Town council approves Flower Mound Hindu temple site plan and tree removal permits after public hearing

The Flower Mound Town Council on July 7 unanimously approved a site plan with associated exceptions and a tree-removal permit for a proposed Hindu temple on a flag-shaped lot south of Flower Mound High School.

Planning staff presented the project as a roughly 9,000-square-foot single-story building with 87 parking spaces, site landscaping that meets town standards for most of the property and three specimen trees the applicant asked to remove. Lehi Murphy, planning staff, told the council the site sits on a narrow 28-foot access easement and that strict application of a 25-foot compatibility buffer would prevent access to the property.

The applicant requested two primary exceptions: a compatibility-buffer exception for the narrow access area adjacent to residences, and an architectural exception to permit a flat roof for a building under 15,000 square feet. Jason Kilpatrick, representing the applicant, and Sandeep Sharma, a temple representative, said the temple’s traditional design — including a flat roof with a central Vimana (tower) — is important to religious practice and that phase 2 of the project would add ornate architectural elements. Sharma said his congregation has used a smaller leased building since 2009 without traffic or noise complaints and outlined hours and typical attendance patterns.

The council heard about 150 support emails (the mayor said none in opposition were received by email) and received vocal public comment both for and against the project. Supporters emphasized the temple’s community services, youth programs and interfaith outreach. Opponents, including neighbors who live on Walnut Grove Place, said the lot’s tight, flag-lot access and proximity to a high school and multiple neighborhood driveways would create traffic, drainage and safety problems; one neighbor offered to buy the property as an alternative location.

Planning staff said the proposed layout meets the town’s parking and landscaping requirements for the majority of the site, and the town’s Environmental Conservation Commission recommended approval of the requested tree removals. The council voted unanimously to approve the site plan with exceptions (agenda item K-2) and to approve the tree-removal permit (K-3). Council members noted the property’s unusual configuration — a narrow access easement created when the lot was platted — makes any development challenging.

Details: The application requested removal of three specimen trees, including a post oak the project arborist rated in “fair” condition with a partly dead trunk. Staff said removing or shifting the driveway to save the largest tree would eliminate roughly 16 parking spaces and constrain future expansion on the site. The applicant proposed providing additional evergreen screening in phase 2. The temple’s representatives estimate permits and site work in late 2025 and expect phase 1 occupancy by Q3 2026, with phase 2 design elements to follow.

Why it matters: The approvals allow a congregation that has operated in leased space since 2009 to build a permanent facility in Flower Mound. Neighbors cited safety and drainage concerns tied to driveway placement and tree removal; the council’s unanimous vote resolves the land-use questions presented but leaves engineering-level drainage and construction details to staff reviews during the permitting process.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified by role; references are drawn from the July 7 public hearing and staff presentation.