Frisco City Council approved the city’s new Neighborhood Design Strategy study on Tuesday that revises the policies for future residential development.

The study has been in the works since spring 2016. The strategy is part of the council’s top 10 focus items for fiscal year 2016-17.

City staff said the purpose of the study was to review the city’s development standards and policies and propose changes to create more "interestingly" designed neighborhoods.

The identified topics in the study include street, parks, open space and design.

Design Workshop was the consultant firm that led the study and an advisory group was put together for further feedback. The group included two City Council members, three planning and zoning commissioners, and two parks and recreation board members.

The next steps after council’s approval will be to amend ordinances to reflect the recommendations in the study, Frisco’s Development Services Director John Lettelleir said.

There will be a number of city departments involved in the process such as engineering, fire and traffic. City staff will then bring the amended ordinance to the planning and zoning commission and city council for approval, Lettelleir said.

Council did have concerns regarding size lots backing onto major creeks. In the study, depending on the size of a lot, only a certain percentage of those lots could back up on to major creeks and trails. For example, for a lot less than half an acre, up to 20 percent can back up onto a major creek.

However, some council members felt those recommendations were too restrictive for developers. Council decided to approve the study with the exception of leaving the current ordinance as it is, which allows up to 40 percent of lots to back up to a major creek.

View draft of the Neighborhood Design Strategy. City staff still needs to make changes per council's comments on Tuesday's meeting.