The Flower Mound Town Council approved a master‑plan amendment and a related planned development zoning for the 200‑acre “Monarch” project on the I‑35W/Denton Creek corridor, clearing the way for roughly 157 acres of campus‑commercial uses and a high‑density residential parcel of about 42.73 acres that would allow townhomes.

The amendment and PD passed unanimously. Council members said the project could generate significant sales tax revenue but voiced concern that commercial infrastructure and retail shell space be delivered alongside residential construction. Council action includes a phasing condition requiring commercial progress before full residential occupancy can be finalized.

Why it matters: the site fronts I‑35W and is bound by planned TxDOT frontage‑road and bridge work. Developers and retailers have said access from the frontage road is critical to tenant commitments; council members said they wanted concrete milestones to reduce the risk of a built‑out residential neighborhood without accompanying commercial and sales‑tax activity.

What the approvals allow: Lehi Murphy, senior planner for the Town of Flower Mound, told Council the master‑plan amendment applies only to the 42.73‑acre portion proposed to change from campus‑commercial to high‑density residential. The overall PD covers about 200 acres with approximately 157 acres planned for campus‑commercial uses and concept space shown for large tenants and in‑line retail totaling more than 472,000 square feet of nonresidential building area in the applicant’s concept plan.

Randy Rivera, a planner with McAdams working for the applicant, described the PD’s mix as “power center” retail along the Denton Creek frontage, a central pond and a residential enclave of roughly 278 townhomes (the PD caps the residential at a maximum of 290 units). Rivera said the plan includes trails, about 24 acres of PD open space and a town‑dedicated park of 9.86 acres; the parks board recommended the 9.86‑acre dedication plus park development fees estimated at $402,520 minus any fee credits.

Key development standards and uses approved in the PD include: allowing certain campus‑commercial uses by right that normally would require a special use permit (for example, a pharmacy or accessory gasoline sales as part of a larger retail component); an indoor storage/fulfillment use limited to up to 25% of a single building’s square footage with a parking ratio established by a parking study; an “outdoor sales temporary” seasonal window (October–December) and an “outdoor storage limited” area for screened materials such as mulch; and an accessory auto‑service use limited to indoor operations and subject to placement rules so roll‑up doors do not face major streets.

Standards for the residential area were also specified: townhome lot minimums of 1,800 square feet (townhome) and 3,000 square feet for detached lots where allowed, minimum lot widths of 22 feet for attached units and 30 feet for detached, rear‑entry garages with 20‑foot driveway depth to allow off‑driveway parking, and a maximum lot coverage deviation for townhome lots proposed in the PD. The PD requires rear entry garages and sets a maximum of 290 residential units across the district.

Design, environment and public amenities: the PD includes a pollinator plan and registration with the Monarch Waystation registry; the applicant proposed pollinator plantings (milkweed, sunflowers, verbenas) in dedicated pollinator zones. Staff and the applicant agreed to dark‑sky‑friendly parking lot lighting at 3,000 kelvin or less and to place lighted bollards along the trail at 100‑foot centers in the trail segment behind the residential area.

Council concerns and the phasing condition: several council members pressed the applicant on phasing and infrastructure. Councilmember Martin said he would not support a master plan amendment that allowed townhomes without assurances the commercial would follow. After deliberation the council adopted a condition tying residential final occupancy milestones to demonstrable commercial construction progress: the first 150 townhome units shall not be eligible for building final/occupancy until 150,000 square feet of commercial space is completed to a wall‑exterior inspection (a commonly used “dried‑in/shell” milestone); the remaining residential units will remain ineligible for building final until a total of 300,000 square feet of commercial space is completed to the same milestone. Final wording will be reviewed by the town attorney, per the council motion.

Developer statements and market timing: Eric Schmitz, the owner/developer, said the project team has three purchase and sale agreements under title contingencies tied to PD approval and that retailers are watching TxDOT’s frontage‑road timing closely. “This is almost a build‑to‑suit,” Schmitz said, noting the project’s ability to attract large tenants depends on the frontage road and on getting commercial buildings far enough along to satisfy tenant underwriting.

Other notable technical items and clarifications agreed during review: staff and applicant corrected an apparent typo in the PD language regarding lot‑coverage (the ordinance text will use the correct “maximum” reference where intended); indoor storage parking ratios were set based on a submitted parking study; outdoor storage limited areas must be screened by a masonry knee wall and ornamental metal fence and be located where shown on the concept plan; and certain exceptions originally requested (narrowed compatibility buffer and pod‑type outside storage) were withdrawn by the applicant.

Votes at a glance: the council voted unanimously to adopt the master‑plan amendment for the 42.73‑acre residential portion (K1) and unanimously approved the Monarch planned development zoning with the conditions summarized above (K2). Council members recorded aye votes: Councilmember Taylor, Councilmember Drew, Mayor Pro Tem Martin, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Schistel and Councilmember Werner.

What comes next: the PD establishes standards for future site plans and plats; the applicant and town staff will continue to coordinate with TxDOT on frontage‑road timing and access. The council asked staff to draft final PD ordinance language and the commercial‑residential phasing verification language for town‑attorney review before the ordinance is finalized.