This list is not comprehensive, and details are subject to change.
1. Plano developers to see increased fees for city planning, engineering services
Developers looking to build in Plano are set to see increased fees for planning, engineering and building services as part of the city’s cost recovery plan.
The proposed increases were approved by Plano City Council members at their Nov. 10 meeting.
What it means
The fees would be part of the city’s ongoing cost recovery efforts, which began in March. Departments developed proposed cost recovery targets and fee replacements in September, ahead of council’s discussion of the adjusted fees in October.
Several building inspection fees will increase from 20% to 150%, with the largest increases for waste disposal and same-day inspections.
Engineering and planning services fees will also increase, ranging from newly established fees for services that previously had none to hikes of several hundred dollars for existing service fees.
2. 215-acre Lavon Farms development in east Plano moves forward
A project that would develop an east Plano dairy farm into 215 acres of homes, apartments, parks and more is one step away from final approval.
A zoning change for Lavon Farms was recommended for approval by Plano’s Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 17.
The big picture
Lavon Farms would feature 626 single-family residential units, 1,052 multifamily units and 37 acres of open space. The open space would include 10 acres of parks and a “Rural Preserve,” which will allow a section of the development to function as a micro farm and ranch.
The project has been “about 25 years” in the making, land owner Todd Moore said. Moore’s family bought the land in 1936 and has been operating it as a dairy farm since.
Lavon Farms is a “key catalyst site” for the Envision Oak Point Plan which was initially adopted in 2018, Plano Assistant Director of Planning Michael Bell said.
3. Plano approves city grant, tax relief for $117M Japanese Miyako Hybrid Hotel project
Plano officials are backing the construction of a new Japanese luxury hotel in northwest Plano by providing annual tax rebates and funding to support marketing and tourism efforts.
At their Oct. 27 meeting, Plano City Council members approved a pair of items tied to the new Miyako Hybrid Hotel.
Some context
Construction on the upcoming 215,000-square-foot Japanese luxury hotel near the former JCPenney headquarters began Oct. 15. The hotel, which will be Kintetsu Group Holding’s third in the United States, is projected to open in fall 2027.
The 12-story luxury hotel is expected to feature 217 rooms, a Texas-style rooftop bar and a traditional Japanese restaurant, according to a company news release.
What you need to know
The first agreement, an economic development incentive agreement, establishes an annual tax rebate for the hotel. Beginning Jan. 1, 2028, the city will refund 50% of the property taxes the hotel pays on its building for 10 years, according to city documents.
Council members also approved a hotel occupancy tax grant agreement, which provides the hotel with funding specifically aimed at attracting visitors and convention delegates.
Under the grant agreement, Plano will pay Kintetsu $70,000 for five years, starting Dec. 31, 2028.
4. Texas Health starts construction on new patient tower in Plano
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano is moving forward with its $343 million infrastructure expansion project after breaking ground on a new patient tower Oct. 21.
The details
The $343 million expansion includes a 696-space parking garage, which opened in November 2024, and the new patient tower, which is expected to open fall 2028.
The 300,000 square foot tower will be eight stories, with three additional floors of shell space for future expansion efforts, according to a news release from the hospital.
The project will add a larger pharmacy department, an upgraded Emergency Department, and expanded specialty care for neuroscience, heart and vascular and digestive health, according to the release.
Quote of note
Barclay Berdan, Texas Health Resources chief executive officer, said healthcare providers must plan to accommodate the rapidly increasing population of Collin County.
“Texas Health is stepping up ... to meet that demand,” Berdan said. “Not only serving Plano’s residents, but those who come through our doors from other parts of the county and even beyond.”
