Town of Flower Mound, Texas

2121 Cross Timbers Road
Flower Mound, Texas 75028
972.874.6000

For service requests or questions, email
townhall@flower-mound.com
or call 972.539.SERV. After hours, please call 972.539.0525.

Town of Flower Mound 50th Anniversary Series
1961 – 2011: An Unwavering Vision
Honoring the Master Plan
SMARTGrowth
2011 - A Year of Progress

From the Mayor's Desk

Mayor Melissa D. Northern

May 2012

Mayor's Message

This has been a busy spring in Flower Mound. We are working to open new parks and recreational facilities, aggressively recruiting new economic development projects, and preparing a 2012-2013 budget that will meet the community’s needs while also remaining fiscally conservative. We continue to work on large-scale projects that will have a high impact, improve basic services, and ensure Flower Mound remains a Town our residents are proud to call home.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of State, a delegation of Polish officials recently visited Flower Mound to learn about how the Town successfully balances community integrity and resident safety with gas well drilling and production operations. The group of Polish Governors and energy experts discussed several issues including the Town’s Oil and Gas Ordinance; Pipeline Ordinance; regulatory practices; and air, water, and soil monitoring and testing; and the impact shale gas exploration has had on our community.

The U.S. State Department considers Flower Mound an essential stop for the delegations who want to learn about best practices for the management of gas well drilling and operations. In addition to the dignitaries from Poland, Flower Mound has also hosted oil and gas well drilling summits for delegations from Morocco, India, Columbia, and Jordan. I am proud that our regulation efforts and hard work are being recognized on a national, and now international, level. What began as a heart-felt desire to protect our community, now serves as a leadership model for others across the globe.

Flower Mound is also preparing for the 83rd Texas Legislative Session, scheduled for spring 2013. We will proactively monitor and address all proposed legislation that could affect our community including bills regarding local control, oil and gas well drilling and operations, and transportation. Leading the regional effort, we will host a meeting of the Denton County Mayor’s organization this summer to begin looking at shared legislative priorities. The event will feature a representative from the Texas Municipal League who will speak to the group about upcoming legislative issues that could be of concern to local Denton County governments and residents.

In preparing the 2012-2013 budget, we at Town Hall are ensuring Flower Mound will continue to evolve and improve without an ad valorem tax increase. During the past two years we have established a fiscally conservative record with a history of renegotiating contracts, establishing new short- and long-term financial policies, and exploring opportunities to reduce costs while still improving services.

Staying loyal to our community values and commitment to quality development helped us weather the difficult economy and placed us in a position to continue growing. In looking at the next budget season, my priorities will remain the same as they have for the past two years. I will work to ensure the Town acts with sound fiscal management to protect our most precious assets – our families, homes, and businesses – and will continue honoring the community vision, placing citizens first, and supporting the Master Plan and SMARTGrowth program.

Good News

There are many new and exciting things happening in the economic development division. The Town Council recently approved a unique Chapter 380 Agreement that provides the framework to encourage top online retailers to open e-commerce centers in Flower Mound. A Chapter 380 Agreement is a tool utilized by Texas municipalities to provide assistance for economic development. This Chapter 380 Agreement is unique because it pro-actively addresses e-commerce, a fast-growing sector of economic development.

In some cases, companies are reducing the number or size of their brick and mortar stores and focusing on e-commerce due to customers choosing the convenience of shopping online. Furthermore, Texas is one of a few origin-based sales tax states, meaning when someone orders an item online, the sales tax is paid to the city where the online order was processed. Therefore, if a customer in Austin placed an order with an e-commerce company based in Flower Mound, the Town will receive the sales tax collected on that order. This is a win-win opportunity that fosters e-commerce within the Town in addition to benefitting our community and residents.

The Town Council also approved agreements with The Retail Coach and TIP Strategies economic development consulting firms. The Retail Coach is a national retail consulting, market research, and development firm that will provide a comprehensive assessment of Flower Mound in order to develop tailored retail strategies for targeted retailers. The Retail Coach has already worked with several other Texas cities including McKinney, Round Rock, and Corsicana.

TIP Strategies is a company specializing in economic development strategic planning and plans to match Flower Mound’s assets with national and international trends to identify industries that have the highest potential for thriving and bringing high-quality jobs to our community. TIP Strategies’ Texas client list includes Southlake, McKinney, Addison, Rowlett, Dallas, Austin, Bexar County (San Antonio), Houston, Round Rock, Georgetown, San Marcos, and Conroe.

Residents will soon see activity at the northwest corner of FM 3040 and Old Orchard as work begins on Orchard Flower, a senior housing development that also includes retail space. In addition, The Town Council will discuss and consider plans this month for The Highlands Plaza, a commercial project located at the southeast corner of Chinn Chapel Road and FM 407 comprised of Academy Sports and Outdoors, several restaurants, and additional retailers. In other good news, we recently welcomed seven new businesses to Flower Mound including Double “A” Glass; North Star Diagnostic Imaging; Pin High; Scooter’s Coffeehouse & Yogurt; Boomer Financial Solutions; Prototype I T; and O S A – Diagnostics.

In Progress

I recently attended the TxDOT Precinct 3 and Precinct 4 meetings where the Town received updates on the status of the FM 407 and FM 1171 projects. Regarding the FM 407 project, the utilities have been relocated and crews will now be working on the storm sewers, inlets, and south-side detour. The FM 407 construction, which extends from Chinn Chapel to Briarhill Boulevard, is scheduled for completion in July 2013.

Construction on FM 1171 Sections 2 and 3 has been delayed due to right-of-way acquisition. During the meeting we were informed the property owners have agreed to the land swap regarding the project. Once the right-of-way is secured and all utilities have been relocated, construction crews will expand the roadway from two lanes to a six-lane divided road.

As you’ve probably noticed, there are several roadway improvements underway throughout the Town. Work is almost complete on the Gerault/FM 2499 flyover. Crews are currently working on the rails of the flyover and the landscaping surrounding the project is expected to be completed by early summer. If work continues to proceed on schedule, we will be celebrating the end of another major transportation improvement in July with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Residents who live around the Wichita Trail area will start to notice road construction soon. In June, crews will begin work to replace the two-lane asphalt road with a concrete roadway with extended bicycle lanes and cyclist signage. The design of the new Wichita Trail will blend seamlessly with the future trail system proposed for the area. The Wichita Trail project is expected to be completed in fall 2013. By beginning construction now, we can continue proactive preparations to foster future development in western Flower Mound.

We also held the first work session regarding the Lakeside DFW project on April 19. During the work session, the Council was able to ask questions, review concept plans, and discuss potential timelines. Lakeside DFW is a proposed project that will include more than 150 acres of master-planned development overlooking Lake Grapevine in southern Flower Mound. The video of this work session is available online at www.flower-mound.com/public/fmtv.php. Please click on the “Town Council” tab and select the April 19 work session video. For more information about the proposed project, please visit www.flower-mound.com/lakesidedfw.

Work continues on The Heritage Park of Flower Mound, the Town’s 98-acre signature green space located at the northwest corner of Garden Ridge Boulevard and Spinks Road.
Families can begin using the two-mile trail system this summer and the community recently provided invaluable input on Heritage Park’s skate park design. When complete, Heritage Park will include multi-use trails, an amphitheater, a duck pond, nature signage, benches, picnic areas, restrooms, parking spaces, a botanical garden, scenic overlooks, a service area with greenhouses and an outdoor classroom. It will also feature a skate park, a dog park, a conservation area, and open space for play.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Heritage Park is Fort Wildflower, the Town’s first community-built playground. Fort Wildflower playground is a one-of-a-kind design, created by the imagination of Flower Mound children. This project will exceed Americans with Disabilities Act standards and include amenities to challenge children of all abilities. The playground will be constructed of recycled plastic and wood fiber material that has a life expectancy of approximately 25 years, allowing several generations of local children to enjoy Fort Wildflower. I encourage you to get involved with Fort Wildflower and become part of this historical community project. For more information, please visit www.fortwildflower.com.

If it has been awhile since your last visit to Twin Coves Park, you will notice several changes upon returning. Twin Coves has expanded hours and is now open from 7 a.m. to sunset daily to better serve the community. A newly-installed sign at the park entrance indicates the specific closing time. The park will close no earlier than 6 p.m. and no later than 9 p.m. Crews are also working on several improvements including installing a new restroom and additional lighting, and overlaying the entryway with asphalt. A front automated pay station is scheduled to be operational in June, which will allow visitors to conveniently swipe their credit cards prior to utilizing the park. For more information about Twin Coves Park, please visit www.flower-mound.com/parks.

Construction on the West Windsor extension is expected to begin this summer. The project will include two roundabouts, one at Pinon Street and one at Mulberry Street, a concrete trail along the south side of the roadway, and a crushed granite trail on the north side. In conjunction with the roadway project, a linear park will be constructed to include two gazebos, several picnic areas, and a four-hole practice disc golf course.

We are always looking for ways to improve our community for residents of all ages. Opening the Shirley Voirin Social Senior Center energized our Seniors In Motion (SIM) program and sparked rapid increase in membership. Work is underway to establish a Blue Ribbon Committee to revisit the town’s plans for a permanent Senior Center. Considering the exponential growth the program has experienced, we want to ensure the plans still reflect the needs of the evolving membership. My hope would be that the committee could review various aspects of the plans including location, desired amenities, timing, and funding to determine if any adjustments need to be made to further accommodate the increase in membership.

Did You Know

This year’s Independence Fest will be unforgettable and I hope you choose to celebrate your independence on July Fourth in Flower Mound at Bakersfield Park. The event will kick-off with the children’s parade at 11 a.m. near the LISD Administration Building, 1800 Timber Creek Rd. That afternoon, the gates at Bakersfield Park will open at 5 p.m. for the free, family-friendly event. This year’s celebration will feature the band Smash Mouth, which has collectively sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. You might recognize some of their No. 1 hits including “All Star” and “Walkin’ on the Sun.”

The Town is inviting sponsors and vendors to partner with Flower Mound to support the 2012 Independence Fest, which will also feature several live music performances, fireworks, arts and crafts, food, kid’s zone, a car show, and numerous vendors. Last year, the Independence Fest attracted approximately 10,000 visitors and this year’s celebration is projected to draw more than 15,000 visitors. Sponsors and vendors wishing to support or participate in this wonderful family-friendly, community event can visit www.flower-mound.com/festival.

One of my favorite parts of Independence Fest is the Art Exhibit because it allows me to see the amazing artwork created by our neighbors. If you are an artist who would like to showcase your talent at the upcoming Flower Mound Independence Fest, please visit www.flower-mound.com/festival and complete the application form. The Public Arts Committee will select pieces to be displayed from 5 - 9:30 p.m. at the event on July 4 at Bakersfield Park. There is no fee to enter and artists must live in Denton, Tarrant, Dallas, or Collin Counties.

Another upcoming opportunity to enjoy our wonderful community is the Town’s Summer Concerts in the Park Series featuring live music at Parker Square throughout June. Order take-out from one of the many Parker Square restaurants and be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair. All concerts are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. On June 1, dance music group Chinatown will perform. The June 8 concert will feature Beatles Tribute band Me and My Monkey. Annagrey-Kashmir Lady will play a variety of musical genres on June 15 including jazz, 80s, 90s, rock, Motown, and soul music. Country music fans will enjoy Jolie Holliday on June 22. For more information, please call 972.874.6276 or visit www.flower-mound.com/concerts.

If you’re looking for an activity for your children, be sure to check out Theatre FMPAT’s upcoming spring productions. The first show is “Seussical,” the story of Horton the Elephant who is torn between protecting his friend Jojo and guarding an abandoned egg. “Seussical” will run May 2 – 6 at the Black Box Theater of the Medical Center of Lewisville Grand Theater. Theater FMPAT will then unveil its production of “Dear Edwina,” from June 28 to July 1. In the play, 13-year-old Edwina Spoonapple searches for ideas to standout and be picked by a talent scout choosing acts for the Kalamazoo Advice-a-palooza. For more information about these shows, including ticket sales, please visit www.fmpat.org.

The Flower Mound Community Orchestra will feature the music of “Alice in Wonderland” during its free “Through the Looking Glass” concert at 7:30 p.m. on May 5 at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, 6101 Morris Rd. The concert will feature dancers from the Footlights Dance Studio, an original ballet performance, and a children’s interactive musical quiz. For more information, please visit www.fmco.org.

For residents who aspire to be more earth-friendly, Keep Flower Mound Beautiful will host a backyard composting class from 8:30 a.m. to noon May 5 at Coram Deo Academy, 4900 Wichita Trail. Composting has many important benefits such as improving soil quality, preventing storm water pollution, and reducing the need for watering, fertilizing, and applying pesticides to plants that use composted soil. Please pre-register online at www.kfmb.org, e-mail info@kfmb.org, or call 469.828.9074.

With all the hustle and bustle of activity throughout the community, and with more projects on the horizon, it is easy to forget there are easy ways to interact with the Town. When you need to report a Flower Mound service-related issue, please do not hesitate to call 972.539.7378 (SERV), the Town’s dedicated customer service line, visit the website www.flower-mound.com, or utilize the FM In Touch application on your iPhone or Android phone. By calling 539.SERV, Town staff members are able to track your issue and provide a resolution in a timely and friendly manner.

I am constantly reminded of all the reasons I am thankful to be a part of this community. Whether it’s new economic development or our upcoming community-built playground, Fort Wildflower, we have a lot to be excited about. This is going to be a great year with even brighter years on the horizon. For more information about Flower Mound news and events, please visit www.flower-mound.com.