The team from Avid Trails were recently onsite, boots on the ground, charting each step of Painted Tree’s trail experience. Jay Hoeschler and Justin Lax are founding partners of Avid Trails, a nationally-recognized leader in trail planning, design and build. They trudged through the woods and over the creek searching out those truly special opportunities to engage with nature along the 25 miles of planned trails.
The city of McKinney has purchased a large tract of land in one of its biggest new developments for a public park. The 230 acres just acquired in Painted Tree is planned to include athletic fields, recreational facilities, and future community and economic development projects.
“Collaborating with the city of McKinney in creating a mix of amenities only adds to the variety of options ‘in nature’ for residents of this outdoor-centric community,” Tom Woliver, co-president and founder of Oxland Group, said.
Recently at Painted Tree, a herd of 100 goats was released onto 11.5 acres of the 1,100 acre community to clear thick underbrush, in an environmentally sensitive manner. By using the goats, it allowed the natural beauty of the tree stands and creek that runs through a 200 acre greenbelt within Painted Tree to be maintained which was vital to the community vision. Releasing the goats served as a fitting “groundbreaking” for this nature-centric community.
Developers of a huge new McKinney community are adding to plans for the project with a ground breaking set for early next year. Called Painted Tree, the 1,100-acre development north of U.S. 380 is a project of Dallas-based Oxland Advisors and New York-based JEN Partners. The new community is planned to include 3,400 homes.
Painted Tree’s developers have updated their designs for the new community to include 25 miles of paths and trails plus pools and playgrounds. The community will also an 11.5-acre open-air trailhead and amenity center, a 20-acre lake and parks.
Oxland Advisors beefed up the outdoor features planned for Painted Tree after surveying potential new home community residents. Almost 70% percent of potential homebuyers rated walking trails as the most desired feature of a new community.
McKinney’s Planning and Zoning Commissioners unanimously recommended the rezoning request of 620 acres within the Painted Tree development, at the meeting on December 8th. This will allow for single-family residential, multifamily residential and commercial uses to be built on the property. These 620 acres are part of the total 1,100 acres that make up the master plan.
“I think this is one of the better presentations that we’ve seen on a development in some time,” Commissioner Brian Mantzey said. “I think it shows a lot of consideration that went in; it’s great to hear the notes of bringing nature into the subdivisions.”
Like most developers, Tom Woliver is a professed data junkie. He doesn’t take that first step, of course, until the project’s feasibility is absolutely clear. Tens of millions of dollars are at stake during a struggling, pandemic-stricken economy.
So, it has to make perfect sense.
In the case of the vast 1,100-acre development that Woliver’s firm, Dallas-based Oxland Advisors, is putting together west of McKinney, this project checks all of the boxes. The 3,400-home development comes during a housing inventory shortage in North Texas while many people are evaluating their pandemic-related, stay-at-home situation.
A large, new residential community in McKinney is gearing up to get under construction next year, ultimately bringing about 3,400 homes with 25 miles of hiking and walking trails and a 200-acre greenbelt around a 20-acre lake.
The focus of Painted Tree will be on walkability and the outdoors, said Tom Woliver, president and partner of Oxland Group.
“What we’re offering as amenities will be a little bit different than a pre-COVID world,” Woliver said. “We’re looking at embracing an open, outdoor lifestyle. Your home, we’re envisioning, is your trailhead. People are going to be living at home, working from home, schooling from home, working out at home. We’re trying to design a community in a way where your home is not only your castle, but it’s really your community.”
Oxland plan to formally apply for zoning in upcoming weeks and start construction in 2021. Development plans call for preservation of much of the existing greenbelt, which includes mature trees and a natural trail system that will run through the heart of the community and connect to the city of McKinney’s Erwin Park and Bonnie Wenk Park.
