Commission recommends denial of Wyburn PD lot‑coverage increase after public hearing and extended debate

Flower Mound’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday recommended that Town Council deny a proposed text amendment to Planned Development District 189 (Wyburn) that would have increased maximum lot coverage on SF‑10 and SF‑15 lots to allow additional covered outdoor living areas.

The amendment covered roughly 38 acres in the Wyburn development on the south side of Dixon Lane east of Long Prairie and would have increased lot coverage by five percentage points for covered, unconditioned outdoor spaces (porches, pergolas, covered patios). Staff said the PD currently uses SF‑10 and SF‑15 standards, with the SF‑10 lot coverage at 40 percent and SF‑15 at 35 percent. The applicant requested a five‑point increase applied to the covered outdoor areas only; staff noted the language was drafted to prevent those spaces from becoming enclosed, conditioned floor area.

Applicant representatives described market pressure and buyer preferences after the pandemic for covered outdoor living as the motivation. Larry Jackson, representing David Weekley Homes, said the change responds to buyers’ demand for “outdoor living spaces where they can use it all seasons” and that building covered areas as part of the home foundation improves long‑term performance compared with retrofitted pads. The applicant and developer teams also reported that the subdivision’s stormwater and detention were designed with conservative assumptions and said staff‑level engineering review determined the incremental increase could be accommodated without changes to ponds or downstream infrastructure.

Commission discussion focused heavily on precedent and stormwater. Several commissioners said similar outdoor amenities already exist on many SF‑10/SF‑15 lots elsewhere in town and questioned whether a one‑off PD change should trigger a broader ordinance review. Commissioners and one engineering staff member reviewed the town’s runoff coefficient approach; an estimate cited in the public discussion pegged the combined increase from the subdivision to roughly 52,000 square feet of additional covered/impervious area (applicant estimated increases by lot of about 500 square feet on smaller lots and 750 on larger lots). One commissioner said that while the increase on a single lot might seem modest, adding many such approvals town‑wide could multiply impacts on stormwater infrastructure over time.

After public testimony was opened and closed with no speakers from the public cards, the commission first considered a motion to recommend approval; that motion failed in roll call. The commission then reopened the meeting to make a formal recommendation and moved to recommend denial to Town Council. The commission’s final public statement was: “We move to deny — recommend to deny to the Town Council” (motion carried and the meeting adjourned shortly thereafter).

Why it matters: The amendment would have allowed new homes in Wyburn to incorporate larger, covered outdoor living spaces as part of the building foundation without classifying that space as conditioned living area. Proponents said the change addresses market demand and homeowner satisfaction; opponents and some commissioners warned of precedent and cumulative drainage effects if similar amendments spread to other subdivisions.

Clarifying details from the hearing - Site area: roughly 38 acres (Wyburn PD). - Lot totals: 90 lots in the PD; 62 proposed under SF‑10 standards and 28 under SF‑15 standards. - Current lot coverage limits cited: SF‑10 = 40% (max foundation/first‑floor coverage); SF‑15 = 35%. - Applicant request: additional 5 percentage points applied to covered, unconditioned outdoor spaces (applicant/staff phrased as SF‑10 40%→45% and SF‑15 35%→40% for the additional covered area). - Applicant estimate per lot: about 500 sq ft extra on smaller lots, 750 sq ft on larger lots; commissioner estimate of total added impervious area for the subdivision ~52,000 sq ft. - Applicant timeline/construction: the subdivision’s public road paving and other community work were described as imminent, with public roadway paving scheduled within approximately 60–75 days and community completion targeted for Q4 2025 or Q1 2026.

What’s next: The commission forwarded a recommendation to Town Council to deny the amendment. Town Council will receive the recommendation and decide whether to approve, modify, or deny the proposed PD text amendment. The commission noted that this decision applies to the Wyburn PD only and does not by itself amend the town’s SF‑10 or SF‑15 zoning districts.