Respect, Integrity, Experience"
Enhance "Green Flower Mound"
Listen to and Engage with Residents
Plan Strategic Economic Development
Follow Master Plan and SMARTGrowth to protect home values
Control High Density and
Improve Traffic Flow
One of my early and major contributions on the Town Council include more money in the pockets of the Flower Mound residents.
On October 15, 2018, I along with the rest of the Town Council, approved a 2.5% homestead exemption, which lowered the Flower Mound homeowners’ 2019 tax bill. You may have already seen the benefit in your last year’s property tax bill.
However, this was just the start, and in 2019, I championed the reduction of ad valorem (property) tax rate. This was important because it benefits both the residential and commercial property owners.
I had proposed and would have liked to get ½ percent decrease, but the Town Council at last finally agreed to a ¼ percent reduction. This reduced our property tax rate from $0.4390 per $100 assessed valuation for all the properties in Flower Mound to $0.4365 per $100 assessed valuation.
This two-step, was essential in helping Town steadily manage its expenses in response to the resulting changes in expected revenues.
Even though this reduces the revenues for the Town, I expect that residents will ultimately spend these dollars back in Town, benefitting our numerous local retail/restaurant establishments.
In addition to providing the residents with lower taxes, I am proud to say that I helped reduce the expenditures during the 2019-2020 budget exercise, and we prioritized the capital improvement projects. This prevented the Town from taking on additional debt.
As you may know that I have always been very vocal in my opposition to the Lakeside TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone), and this is based on fact that the underlying data clearly indicated that the Town’s tax revenues benefitted the most under the no-TIRZ option.
I am glad to say that I was successful in leading the effort to remove the discussion of TIRZ from the table, which would have cost the Flower Mound tax-payers heavily.
With the help of the residents, I was able to pushback on undesirable high-density projects and convince majority of my fellow Councilmembers to see our way.
I, and most Councilmembers, prevented apartments/multi-family residential developments, while encouraging and approving more commercial/Class-A offices in designated parts of the Town.
There was a proposal to build 850 multifamily dwelling units out of a total of 1,020 total dwelling units, at Long Prairie and Silveron, in addition to hotel, offices, retail and restaurant uses, and request to cut 107 out of 122 specimen trees. I and most (except one) Councilmembers denied the proposal in September 2019.
We are working on synchronization of traffic lights in Town. We are discussing and planning on further improvements to it using newer technologies.
I am already working with staff to make much needed improvements to major intersections in town, to move the traffic faster and more efficiently, such as the Long Prairie Rd (FM 2499) and Flower Mound Rd (FM 3040) intersection, which I have managed to get it on our CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). I want to see it through.
In May 2018, we were able to prevent Morriss Road expansion to 6 lanes. The fall in traffic on Morriss, proximity to the neighborhood homes, the multiple school zones along the road, and the road’s layout through the town, do not warrant the Morriss Road expansion. The road’s designation is now changed to Urban Minor Arterial.
I am proud to be part of a wonderful program that we started this year (January 2020) to provide affordable transportation to seniors. “Mary Kay Walker, with the Seniors in Motion Auxiliary (SIMA), said the program is a joint effort between SIMA (Seniors in Motion Auxiliary), the town staff and Mayor Pro Tem Sandeep Sharma.” Currently, the town picks up 80 percent of the costs when a resident uses SPAN, meaning the seniors pay $5 each way. Under the new program, SIMA would reimburse the eligible senior 80 percent of that cost, giving the senior $1 six one-way trips a week.
We also approved projects that provide seniors with additional residential options, and then thoughtfully reverted the town’s Master Plan by removing the Senior Housing overlay. In August 2019, I, along with two other Councilmembers, brought the Flower Mound school crossing guards back home from an outsourced vendor. There were apprehensions, but I am proud to say that our police department made it work really well, and a win-win for everyone. I listened to the residents of The Town of Flower Mound, and was the main proponent of their wants and needs inside the Town Hall during the Council deliberations, and outside on the items that have major impact on quality of residents’ lives and property value of their homes.
I, as part of the Flower Mound Town Council, helped maintain the Cross Timbers Protection Area along Cross Timbers Rd and Lusk Ln, and prevented it from being further compromised due to the encroachment of rapid and intense urbanization.
I am also committed to the preservation of the Cross Timbers Conservation Development District (CTCDD), and have voted accordingly on such projects. As an example, I voted against a project in CTCDD that even though may have met the technical requirements of a cluster development, did not meet the intent of clustering.
I and 2 other Councilmembers denied a Master Plan Amendment (MPA) in Denton Creek District Area Plan in Canyon Falls. As, I have always said that if we amend the Master Plan, it should benefit the Town and its residents. With that in mind, I was okay with certain amendments, such as, to adopt the Lakeside Reuse Water Master Plan. I also supported the MPA to keep Morriss Road as a 4 (four) lane and designate it as Urban Minor Arterial road. Another Master Plan Amendment that I supported to change Residential to Retail (including veterinarian office) uses, was done with involvement and approval of the nearby residents and neighborhoods, and incorporated their recommendations.
However, our work is not done. I failed to get the Council to remove “Limited Residential” from being allowed in "Campus Commercial" districts. This “Limited Residential” has been the cause of the many apartments we see and will continue to see, unless something is done quickly. I plan to bring this item up again for consideration.
Preventing increase in vehicular traffic is only part of the mantra for Traffic Management. We are working on Morriss Road improvements to ease the traffic movement there. I am also strongly pushing for solutions for our traffic bottlenecks, such as Long Prairie Road (FM 2499) and Flower Mound Road (FM 3040) intersection. My job is also to make sure we work to try to make Riverwalk and Lakeside more successful, of course, without compromising and sacrificing. There is also the future of the undeveloped infill land in the east and central Flower Mound, along with open land in the west, and recreational and park facilities in the west, which will be part of discussions and decisions in the not too distant future.April 10, 2018 - Community Impact Q & A with Sandeep Sharma
JANUARY 17, 2018 - Flower Mound — Today I decided to get back into finishing what I started last year. I filed the papers to announce my candidacy for 2018 Flower Mound Town Council elections.
Sandeep Sharma has lived in Flower Mound since 2001, and in Texas even longer. He chose to settle down in Flower Mound due to its
uniqueness and quality of life.
Sandeep is currently (2019-2020) the Mayor-Pro Tem of Flower Mound Town and Councilmember since May 2018.
Prior to that, he served on Town’s Charter Review Commission and Planning & Zoning Commission between 2013 and 2016.
Sandeep is member of the Lions Club of Flower Mound.
Sandeep is also a school PTA member and volunteers at the LISD schools.
Sandeep supports and donates to different charities.
Sandeep heads a management and technology consulting firm that is known for providing consulting services to the private sector, local municipalities, State and Federal agencies for audits/assessments,
building technology roadmaps and blueprints, making strategic recommendations, and providing IT design, architecture and development.
His "Quest to Excel" motto inspires Sandeep to fulfill the Town’s vision and to work towards steering Flower Mound in a
strategic direction.
With a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Sandeep follows the principle of
"maintaining the right balance between the idealistic and practical approach" in his role as CEO of The Evolvers Group. Sandeep’s
experience also includes working at Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Sprint, AT&T (formally SBC Communications), Lockheed Martin, US EPA, etc.
I have been the voice of people of Flower Mound, and now is the time to take the needs, the desires and requirements of the residents to the Town Council.
I have been engaged with the Residents, listening to their concerns and communicating it to the Town staff and Town Council, keeping them involved and informed about the decisions at the Town Hall.
With me on the Town Council, you can have the peace of mind that I will make the right decisions for the benefit of the Town.
Flower Mound has one of the best parks and trail system. With me on the Town Council, it will only get better. I will work towards saving the trees, and enhancing the parks and open green spaces.
With me on the Town Council, every resident, including other Councilmembers, will be treated respectfully.
With me on the Town Council, you can be assured that the mission statement and vision of the Town to preserve our unique country atmosphere, heritage, and quality of life while cultivating a dynamic economic environment will be honored.
"Bring the Town Hall to the People":
I will continue to engage and listen to Flower Mound’s residents, businesses, visitors and employees before making decisions.
Having served on the Town’s Charter Review Commission and Planning & Zoning Commission, I understand the value of listening to the
stakeholders, rather than relying on personal opinions, when it comes to making the right decisions to benefit the community.
Most people do not get to the Town Hall or follow the Council meeting agenda until it is too late, and these are the people who make
this town a great place to live. Therefore, it is important to engage the community and bring the Town Hall to them.
"Green Flower Mound":
The top two (2) wishes of the residents is for Parks and Trails.
About 30% of our great residents of Flower Mound want parks, trails and a clean environment (public recycling bins and ban plastics).
Forty percent (40%) in this category want parks, and another 37% want trails.
Parks are a marquee aspect of Flower Mound. Between 2012 and 2017, we spent $1.2 million in improvements to our existing parks.
For a long time now, we haven't added new neighborhood or pocket parks, though we have the big Heritage Park to be proud of.
These neighborhood parks are the ones used the most by the surrounding community.
We need to continue to add these pocket parks in the Town.
We have seen the current Town Council waive these requirements and also waive cash payments in lieu of park land dedication, which is not acceptable.
One such case was when the Town Council waived $7.76 millions cash fees in lieu of Park Land Dedication and Park Development Fees for The Point project.
I will hold developers responsible for the required Park Land Dedication and Park Development Fees.
"Plan Strategic Economic Development":
We have to help in the sustainability and prosperity of the numerous existing, planned and upcoming retail businesses and restaurants,
the small offices for professional practices and other similar establishments.
We have to bring caring corporate citizens to the Town.
We have to be very smart, creative and innovative.
We can use our invaluable assets – available land, financial strength, location, residents and employees – to make it happen.
"Support Responsible Growth":
What is responsible growth?
Responsible Growth is not over-indulging; it is not saturating a concept to death; it is about being balanced; it is about being a good town planner.
As of November 2017, there are 1,082 multi-family units that are already approved in Lakeside, and Southgate, but not yet built.
Then in December 2017, The Point approval added another 577 units that will be built.
The Lakeside Village and Graham Tract is proposing another 379 multi-family units along FM 2499.
Note that this is in addition to the 1,145 apartment units already constructed or under construction in Lakeside DFW.
This is NOT RESPONSIBLE GROWTH. This is SUICIDE for a town like Flower Mound.
You can contact Sandeep over phone or drop him an email.
You can send him your suggestions by using the form below.
