August 25, 2026

By Mary Beth Gahan

Nearly every seat was filled Monday night when a developer gave the first public insight about Flower Mound Center, a 28-acre development that could bring H-E-B to the west side of Long Prairie Road south of Waketon Road.

The development team was at Town Hall, as well as board members from the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce, but most of those in attendance were residents who live near the proposed Flower Mound Center. Neighbors are worried about the amount of traffic the development could bring, especially the danger it could pose for students walking to Marcus High School.

The work session for the planning and zoning commission was held because the development is more than 20 acres, requires a master plan amendment, and contains requests for three or more exceptions or modifications.

The informational-only session allowed commissioners and the public to give some feedback before the developer submits the final application, which will then be reviewed by the environmental conservation commission and transportation commission before the planning and zoning commission votes on the project. Town council has final approval.

It comes two weeks after commissioners held a work session about Cottonwood, an 86-acre development along Dixon Lane that Costco hopes to build a store in. The two sites are about a mile apart.

Regency Centers LP, the developer, has the land for Flower Mound Center under contract and hopes to rezone the property to all retail, which will require a master plan amendment because the town’s plan has the west tract designated as low-density residential, the northeast side as retail, and the southeast section as office. The developer also plans to ask for a master thoroughfare plan amendment to remove a planned north-south road that would cut through the middle of the property.

Several residents of Pecan Meadow and Highland Court, neighborhoods to the west and south of Flower Mound Center, spoke in opposition to the development.

Brett Lindstrom pointed to the two schools that bookend Waketon Road: Downing Middle School on the west side of town and Marcus High School on the corner of Morriss Road.

“There are kids every day who ride bikes, ride scooters. That's a very large concern when you talk about 18 wheelers coming in,” Lindstrom said of the plan for delivery trucks to come in and out of a driveway along Waketon Road.

There are no sidewalks for pedestrians who cross Long Prairie Road and walk along Waketon Road to the high school, he said.

The transportation commission takes up its sidewalk gap program each spring. Matt Hotelling, assistant director of public works, said it would be possible for them to look then at addressing the missing sidewalk on Waketon Road.

A final draft of the traffic impact analysis hasn’t been completed, so there are no recommendations yet about what roads would need to be improved to accommodate the traffic that Flower Mound Center could bring. But an initial report showed that the site would generate 500 trips in and out during the p.m. peak.

Traci Cassell, a resident of Highland Court, pointed to the intersection of Long Prairie Road and Cross Timbers Road, where 82,000 vehicles travel through each day on average.

“The concern is not simply the number of additional vehicle trips generated by the proposed development, but the development's incremental and cumulative impact on a corridor that is already approaching significant capacity constraints,” she said.

At least one neighbor had a different take on things.

Ryan Schroer said he was initially opposed to the development but changed his mind after meeting with the developer over the last few months. He said the site would generate traffic no matter how it is developed and turning down this proposal would “alienate a major retailer.”

“We need to prioritize our financial viability long-term. We must diversify our tax base or face high residential tax rates and subpar infrastructure,” he said. “Not exactly what we want to be known for.”

Increasing tax revenue has been a large discussion recently because of a sales tax shortfall this year. Director of Economic Development Ray Watson said the development could generate between $800,000 and $1 million in sales tax annually.

Nicole Smith Woodard, Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce board member, showed her support for the project and encouraged the commission, town staff, and developer to “resolve any remaining details” about increased traffic and other concerns neighbors have.

“A well-designed project can expand local choice, retain more residents’ spending in Flower Mound, and strengthen our commercial base while continuing to respect the highest standards and neighborhood character our town values,” Woodard said.

If approved, it would be home to the first H-E-B to open in Flower Mound, said Abe Pacetti, senior vice president of investments for Regency Centers. The grocer has purchased land in Furst Ranch, but there is no scheduled opening date for it. The store in Flower Mound Center would be 130,000 square feet, according to a site plan. It is on the larger side of those in the company’s portfolio.

Commissioner Michelle Jackson said she was excited about the project, but the size of the proposed store was getting in the way of resolving issues like the amount of parking spots requested for the store and landscaping the town requires to mitigate the expanse of asphalt laid to make way for the lot.

John Rose, a representative for H-E-B, said the company looks at the demographics of an area, conducts focus groups, and even asks to look at residents’ pantries before deciding on how a store will look, making it unique to the town.

“I don't know that there's an opportunity for us to do something different,” Rose said. “After all the studies we've done, this is the size of the building we think we need.”

As for trees not being near the front of the store, he said, that’s a health issue. The company has had issues in the past with birds flying into the store through automatic doors.

“Nobody wants to put a zucchini in their cart that a bird has defecated on,” Rose said.

The developer plans to plant 452 trees, as well as looking into the possibility of deeding a piece of the land to plant acorns for post oak trees.

The development package does note some existing post oak trees that are proposed to be removed prior to construction. An area on the north side of the property would be preserved to surround a retention pond.