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Town to look at code enforcement issues
By Chris Roark, croark@starlocalnews.com
Flower Mound may be making some changes to its property standards and code enforcement program in the coming months.
During a work session Thursday, the town council and staff members discussed various amendments to existing ordinances to help improve the look and safety of homes throughout the town, in particular houses in the older parts of Flower Mound.
The items of discussion are a result of recommendations by the town’s property standards committee.
The amendment may also require residents to remove dead trees from their property. The stump would be required to be taken down no higher than 1 foot for the front yard and 3 feet in the back yard.
A certified arborist on the town staff may be put in charge of confirming a tree is dead, and a third-party arborist may be used if the homeowner disputes the claim. Currently, a homeowner is only in violation if the dead tree is a safety hazard.
The amendment would also require the removal of excessive vegetation that obstructs a door or window.
“If it’s covering the window and someone from the police or fire department needs to get in, I’m concerned about them not being able to get in,” said Councilman Steve Dixon.
Others said too much vegetation could create an eyesore.
Another amendment may deal with fence maintenance. Council members are seeking to require all non-perimeter fences to have some sort of protective stain.
The final component may focus on paving and parking standards. In neighborhoods where there are no gutters or curbs, there have been cases where people would park off the roadway in neighborhoods, which some say creates an eyesore. In other instances, people park too far into the street, which impacts traffic flow.
Council members are seeking an ordinance that would allow individuals to temporarily park with two wheels off the roadway, up to 3 feet away from the edge of the pavement.
Also at the work session, Angie Cox of Keep Flower Mound Beautiful (KFMB) presented plans for an upcoming program called the Lend-a-Hand Community Enhancement Initiative.
The program, which was the vision of Mayor Tom Hayden, will focus on homes that are in need of exterior maintenance because of code enforcement issues. Code enforcement officers would locate the homes, and letters about the program and applications would be sent to those homeowners. KFMB will assess the needs and put together a team of volunteers to perform the work, similar to how the Fort Wildflower playground was constructed last fall. The first project is set to take place in May.
To volunteer time, supplies or money, contact Marilyn Lawson at info@kfmb.org or 469-828-9074.
Also Thursday, the council and the transportation commission discussed future projects, including the possibility of improving Sagebrush Drive.
Residents and council members were concerned that the road is too narrow for the increased traffic it has begun to carry because of its proximity to three schools. One option is changing the road to an urban arterial designation and possibly expanding it to four lanes west of FM 2499.
Traffic engineer Matt Hotelling said a thoroughfare study will take place, and the commission will make a recommendation to the council by the end of the summer.
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