A look back at 2014 and a look forward to 2015

As the city of Plano grows in population and continues to aggressively pursue economic development, Mayor Harry LaRosiliere said the city will have to continue to focus on "embracing the opportunity of our future" and the changes it will bring.

He identified three issues that the city explored in 2014 and will face again in 2015.

Water

The city used 18.7 billion gallons of water last year. The city is working collaboratively with neighboring cities and the North Texas Municipal Water District to get the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek reservoir permitted by the state, which should come online in 2020. In 2014 access to Lake Texoma was fully restored, which is 28 percent of the district's water supply.

Transportation

LaRosiliere said transportation funding has become a high priority for all levels of government. New options such as Bus Rapid Transit are being explored as possible transit solutions. Plano is working collaboratively on expanding the intersection of the President George Bush Toll Turnpike with US 75 and the Dallas North Tollway, which should have a positive effect on mobility and congestion in the area. The council also plans to continue to aggressively approach repair and maintenance of existing thoroughfares throughout Plano.

Housing

As the city continues to grow in population, the council will work to preserve affordable housing in the city. Plano has 27,900 units of single-family housing valued below $200,000. Of all homes less than $200,000, 88 percent were built before 1990. The mayor said preserving affordable housing is critical to meeting Plano's housing needs and keeping Plano competitive for economic

expansion.

The council will also work to expand the supply of housing for small and senior households as it is a growing need in the community. In Plano, 56 percent of households have two or fewer people residing together, and 14.9 percent of households are headed by a person age 65 or older.

The region is expected to grow by 3.8 million people by 2040, according to LaRosiliere. He added that meeting a reasonable share of housing demand created from growth helps better use existing infrastructure capacity, reduces commuting distances and consumes less natural resources.

Meetings

The Plano City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of the month. Plano Municipal Center, 1520 K Ave., 972-941-7000, www.plano.gov

Terms and compensation

Council members and the mayor may serve four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive four-year terms. The mayor earns $16,800 per year while council members earn $12,000 per year

Live coverage

Meetings are streamed live on Plano TV, channel 16 on Time Warner Cable and channels 30 and 31 on Verizon FiOS. Meetings are also available in the agenda archives on www.plano.gov.