Flower Mound and the rest of South Denton County have experienced and continue to experience population growth which has led to a need for development.
More than 11,000 people have moved to Flower Mound in the past 10 years, according to census data. Residents are moving west to a mostly rural area, but that means city officials and developers are looking to develop this area, said Lexin Murphy, director of city planning services.
To account for ongoing growth, Flower Mound officials are reviewing several subdivisions west of Shiloh Road.
“Growth in the West is on its way,” Mayor Derek France said. “People want to live here, which is driving residential development, and that, coupled with the fact that people who already live in our western neighborhoods want more amenities and services close to home, will drive commercial development. .”
One project that continues to grow in the west is the Canyon Falls development. It is located in Flower Mound, Argyle and Northlake. It is home to 1,882 residents, according to data from Flower Mound. Several construction phases have been completed since groundbreaking in 2013, and even more growth is on the way.
However, growth is not limited to Flower Mound. Denton County is one of the 10 fastest growing counties in the nation, according to the U.S. Census, with a population increase of 38.1% between 2010 and 2020. About 82 people move into the county every day of Dentons.
As a result, Denton County commissioners expect residents to pass a $650 million bond in November to meet transportation infrastructure needs.
From 2010 to 2020, Flower Mound saw its population increase by 17.45%, from 64,669 to 75,956, according to the US Census. It saw an estimated population of 77,243 in 2021.
Similar growth can be seen in other municipalities in Denton County. Highland Village saw its population increase by 5.59% between 2010 and 2020, while Argyle saw a population increase of 34.16%, according to the census.
The city of Argyle has a population of 4,403, which is lower than what is seen in Argyle ISD. The district serves students from several nearby communities, including Northlake and Flower Mound. As developments, such as Canyon Falls, continue to grow, so does the school district, Superintendent Telena Wright said.
The district regularly tracks developments that are discussed within the district boundaries, as this directly contributes to the student population, she said.
“There is still immense growth going on in both the northwest portion of the district and the southern portion of the district,” Wright said. “It will continue to be, too, most likely on the east side of [US] 377 as well as the west side of [US] 377.”
In Flower Mound, city officials held a series of public discussions in July called “FloMo Convos” to get community feedback as the city continues to grow. These conversations will be used to help City Council make future decisions.
“We heard a desire for more retail and dining options and amenities in the west,” France said. “But we have also heard from people expressing a desire to maintain a low density of future residential and commercial development in order to maintain our rural landscape and atmosphere. It’s a balancing act. »
Growth continues to occur along the I-35W corridor, said Flower Mound assistant city manager Tommy Dalton.
“Growth doesn’t just impact Flower Mound,” Dalton said. “It’s a regional deal.”
Westward expansion
The majority of Flower Mound residents live east of Shiloh Road. But as more people move into the city, residents are moving west, city officials say.
“The new border is the west end of town,” Dalton said.
As the population grows, development will follow, Murphy said.
“One thing is that just as the population grows, people there inevitably want services available to them,” she said. “They’re looking for more retail options, doctors, and other types of services, whether it’s hair salons or that sort of thing.”
Canyon Falls is a 1,242 acre planned community in the Denton Creek District, with approximately 626 acres located within the city limits of Flower Mound. It presents different types of villages based on the predominant natural characteristics of the region. Development began in May 2013.
Since groundbreaking, additional phases of the project have been launched, including Canyon Falls Village 4B. The addition is under construction and will provide a 24-lot residential development with three open spaces.
Flower Mound Parks and Recreation officials are also working on Canyon Falls Park, which is expected to be completed this fall, department manager Chuck Jennings said.
The park is 10.8 acres and it will be the closest park for West Flower Mound residents, who typically drive more than half an hour to the nearest municipal park, Jennings said. .
“We’re very excited about this,” he said. “This will be one of our first parks west of Flower Mound.”
Commercial and retail space will be available to the west and northwest portion of the property near I-35W, depending on development details.
There are, however, other projects being considered with the city that will likely bring in more homes and other mixed-use developments.
“I would say the biggest development currently under consideration is Flower Mound Ranch,” Murphy said.
Flower Mound Ranch is a mixed-use development project that is undergoing staff review and subject to revisions before final documents are scheduled for public hearings.
The proposed scheme plans to cap the number of single-family homes at 3,000, the number of multi-family units at 5,000, and the number of age-restricted units at 1,000. It appears to mix a number of uses, including retail, hospitality, entertainment and office, depending on project details.
“It is currently a mixed-use zoning application that is under review,” Murphy said. “It will likely go ahead soon, and would entail additional non-residential development, if approved.”
Denton County Bond
To help provide additional infrastructure for future growth, Denton County commissioners voted unanimously at their Aug. 16 meeting to call a $650 million bond election for the Nov. 8 ballot.
The Nov. 8 ballot focuses on transportation projects and comes as the county continues to experience population growth, one of the fastest in the state. The projects are expected to provide congestion relief and safety improvements, county officials say. Over 110 projects have been identified to date across Denton County’s four constituencies.
Proposed projects include expansion of Loop 288 West and Loop 288 East frontage roads, expansion of FM 1171 West, construction of various I-35W frontages, reconstruction of US 377 North, and more.
“We wanted to focus this bond election on our roads and bridges, and that’s exactly what we did,” County Judge Andy Eads said at the Aug. 16 meeting.
Denton County will use bond funds to begin engineering, right-of-way acquisitions, utility moves and other start-up costs to ensure state and federal highway projects potentially receive greater high priority, according to county officials.
“Great roads invite big economic companies to come to Denton County to provide more taxpayer dollars so we can do bigger things,” Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell said at the Aug. 16 meeting.
The proposed projects come after two public bond workshops held this summer to get feedback from residents.
“I expect these bond products to work here in the county to issue over the next 10 years,” Eads said. “I would appreciate the consideration of the voters as they consider this as we work to improve Denton County and on projects that will truly outlive all of us.