Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Trees And Design Exception topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission approves design exception for McKinney Airport Crossroads after applicant offers tree‑replacement and landscape mitigation
Summary
The Planning & Zoning Commission voted 7–0 to approve a design exception allowing removal of 26 quality trees in the floodplain at the McKinney Airport Crossroads warehouse site; the applicant offered to plant 40 four‑inch caliper trees and pay $35,857 to the city's reforestation fund, while staff had recommended denial to preserve the existing trees.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to close the public hearing and approve a design exception that allows the removal of 26 quality trees in the existing floodplain at the McKinney Airport Crossroads warehouse site.
City planner Arceli Botello told commissioners staff had originally counted 36 trees but confirmed the correct number was 26 and that staff still recommended denial because of the value placed on preserving trees within the existing floodplain. The applicant, represented by Jose Gonzalez of Kimley Horn, said the developer proposes to mitigate by planting 40 additional 4‑inch caliper trees on site and contributing $35,857 to the city’s tree reforestation fund. Gonzalez also described a reconfigured site design with 40% pervious landscaping, a wet detention pond with native grasses and wetlands, and other landscape enhancements aimed at improving stormwater quality downstream.
"As Araceli mentioned, we're here to ask for approval of the removal of 26 trees within the existing flood plain," Jose Gonzalez said, explaining the mitigation package and design changes the team developed after the prior hearing.
Commissioners questioned where the 26 trees are located and whether grading for the pond would make preserving some trees infeasible. Landscape architect Julia Kappelmann described the native wetland seed mix and said the deeper root structure of the proposed plantings will provide more slope stability than Bermuda sod, though she did not provide a precise quantitative comparison to the removed trees.
Staff reiterated that the code prioritizes preservation of quality trees in the floodplain and left the ultimate determination to the commission. The commissioners concluded the applicant’s on‑site plantings, the fee payment and the detention‑pond redesign offered sufficient mitigation and approved the exception 7–0. The action will be forwarded to City Council if required by the code for final review.
