Flower Mound panel backs removal of 15 specimen trees so Lewisville ISD can replace Forestwood Middle track

The Flower Mound Environmental Conservation Commission on Feb. 12 recommended approval of a permit allowing Lewisville Independent School District to remove 15 specimen trees at Forestwood Middle School so the district can install a regulation-size track and field.

The commission approved the recommendation by voice roll call; Commission members Sharma, Workman, Vice Chair Bowman, Spurlock, Fulbright and Moffitt each answered “Aye,” and the chair announced the motion passed.

Lewisville ISD officials told the commission the site—about 21 acres adjacent to Wilkerson Park and a floodplain—has had an irregular, substandard track since the school was built in 1994 and that most other district middle schools have full-size fields. “All middle school campuses have access to a standard practice field and track,” said Christie Lyles, Lewisville ISD athletic director, summarizing the district’s equity argument for the project. Lyles and Randy Fite, the district’s executive director of construction, described two design concepts: one that preserves more trees but requires demolishing and rebuilding an on-site masonry storage building (raising costs), and a second that would remove many more trees.

Residents and conservation-minded commissioners objected to cutting large specimen trees—particularly several post oaks. Jeanie Ferrier, a Flower Mound resident, urged the commission to deny the request, saying removal of many specimen trees and damage to their root systems would harm wildlife habitat and that “it takes years to get a 41‑inch post oak.” Amy Wallace, a former Forestwood parent, told the panel she supported replacement of the track on safety grounds: “The health, safety and welfare of these children is more important than the trees,” Wallace said, describing past student injuries and limits on athletic practice caused by the existing surface.

The district and its consultants described mitigation and replanting plans. Josh Barton of engineering firm McAdams said the applicant plans to replant roughly 50 trees around the perimeter and in the compatibility buffer; the landscape architect listed proposed species including pecans, burr oaks, red oaks, bald cypress and cedar elm. Staff earlier estimated a mitigation obligation that “adds up to 76,400,” and the district said it proposes to plant dozens of new trees on site to reduce that mitigation number.

Commission debate focused on two issues: the safety and equity case for a full-size track and the ecological importance of large post oaks. One commissioner identified post oaks as a local keystone species and urged maximizing post oak replacements; staff and the district said large post oaks are slow-growing and nursery stock has been limited historically, but said they would try to incorporate more post oaks in the replanting plan. Josh Barton acknowledged that some trunks and drip lines (for example tree IDs referenced in the hearing) would be impacted by grading and said the survival likelihood for those specimens would be minimal if left in place.

A commissioner moved to recommend approval of the requested permit to remove 15 specimen trees on property known as Forestwood Middle School (generally east of Morris Road and southeast of Garden Road); another commissioner seconded the motion. After the roll call vote in which all present voting members said “Aye,” the chair announced the recommendation approved.

After the vote, commissioners and district staff discussed mitigation placement, species selection and practical considerations such as avoiding species that drop large acorns near play areas. The district said it would explore adding more post oaks to the replanting and review species choices per the commission’s suggestions. Staff also noted the commission will discuss the town tree ordinance in an April work session; the March 3 meeting was canceled because the town hall will be a polling location.

The commission’s recommendation advances the permit to the next steps in the town approval process. The district and town staff will finalize engineering and landscape plans and confirm mitigation calculations and species lists as part of follow-up reviews.