McKinney planning panel approves design exception allowing removal of all quality trees in local floodplain for proposed Hopewell warehouse

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve a design exception allowing Hopewell Development to remove 65 "quality" trees — all of the trees mapped inside the city's fully developed floodplain — as part of a proposed warehouse at the southeast corner of McIntyre Road and State Highway 5.

City planning manager Kate Strickland told commissioners the applicant is proposing to remove 100% of the quality trees inside the floodplain on the 14.46‑acre site and that staff recommends denial because the tree preservation ordinance limits by‑right removal to 30% and because trees in floodplains provide stormwater absorption, erosion control and natural floodplain mitigation. "The removal of the quality trees within the floodplain does raise environmental and functional drainage concerns for the city," Strickland said.

Ryan Hunter, an engineer with the city, explained the difference between FEMA floodplain maps and the city's "hundred‑year fully developed" floodplain used in local regulations. Hunter said the site is not in the FEMA floodplain but is in the city's fully developed floodplain, a more conservative, site‑specific delineation that assumes full build‑out of the upstream basin.

Sam Franklin of Morphew Development, the applicant's representative, argued the city ordinance can constrain development when city‑delineated floodplain limits expand during plan review. He also said much of the affected area lies in an "Encore" easement and that if Encore Wire ever clears or maintains that easement the trees could be removed regardless. "It just comes down to a business decision for the city of McKinney to work. Do we want to have Hopewell developer development, try to mitigate for these trees and potentially lose ad valorem tax value to the city in doing so? Or do we want to try and protect these quality trees in an area that's largely industrial?" Franklin said.

Applicants and staff noted that a flood study had been resubmitted to the city's third‑party reviewer; staff and the applicant cautioned that the final delineation could change the number and location of trees subject to the ordinance. The applicant's packet also showed a mitigation payment option; staff later said the mitigation payment total in the packet is $14,700 if the commission approved removal of 100% of the trees.

Commissioner Lebo moved to close the public hearing and approve the design exception; Commissioner Buettner seconded. The motion passed 7–0. The commission's action was limited to the Planning and Zoning body and will not go to City Council.

Discussion record: staff recommended denial; applicant presented alternative plans and easement constraints; commissioners asked about detention pond design, potential downstream effects, and whether any trees east of the channel could be preserved. Staff confirmed the city ordinance applies to the city's fully developed floodplain and does not distinguish between FEMA and locally mapped floodplain boundaries.

What it means: The approval allows the applicant to proceed with the site plan under the approved design exception. The final number of trees removed and exact floodplain footprint may change depending on the pending flood study and any subsequent site‑plan revisions. The project is required to pay mitigation fees if removal at the approved level occurs.