June 1, 2026

By Mary Beth Gahan

Drivers will have to slow down to 35 miles per hour on a portion of FM 1171 in the morning and afternoon if the town council approves a new school zone at Monday’s meeting.

The school zone would run from west of  Saddlebrook Drive to east of Flower Mound Road in front of Founders Classical Academy. The school asked for the speed limit reduction and also sent a request to the Texas Department of Transportation since the road is maintained by the state, according to agenda documents. TXDOT provided a map of where the zone would be drawn.

A report prepared by town staff said installing a school zone may be a permanent solution for a temporary problem.

There are no students who cross FM 1171, a situation that usually triggers a school zone, but parents who do not use the car drop-off line in front of the school usually park at RockPointe Church and walk along a trail to get to Founders Academy, which is a public charter school.

A portion of the trail runs along FM 1171, where the speed limit is 50 mph, and that is what concerns parents, according to the staff report. That section would not be included in the area where the speed would be reduced. To include that, it would extend the school zone 700 feet and make it nearly a half-mile long.

“That is not a typical distance from the school property,” said the report, written by Matthew Hotelling, assistant director of public works. “There is a likelihood that drivers will instinctively begin to speed through the school zone at that distance away from the school.”

Walking alongside FM 1171 “could easily be avoided” when the property between RockPointe Church and Founders Academy is developed, Hotelling wrote.

Trotter Park, a 13-acre parcel deeded by Toll Brothers as part of the Town Lake development, is in the design phase. When finished, it’ll have tennis courts, a basketball court, playground and a trail that will go from the park’s parking lot to the edge of Founders Academy.

Council members Janvier Werner and Clare Harris said they have some more questions for staff about the proposed school zone and council member Chris Drew said he is undecided about how he’ll vote.

“I want to better understand the costs, queuing approach, and overall need before making a final decision,” Drew said.