Planning commission recommends denial of two exceptions for Knights Landing subdivision after weeks of resident objections

Flower Mound planning staff and the Knights Landing applicant presented a nine‑lot, roughly 24‑acre site plan on March 10 seeking two exceptions: (1) to defer lot benching and grading until individual building permits are filed, and (2) to avoid burying about 2,170 linear feet of existing overhead utilities along Sunset Trail and Rocky Point Road.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of both exceptions after extensive public comment raising concerns about stormwater drainage, bank erosion in an existing creek, loss of specimen trees and traffic and emergency access. Commissioners voted to deny the exceptions and approved the remainder of the site plan application for recommendation to town council.

Why it matters: The requested exceptions would have allowed the developer greater flexibility in grading pads for future custom homes and would have left a long span of overhead electric lines in place rather than having the developer pay to underground them. Residents and several commissioners said those changes would affect runoff and community character and that the town ordinance establishing current benching and undergrounding standards exists to protect adjacent properties and preserve streetscape consistency.

Staff presentation and applicant response Cody Freeman, a planner with the town, described the Knights Landing site and the two exception requests. He outlined conditions staff would…