Board of Adjustment approves variance for 500-square-foot accessory building at 3121 High Chaparral Drive

The Flower Mound Board of Adjustment voted 4-1 to approve a variance allowing a 500-square-foot accessory building at 3121 High Chaparral Drive, a property owned by Mitchell Bird, despite the resulting combined accessory area exceeding the town—s 750-square-foot limit.

Assistant Building Official Tasha Coates told the board the applicant—s request is for a 500-square-foot accessory building to be added to an existing 407-square-foot accessory structure, producing a combined 907 square feet, or 157 square feet over the limit set in the town—s code. "The combined floor area of all accessory buildings shall not exceed 750 square feet or 25% of the floor area of the primary structure, whichever is less," Coates said, citing section 98-10-32(a)(1) of the Town of Flower Mound Code of Ordinances.

Coates also said the lot is 4,400.94 square feet, zoned Single-Family 10 (SF-10), and has no prior variances on record. She noted a small existing tool shed on the property would be removed as a condition when a second accessory-building permit is obtained.

Applicant Mitchell Bird told the board he wants the detached structure to store vehicles. "I want to build a 500 foot garage to store my vehicles in," Bird said, adding he cannot attach a garage to the house because of utility easements and a reconfigured roadway that left him limited front-yard parking. He said he owns the adjacent lot but was told it could not be used for a detached garage under its current ownership status.

Neighbor Thomas Campbell of 3116 High Chaparral spoke in support of the application. "None whatsoever," Campbell said when asked whether he expected any adverse impact from the garage; he added the lands behind the lot are 48 acres of common ground owned by the North Shore club that cannot be built on. The board clerk said staff had received a petition and additional signed statements from members of the North Shore Club Board of Directors in support; no written objections were received.

Board members discussed access for vehicles, whether the building would be used for daily operations (Bird said it would be primarily storage), and whether to grant a larger variance. Staff explained that any accessory building larger than 500 square feet would trigger additional plan requirements, including an engineered foundation plan. Coates said that requirement is triggered "once they hit the 500 square foot mark" and that buildings above that threshold require more extensive engineering and plan submissions.

Board member Freaney moved to approve the variance as requested; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote with Freaney, Vice Chair Chey, Sealy and Manel voting yes and Bean voting no. The board recorded the tally as four in favor and one opposed. The board noted the applicant must still obtain the necessary building permits and meet any code requirements applicable to the construction.

The board—s action allows Bird to apply for the accessory-building permit despite the combined square footage exceeding the 750-square-foot limit in section 98-10-32(a)(1). Staff flagged that the small existing shed noted in site materials will need to be removed as part of permit conditions, and that any decision by the owner to construct a building larger than 500 square feet would require additional engineering and compliance steps.

With no further business, the Board of Adjustment adjourned.