Commission recommends updating master plan with new economic-development strategy

The Flower Mound Planning & Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend that the Town Council adopt MPA 26-1, a master-plan amendment that incorporates a newly completed economic development strategic plan.

Ray Watson, who presented the item, said the strategic plan updates prior work going back to 2001 and was shaped by community outreach and a three-phase process. Watson described four priorities in the strategy: target business recruitment to match community needs, maximize resources and stakeholder engagement, pursue purposeful development and targeted redevelopment, and invest in placemaking to preserve quality of life.

Watson identified several threats the plan addresses, including rapid residential growth (he said Denton County recently "hit 1000000 residents" in his remarks), an imbalanced property-tax base the town should work to shift toward more commercial valuation, and regional competition from neighboring municipalities. He said the town will continue to update incentive programs (citing a recent example where the town provided assistance to a small ice-cream shop to address impact fees) and plans to propose facade-improvement grants for small businesses in an upcoming budget.

Commissioners pressed for implementation detail: one commissioner asked about metrics and monitoring, and Watson said the department has a metrics plan and that the strategic plan will be part of council strategic retreats and quarterly reporting. Commissioners also raised concerns about high commercial rents relative to nearby cities and asked whether the plan addresses ways to help small businesses enter the market; Watson said staff is working on a small-business hub and that DRC (development-review) meetings and economic-development outreach are available tools.

On workforce and higher-education anchors, Watson said staff is working with Texas Tech (Midwestern State University's parent) to identify program opportunities at the local campus and that North Central Texas College has robust enrollment. He also briefed the commission on First Ranch and associated spine-road construction (Denton Creek Road and 377 improvements) that will open roughly 300 acres for development.

A commissioner moved to forward MPA 26-1 to Town Council for approval; the motion was seconded and the commission voted unanimously to recommend adoption. The item will appear on the council agenda with an ordinance next week.