A proposed Residence Inn by Marriott hotel at Lakeside had too many exceptions for Flower Mound Planning and Zoning’s liking, leading to its unanimous recommendation of denial when it goes to Town Council.
The 99,240-square-foot hotel was proposed to go in at Lakeside Crossing at the southwest corner of FM 2499 and Lakeside Parkway, near the proposed Marty B’s Coffee Co.
According to town documents, an extended stay hotel is allowed through a Specific Use Permit in that area, but the applicant proposed a five-story, 138-room hotel on 2.51 acres, equating to 55 rooms per acre.
The town’s ordinance for an extended stay hotel only approves 40 rooms per acre, which for this project would cap it at 100 rooms.
In addition, the applicant wanted an exception to the town’s requirement of one parking spot per hotel room. The Residence Inn was requesting one space per 0.76 rooms, which would drop the required amount of spaces from 138 to 105.
Traffic concerns combined with the perception of an extended stay hotel gave the commissioners cause for concern.
“My first concern is the density. It’s the first extended stay hotel in the town and the requests are immense,” said commissioner Deb Fitzpatrick. “It feels like we’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole here because of the density and the town code that limits the number of rooms.”
Despite an effort by Realty Capital’s Nic Ready, the developer of Lakeside Crossing, to ensure commissioners the hotel will be upscale enough to attract Flower Mound’s target clientele and conceding about four rooms.
“You would have to go down in quality to get to that density, we feel like we’re putting a cute, boutique hotel,” he said. “People that stay at Residence Inns are upstanding citizens because of its high-end, boutique feel that happens to have extended stay with amenities. Overall, it’s a beautiful development.”
To ease traffic and parking concerns, Ready said the hotel wouldn’t have a restaurant and large conference rooms, so there wouldn’t be a draw for anyone but occupants.
However, the commissioners weren’t convinced.
“When Marty B’s is there, I don’t see how that’s going to flow well because of the limited parking,” said Vice Chair Jason Hobbs. “Everyone wants a hotel here, that’s what people are expecting, but I’m stuck on parking and the flow of traffic.”
The commission was also concerned about future upkeep and maintenance and if the property could retain the upscale feel throughout the Lakeside development.
Fitzpatrick brought up the possibility of a hit to nearby property values because of the “extended stay” tag, even though it is marketed as upscale by the applicant.
“I’m worried about property values – they can be affected by perception,” she said.
Commissioner Michelle Jackson was opposed to any sort of extended stay hotel, saying it would be more aligned with the town’s standard to find an individually-owned, boutique-style hotel.
“There are 70 extended stay within a 20-mile radius of this area. I don’t want Flower Mound to have the same thing everyone else has,” she said. “I want us to be special and keep our luxury feel. For me, this is not unique.”
According to P&Z, the commission received 45 emails in opposition to the project. Three others spoke in opposition at the meeting.
Town documents show a 2017 application for the same site requested a 74,422-square-foot, five-story, 134-room hotel. The project was approved, but never constructed.
In order for Town Council to override P&Z’s unanimous recommendation to deny, the Residence Inn by Marriott would need a supermajority vote of four to pass.
At Town Council’s meeting on Feb. 2, they fell one vote short of overriding P&Z’s decision to deny a self-storage center.
