Cross Roads Podcast
Cross Roads Podcast
Why Are We Packed In Like Sardines? Exploring Local Overdevelopment
For Questions or Comments Send us a Text Message
A growing population brings new challenges to our neighborhoods as residential developments rise. We delve into the proposed plans for a subdivision that could drastically change our community, examining privacy, traffic impacts, and environmental concerns. Join us as we reflect on resident Phil Hemmer's passionate insights and explore how community members can actively influence local development decisions.
• Discussion of new housing developments encroaching on residential privacy
• Concerns surrounding rental properties affecting neighborhood stability
• Examination of traffic issues resulting from increased population density
• Insights from community meetings emphasizing resident advocacy
• Proposals for maintaining green spaces and defining development standards
Call to action: Attend the meeting on Tuesday, March 4th at 6 PM at Little Elm City Hall to voice your opinion against the proposed development.
Good morning Cross Roads. On the show today I have Phil Hemmer, my neighbor from across Oak Grove Lane in the Hillstone Point Little Elm Side Housing Division. Welcome to the show, Phil.
Phil Hemmer:Thank
Steven Killfoil:Late last month about February 18th I received a letter from the city of Little Elm inviting me to attend a Public Hearing/Arbors at Oak Grove (PD-24-004830). A request to rezone approximately 10 acres of land, currently zoned Agriculture (AC), approximately located 2,000 feet north of the intersection of US HWY 380 and Oak Grove, within Little Elm's town limits, to establish a new Planned Development - Single Family 4 District with modified development standards to allow for development of a new residential subdivision. Does that about sum it up Phil? What happened?
Steven Killfoil:Well, we got in front of the planning and zoning committee and the developer came in with his plan and what he was showing and we're not happy with what he's planning on developing in that area.
Steven Killfoil:So what is it going to do planning on developing in that area? So what is it going to do? It's going to put 50 homes within that small 10-acre lot and those homes are all going to be two-story homes and, honestly, looking at the design that I went and got from planning and zoning, it sure looks like rentals, which I have big concerns about. And the two-story homes they're building are going to be 20 foot from the existing Hillstone Point homes. So the two-story homes are going to be looking into all of the Hillstone Point homes' backyard and homes.
Steven Killfoil:They could shoot a basketball down into your backyard from their balcony, huh.
Phil Hemmer:Yeah, they could, absolutely.
Steven Killfoil:That's
Phil Hemmer:Too close. And Little Elm did not submit to the drawing of the development to anyone. They just gave this letter. I went to Little Elm City Hall and acquired that design, what they're planning on doing. I was shocked what I saw.
Steven Killfoil:Yeah, it's a little bit tight from what you showed me. Uh, not something. I want that close to my house either, and my home happens to be in that little circle that they put on the map on the back of this letter I got. So, yeah, I don't want somebody to be able to peer over my fence and be able to see anything. It's none of their business. That privacy fence is well above the road level and nobody driving a car or even a truck can come and peer down into my backyard. So I'm happy with that. But I don't want a big old two-story house where they can look right down and see if I'm home or not. That's not cool, definitely not. Well, you handed me a list of questions that you asked at this meeting and I'm going to read them off.
Phil Hemmer:I asked the questions. I only had a three-minute time limit, but I was talking as quickly as I could. All right, and you didn't get any answers, I assume, Right, they didn't answer any questions, but I did provide the following day. I did provide a list of all those questions I asked to the planning and zoning committee okay, have you heard back from them yet?
Steven Killfoil:I have not hmm, all right folks out there listening, let me list, let me hear. Give you these questions very simple. One who's the builder? Two are the homes shown in the plan one or two-story? 3. Are the homes being built going to be for sale or rentals only? 4. If rentals, how many will be Section 8 housing? 5. Are the trees shown in the park area existing trees or new ones going to be planted?
Steven Killfoil:6. Proposed red zone letter states modified development standards. What are these modified development standards? Seven why would the city grant modified development standards rather than normal standards? Eight why would the city entertain a development knowing that it would reduce the market value of 25 homes?
Steven Killfoil:9. The trees along the east lot line are approximately 135 feet wide and there are 706 trees greater than 6 inches within this area. The trees are specimen trees, not mesquite or small scrub trees. Some of them are 30 inches in diameter. I would never purchase a home that has a two-story home behind me, looking into my backyard. Existing homes here enjoy the woods and the green space. It makes our homes more marketable to buyers. My number one proposal eliminates the six homes and leaves all the trees on the east property line. All homes on the south property line will be one story only, and 14 concerned about wildlife that live within the trees, for example, owls that are heard nightly. And 15 instead of putting all these houses in like a bunch of tuna in a can, how about making this a park by little elm? It's perfect size for it and it's something that the area could really use, and I think it would be well received by all persons in the area. No problem, I would support that absolutely.
Steven Killfoil:I would go walk in it nightly.
Phil Hemmer:You know, like that, that woods area that I'm talking about on the east side, you could make a nice mulch trail throughout those woods.
Phil Hemmer:Would be wonderful for people to walk through.
Steven Killfoil:Absolutely, and and I think we need to keep a little bit of the green space. Good lord man, what are you guys thinking of? Little elmm, and it's just. I mean, my God, Denton County has just literally squeezed in millions of people. I've got some stats I'm going to share with you in a little bit on that.
Steven Killfoil:Anyway, phil knocked on my door earlier this afternoon and asked me to sign a protest for the development of those houses, which I gladly signed and have invited him on the show today, and here he is to discuss our situation and exactly how it affects not only us, but our neighbors in Providence Village as well. As you know, with all the construction, navigating traffic has been anything but pleasurable. The construction navigating traffic has been anything but pleasurable. When we purchased our home in 2018, we were surrounded by horse ranches, peace and quiet and very little traffic. That all disappeared with the onslaught of home builders and putting houses up all around us. Phil, what do you think about all this development and tell our listeners why these 50 homes definitely should not be built.
Phil Hemmer:Well to me. They really looking at the design once again, they sure look like rentals to me, you know, with the size of the lots and the size of the homes also, and it just it invades the privacy of 25 homes and all the other people around this area homes and all the other people around this area. I know it takes me. I just live two blocks off of the entrance and it takes me 20 minutes at eight o'clock to get out of my subdivision.
Steven Killfoil:And that's unacceptable.
Phil Hemmer:It's unacceptable.
Steven Killfoil:That's just terrible.
Phil Hemmer:And they you know. Granting them modified development standards is just totally ridiculous. I'd say Little Elm needs to go back to adhering to their standards, which is much better for all the residents.
Steven Killfoil:I agree, I agree. Well, my wife? She has to wake up at 4.30 am Monday, tuesday and sometimes Wednesdays just to leave the house at 5 am in order to avoid that absolute chaos that ensues with traffic on Oak Grove. Myself, I get up around 525, and so I can leave my home at 615. I go in the opposite direction, but I do this in order to avoid even more congested traffic there on Fish Trap. More congested traffic there on fish trap. But there's times, if I don't get out from my neighborhood by 625, I can't even get out of my neighborhood due to the heavy traffic coming from the west to the east on fish trap, coming off of Highway 377.
Steven Killfoil:And this is not acceptable. And it's not entirely due to the construction, but more so due to so many houses that have been quickly built in our immediate area. Let me share with you some stats has gone from in 2018 to present, from 858,148 people to a staggering 1,007,703 people, averaging almost 3% to 4% increase per year. Okay, I say enough is enough. Stop building so many houses so close together. And then let's not forget what about? Businesses support all the needs of those million people. What do you think about this, phil?
Phil Hemmer:Way too congested for my life, oh man, and there's no reason. Reason for it it's.
Steven Killfoil:It's terrible and I feel sorry for the people in providence village. I'm certain they're having the exact same problem that we're having over here. You can't get out to go anywhere. At certain times of the day it's just a nightmare. And of course, naturally in the morning when you go to work good Lord, you know it's terrible. And they've got all that congestion going all the way down there Main Street, all the way up to where it dead ends at Friendship Road. They're talking about the Denton County Road. Commissioner told me that that Main Street is going to be widened to six lanes. Highway 377 is going to be widened to six lanes. Those two parallel one another. Now when I go up into Pilot Point, half the time I shoot up Main Street because it's faster.
Phil Hemmer:It is.
Steven Killfoil:It's faster because of the congestion of the traffic, because all those houses that they build up there in Aubrey and Kugerville it's insane and enough is enough. These guys got to stop. They got to stop. Yes, take a break.
Steven Killfoil:We need some land open spaces
Phil Hemmer:Well, can I talk a little about about this meeting that I went to the plan
Steven Killfoil:Absolutely
Phil Hemmer:The uh planning zoning committee did listen to . you know the people who spoke and they listened to all my questions and everything. At the end of the meeting they denied the developers rights on the modified development standards. They told them to come back to the table with those gone. The trees remain as they are and all the houses along the existing homes are all one-story homes. Okay, that's how the meeting ended, but the land zoning.
Phil Hemmer:they denied what they wanted to do. Good, which is good, but now—
Steven Killfoil:Now we have another meeting coming up when
Phil Hemmer:Tuesday at six o'clock at Little Elm City Hall
Steven Killfoil:This Tuesday?
Phil Hemmer:This Tuesday. March 4th,
Steven Killfoil:March 4th six o'clock. Mark this on your calendars, everybody March the 4th, Little Elm City Hall. It's right there, off of El Dorado Parkway, right behind the fire station.
Phil Hemmer:Walk through the library to get to the meeting.
Steven Killfoil:Walk through the library to get to the meeting. I'm going to be there, definitely going to be there.
Phil Hemmer:So what's happening is the developer is protesting, the planning and zoning denial. That's what they're doing. They're going before the city council. You better believe I'm going to be at that meeting.
Steven Killfoil:Absolutely, this is our time to voice our opinion, and definitely so. How can we, the people, both democrat and republican, get our voices heard so Little Elm will first not build these homes, which I understand could also possibly be Section 8 housing. Enough is enough. I didn't buy a home here to be surrounded by a bunch of houses and people who don't care about their neighborhood. Tell our listeners out there what they can do to help Phil.
Phil Hemmer:Show up for the meeting Tuesday, march 4th, at 6 o'clock. 6 o'clock At the Little.
Phil Hemmer:Elm little elm city hall that little elm city hall.
Phil Hemmer:You have to voice your opinion to be heard that's a fact, so you heard it. This is the only time we're going to be able to voice our opinion.
Phil Hemmer:You got it to put a stop to it
Steven Killfoil:How many times have I said it, folks if you want to know what's going on, you've got to be in those meetings. If you don't show up to those meetings and then you bitch about something that happened, you got to shut up because you weren't there. You don't have a voice. So this is one chance to get your voice heard. So, with all the challenges and overcrowding in our public schools, I don't believe our little area can handle much more. In regards to single family dwellings, Braswell High School is way overcrowded. They have started building a new high school here in Cross Roads, but I believe if the houses keep getting built at the speed that they're going up now, Cross Roads High School is going to be overcrowded before it even opens its doors. It's beginning to feel like we're being crammed in together like a bunch of tuna, and I don't like it. What about you, Phil?
Phil Hemmer:I'm the same way. I'm same way with you it's just it's.
Steven Killfoil:It's just ridiculous. There's, there's no way. I did not. I did not buy my house with the intentions of this much going on around me. I bought my house to get away from overcrowding. We moved from a neighborhood where the street looked like a parking garage it's at hillstone point you're talking about yes, that's a hillstone point, hoa in a jennifer, henry, if you're listening, you listen up and listen.
Steven Killfoil:Good, both cities Cross Roads and Little Elm have informed me that our roads within our HOA are private. They are not monitored by the City of Cross Roads or the City of Little Elm. So guess what that means? You, with Essex, need to enforce the rules that we all agreed upon when we bought our homes in this HOA that nobody can park their car on the street and if they do, tow it away. You got a driveway, put your blasted car in it. If you got a garage, park it in there. If you got stuff in your garage, that's not my problem. There's storage around the corner. Put it in the storage so you can park your car in the garage. Your garage is meant for a car, not a man cave. Sorry, I'm not going to apologize for it. And you guys out there that have gotten your mirrors knocked off and dings and dents and scratches and so forth and vandalism and broken into, it's your own fault. If you'd have parked your car in the garage, that would have never happened, or on your driveway, at least you could have had it monitorable by your own standards, but no, you got to park it on the street, for whatever reason. Get it off the damn street. People come on. Enough's enough, Jennifer.
Steven Killfoil:Henry, president of the Hillstone Point, HOA, please do something. And if Essex isn't going to do anything about it, their contracts come and do up. I propose, as an owner in this HOA, that we replace them with a management company that's going to enforce the rules that we set forth and agreed upon. End of story. No more commercial vehicles on the street, everything. Get them off. Get them in the driveway. If they want a commercial vehicle, I'm fine with that. Just park it in your driveway. Get it off the street.
Steven Killfoil:Because I asked the fire chief from Little Elm known fire department who is our firefighter for our neighborhood, if we ever get a fire. If there's a fire at a home and they can't get access to that house to put that fire out. Those fire trucks have a great big bumper for a reason they will ram your car, turn it into a tuna can, shove it out of the way like a bulldozer and they'll put the fire out. And they will not be held responsible for the damage done to your car because you were so stupid to park it on the street when you should have had it in the driveway, end of story. That's enough said. I'll get off my soapbox on that. But uh, I know from your side you're having the same exact trouble, right that. And then these people driving through here like it's a nascar right.
Phil Hemmer:This is a Hillstone Point.
Phil Hemmer:On the other side it's a one lane traffic because of the parked cars. Yep, you can't go down the street without having to stop and pull over and let an oncoming vehicle come through Exactly, and we shouldn't do that and wave to them when they go by.
Phil Hemmer:Yeah, it's nothing they're doing wrong, not their fault. Yeah, not at all Exactly.
Phil Hemmer:It's allowing the modified standard design, that's what's wrong? With it. The city allowed that.
Phil Hemmer:That's what happens, exactly, paying the price for it
Steven Killfoil:I hear you well, and then you know another thing we can do. It's been brought up several times, but Jennifer Henry just doesn't seem to get it and doesn't want. I don't know if she doesn't want to do anything about it, if she's comfortable in her position or just doesn't give a damn, I don't know what. But the point is we can gate our communities and that'll put an end to the cut through traffic. Oh yeah, lots of cut through. And those gates, I mean, dude, they're not that expensive and it would only take about I don't know what. Did they estimate about five, six, seven gates total. I don't know how many openings that we got. You know, on your side, on my side, my side, there's three, there's three on our side.
Steven Killfoil:So there's six gates, all right. If each gate is 10 grand a piece and you divide that by the number of homeowners we have in this hoa, we could pay for that very easily, absolutely, I would definitely do it.
Phil Hemmer:I'd go for a gated community.
Steven Killfoil:Yep, and we can do it because we have private roads. There's nothing saying we can't, but you know that we're meeting with resistance. I don't know if it's Essex or Jennifer Henry, but somebody needs to get it done because we're we're waiting far too long for this nonsense to come to fruition completely. But I definitely am going to be at that Little Elm on Tuesday please do.
Phil Hemmer:And everyone listening. Please show up at the meeting
Steven Killfoil:Yes, it's very important folks
Phil Hemmer:Tuesday ,Tuesday march 4th, at six o'clock Little Elm City Hall
Phil Hemmer:I agree and voice our opinion about what's happening to us
Steven Killfoil:Right because I don't need any more cars on Oak Grove Lane. Good lord man, it's hard enough navigating at any time of the day now. It used to be it was only early in the morning and just I think around probably between three and six, that it was just a nightmare to navigate, but now it's just. Yeah, I don't understand. People tell me I mean, if you're in this area and you're doing it, please stop. If you got to get on 380, just get on 380.
Steven Killfoil:But trying to cut through the neighborhood through fish trap and all that, that's not saving you any time at all. In fact, all you're doing is creating a bigger problem for everybody. You're making the traffic more congested and I give kudos to the Cross Roads Police Department and the Little Elm Police Department for the amazing job that they do to ensure that our traffic does flow as good as it does. You know TxDOT, they got to tweak the timing every now and then, but pretty soon our up and over will be completed and a lot of this traffic problem will go away, I'm hoping.
Phil Hemmer:Yeah, but you know I was thinking about that because I back up to the woods there, but it is going to increase our noise level a tremendous amount.
Steven Killfoil:Yeah, somewhat.
Phil Hemmer:Because right now the roads are ground level. It's elevated Right.
Steven Killfoil:But they can put sound barriers up on that bridge.
Phil Hemmer:Yes, they could, but you think that's going to happen. Well, we, the people, we're going to have to speak our voice.
Steven Killfoil:You've got to bring it up. Txdot's pretty good about doing that. Uh, I'm hoping that that'll, uh, that'll be alleviated, but at least the traffic will flow much easier once they get the lanes widened yes uh, they're gonna have to fix oak grove lane because it's just, it got screwed up way before I moved into this area.
Steven Killfoil:Apparently at one point in time, under a previous administration, that lane Oak Grove Lane was a straight street from the highway, all the way to Fishtrap. But somebody got in there and thought putting a little curvy thingy in there would be neat, and they screwed it up.
Phil Hemmer:Well, you know why that is. If you look on the back of the letter you received, the yellow line is in Oak Grove Road. Yeah, that property line is in Oak Grove Road. Yeah, that property line's in Oak Grove Road.
Steven Killfoil:Oh, yeah, yeah, Well, like I told you everything from that road over here to Fish Trap belongs to Cross Roads.
Steven Killfoil:Right.
Steven Killfoil:But this was done. The crooked thing, snake of the road, was done long before Crossroads inherited that part of it.
Steven Killfoil:Cross Roads- just inherited this okay.
Steven Killfoil:When we, when we first moved here, uh, back in 2018, to buy our house, we were asked by the lady at the trailer at lenar, uh, if we wanted to live on the side that had 3.75 percent tax and a mud or the side that had 1.75 percent and no mud, I said, well, that's a no-brainer, I want the 175, no mud. I got the 375.
Steven Killfoil:Thank you so we chose to put our house over on this side of the road. Lessons learned well, and they started filling up. My neighbor had filled up way before this one does, and they fired her because they were supposed to fill up Little Elm side first, then come over to Cross Roads. That's not how it happened. But I mean, you know, it's just a matter of asking the right questions. Hey, what's the deal on this? Are these in the same? I didn't even know they were in two separate towns. I didn't. So after the fact I'm like why in the world do we have our hoa divided by two towns? They should have made two separate HOAs, one in Little Elm and one in Cross Roads.
Steven Killfoil:But hey, are you taking jennifer? Are you taking jennifer on your hoa? Henry? She's the president of our HOA, I know, but if we're going to divide it, you want to take her with your side or you want to come on our side?
Steven Killfoil:I just wish they'd start listening to us. Yeah, they need to.
Steven Killfoil:Absolutely, they need to.
Steven Killfoil:I just wish they'd start listening to us. Well, everybody, make sure you go to that meeting on tuesday six o'clock, little elm city hall, be there, or b square, and thank you for coming on the show today and perhaps uh, we can have you back once. Uh, we set into place goes into fruition. To report back on the results absolutely, absolutely.
Steven Killfoil:I want to do that, definitely. Okay For local events and meetings coming up. Make sure to check out the town calendar on wwwcrossroadstxgov. Town council will be meeting Monday, march 3rd, at 6 pm. Tuesday at 7 pm. Planning and zoning will be meeting Wednesday, march 5th. Parks and Recreation Board will be meeting at 6 pm.
Steven Killfoil:If you want to find out what's going on in our community and the surrounding area, attending one of these meetings is imperative. Don't be fooled, be informed, and if you do nothing at all, then you give up your voice. Don't be a bench warmer, be a player. So reach out to us on our Facebook page, Cross Roads Podcast, and let us know what you think about this Li ttle Elm City Hall situation. Call . No, don't call them. Show up to the meeting on Tuesday the time for calls or is over. You need to show up in person. Open your mouth, let your voice be heard, let them know what you think. You can send us a text message right from the link on the website crossroadspodcast. buzzsprout. com. Just click on the link For Questions or Comments. Send Us a Text Message or drop us an email at crossroadspodcast2023@ gmail. com. If you liked what you heard today, drop us a text on the episode. Stay tuned in and until next week we'll see you at the top!
