McKinney City Council members approved a site plan and facade for the expansion of the John and Judy Gay Library at a meeting Sept. 4. The site plan includes the development of 160.31 acres in the McKinney community park addition, located at 6861 Eldorado Parkway. Approval of this site plan comes after a bond that was approved in 2015 for the expansion and renovation of the library. The library expansion will add approximately 15,217 square feet onto the existing 20,437-square-foot building and will include additional teen, adult and toddler areas; two multipurpose rooms; over 3,000 square feet of outdoor program space; and 148 additional parking spaces. Director of Libraries in McKinney Spencer Smith said that the expansion will double the public access space. During the meeting, the council considered two facade plans for the outside of the library but approved the facade plan that consists of a mostly transparent, glass appearance. “We appreciate the transparency of the glass. … We prefer that,” Smith said. Mayor George Fuller said that he voted for the glass facade because city and library staff preferred it, and Council Member La'Shadion Shemwell said he voted for the glass facade because he would like to see something new. Following the groundbreaking construction is expected to take 12-13 months, Smith said in a previous interview with Community Impact Newspaper.