Developers who lock up space in Plano's water and sewer lines would have to keep their projects moving or lose it, under an ordinance change going to the Planning & Zoning Commission on Monday, Nov. 16.
The city-initiated amendment to the Subdivision Ordinance rewrites how Plano studies whether its pipes can handle a new project and how long that project can hold onto the capacity it needs. Staff recommend approval. The commission holds a public hearing on it at its 6 p.m. meeting in the Senator Florence Shapiro Council Chambers at 1520 K Avenue.
Why the city is changing it now
Plano first added capacity studies and reservations to the ordinance in September 2025, after the 89th Legislature passed bills limiting local control over residential development. The staff report says that, with zoning and the Comprehensive Plan no longer able to dictate where growth goes, denser projects are now landing in parts of the city where infrastructure capacity is limited.
The city is already rewriting its zoning and subdivision rules into a single unified development code. Staff say these capacity changes are needed sooner because of heavy development interest, so they are moving ahead of that larger project.
What would change
- Timing of the study. A concept plan would no longer trigger the water and wastewater study, because staff say there is too little design detail at that stage. The study would come before approval of a site plan or preliminary plat, though a developer could opt to begin it earlier, with a preliminary site plan, including alongside a zoning case.
- Temporary holds. Capacity identified in the study would be held on a temporary basis through the preliminary plat. That hold would be released if the project's next approval is not issued within six months. The engineering director could grant one extension of up to six months; further extensions would go to the commission.
- Full reservation, with an end date. Capacity would be fully reserved only once all preliminary plat conditions are met, confirmed by a letter from the engineering director or by a development agreement. If construction is not finished, that reservation would be released after 12 months unless extended, and an extension of up to 12 months would require 60 days of continuous active construction or other evidence the work is still alive.
