Item 6C - Notification ResponseFrom: Kraus, Greg
Sent: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 9:36 AM
To: Mayor McCaskill<mayormccaskill@cityofsouthlake.com>
Cc:
Subject: Ordinance No. 1269-F, CP25-0003 and Ordinance No. 480-839, ZA25-0057
Dear Mayor McCaskill and fellow Council Members:
My wife and I are out of town and unable to attend tonight's council meeting. Therefore, I
would like to share our thoughts related to the subject ordinances.
This has been a long process to try to best optimize the best use for this special tract of
Land, delicately balancing the best interest of the adjacent homeowners and the master
planned designated commercial land use, due to the site's proximity to Highway 114. We
are appreciative of the Council's understanding that this is not a particularly attractive site
for commercial use, broadly, and that commercial would severely affect the residential
character of Shady Oaks and have negative consequences to residential home values
along this special corridor.
We are resigned to the fact that this parcel will eventually be developed and my neighbors
and I have been in agreement that residential is the least disruptive to our quality of life and
will also allow the most tree preservation of any alternative, given the naturally forested
nature of the site.
As you and the Council finalize a plan for this parcel, I would like you all to consider the
following in your deliberations:
• Create oversight during the horizontal site work to ensure that tree preservation is
adhered to and that old specimen trees are preserved and not unnecessarily cut
down with the intention of replacing them with new, small trees that effectively
destroy the forested environment that exists today.
• To the bullet point above, ensure that trees in the 100' buffer zone along the 114
frontage road are preserved. Create a monitoring process during the horizontal
development to create compliance with the approved tree preservation plan.
• Given the slowing housing market, we want to avoid the horizontal development
proceeding but no vertical development occurring. Please consider setting a
requirement that a minimum of 40-50% of the lots be sold/committed with
meaningful non-refundable earnest money posted before horizontal development
begins.
• Ensure that common area preservation is clearly articulated and a plan approved,
including a landscaped detention pond that the developers adhere to.
• Given drainage issues along Shady Oaks, please ensure that drainage from this site
will not exacerbate the runoff that flows down the creek along Shady Oaks furthering
flooding that already occurs.
• Require an attractive 8 foot masonry/stone wall between the 50' buffer zone and lots
15, 16, 26 and 27.
• Require 6" or larger caliper specimen trees be planted in the buffer zone along
Shady Oaks to soften views of the aforementioned masonry/stone wall along Shady
Oaks.
• Continue to push for the fewest homes and lowest density feasible.
My wife and I appreciate the Council's focus on optimizing development of this site
throughout the process that has unfolded and the understanding that any commercial
development is strongly opposed by our neighbors and us.
Thank you for your consideration of my thoughts above.
Respectfully,
Greg Kraus
596 Garden Court
Southlake, TX 76092
M: 214.417.8145
W: 972.715.5837