conduct the meeting just as it was tonight.”
Concerns of noise, safety, property values and a lack of compatibility were all brought up by residents.
Brawley Farms owner Bob Brawley, who is a neighbor of the applicant, complemented Scrivner as a neighbor and a person, but said he is worried how his horses will react with the noise from a helicopter landing and taking off.
Brawley was asked by the commission to further explain how a helistop and air traffic would affect his business. He said the scariest part would be a horse’s reaction that could injure a rider or handler.
”Horses don’t like things overhead,” he said. “They are easily spooked creatures and can become unpredictable.”
If a horse were to get scared and injure itself, it could set back Brawley and his business hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Despite a letter saying he wants to “become a member of the community,” applicant Bill Scrivner did not show up to the public hearing, which rubbed many residents the wrong way.
It’s the same situation that happened at the Flower Mound P&Z and Town Council meetings. Scrivner was a no-show.
More than 50 people spoke against the helistop, with more signing up that didn’t stay to speak.
One speaker, a resident of McKinney and friend of the applicant, spoke in support of Scrivner.
Ken Frisby of Frisby Enterprises represented the applicant.
He said Scrivner would allow the Town to utilize the helistop as a spot for a medical helicopter to land in the case of an emergency. However, the effort wasn’t enough to turn the commission in favor of the plan.
In addition to the helistop, P&Z took action of recommendation on two other items in regard to the 250 Simmons Road property.
The first, a request to divide Scrivner’s 15-acre property into five separate lots, was denied recommendation by a vote of 5-2. Commissioners had concerns about proposed Lot 1, which failed to measure wide enough for Town ordinances (lots must be at least 150 feet wide).
Also, they were concerned with easement issues that caused a lot to be landlocked. Despite Frisby advocating for the applicant and his wishes to pass the land down to multiple generations, the Commission said it was unable to hold that as a binding agreement and must assume the land would be sold eventually.
If the division were to be approved, it would have prevented access to individual lots on the property.
The second, a proposal to rezone the subdivisions into Ranch Estates, Single Family Residential and Agriculture – Type 2, were recommended approval with conditions. When it reaches Town Council, the applicant will have to request four lots be zoned Ranch Estate and one be zoned Agriculture – Type 2.
Commission recommended these changes because ranch estate, which specifies a bigger house be built on the land, will “be more compatible with the area around it.”
Next, the three items, including the proposed helistop, will make its way to Town Council for a final decision, which is scheduled for Monday, August 18.
