September 15, 2026

By Mary Beth Gahan

Two more structures at Argyle High School will be taller than what’s normally allowed by the Town of Flower Mound after the planning and zoning commission narrowly approved a height exception for the school’s softball and baseball fields on Monday night.

The stadiums south of Canyon Falls Drive are part of a $29 million bond package that voters approved in 2025 to accommodate a fast-growing district. The site plan presented at the meeting also included a batting cage and 11,525-square-foot field house. The baseball stadium will have 750 seats. The softball bleachers will accommodate 536 seats.

Three of six commissioners were against approving the exception and Chairman Gregory Schulz broke the tie with a vote in favor. The decision was in the hands of the planning and zoning commission and will not need to go before the town council.

A town ordinance allows structures to be a maximum height of 35 feet or three stories on the property. The top of the baseball stadium’s press box will reach 37 feet, 1 inch. For the softball stadium, it’ll be 36 feet, 7 inches.

Commissioner Scott Langley, who voted in opposition, said he believes ordinances should be followed so there’s consistency in the town.

“That doesn’t mean that I would never vote for an exception,” he said. “I just think, in general, we should stick to them.”

There have been five other height exceptions granted for the Argyle High School property.  A classroom wing is 39 feet, 11 inches tall, a fine arts building is 56 feet, 6 inches, a gymnasium is 44 feet, 6 inches, an indoor activity center is 45 feet tall, and the football stadium’s press box is 105 feet tall.

In December, the planning and zoning commission recommended denial of a 24-foot-high press box sign for the football stadium because it was larger than allowed. The town council approved it with a supermajority vote in favor.

Commissioner Todd Bayuk, who lives in Canyon Falls, said he receives many emails from residents who ask him to do something about the noise that comes from the Argyle High School football stadium. He was concerned about the decision to build the stadiums on the east side of the 106-acre property because of their proximity to a neighborhood.

“The challenge I have is they did a great job designing it,” Bayuk said. “I just wish they had looked at other portions of the property to put it because there are some areas where this would've sit very well and it would’ve mitigated the impact it has on residents of the local community.”

Bayuk asked Sean Plunkett of PBK Architects about what sound mitigation was implemented in the design of the baseball and softball stadiums since the stadiums faced the northeast toward Canyon Falls homes.

Plunkett said the sound will come from the scoreboard, which would be placed near centerfield and face the stands so the audio is directed toward the fans rather than the neighborhood. If speakers were set up around the stadium, it would send the sound out rather than inward toward the campus, he said.

“Is that an adequate answer?” Plunkett asked.

"I wouldn't say it's adequate, but you answered my question,” Bayuk replied.

Commissioner Michelle Jackson joined Langley and Bayuk in voting against the height exception.

Chairman Schulz, who cast the tiebreaking vote in favor, said the proposal was “sharp” and “well thought out.” He downplayed the impact to neighboring residents.

“I think the reality of it is with any large sports venue like this, there's going to bleed over,” said Chairman Gregory Schulz. “I know I'm a mile from one of the high schools and I can hear clearly when they've got a football game going on.”

The commission also recommended approval of a waiver for the roof pitch of the stadiums. That request will now go to town council for approval.