The changes also involve modifications to how single-family lots can be developed and overall municipal regulatory authority.
The big picture
Following the 89th Texas Legislature session, which concluded June 2, 2025, numerous bills were signed into law that will affect Plano zoning and planning regulations, specifically Senate Bills 840, 15 and 2477.
At their July 21 meeting, Plano Planning and Zoning commissioners received a presentation by Land Records Planning Manager Christina Sebastian regarding these three bills and their potential impacts in Plano:
- SB 840, which requires multifamily and mixed-use residential developments be permitted in all nonresidential zoning districts
- SB 15, which brings the minimum required lot size to 3,000 square feet for single-family homes and restricts city authority on parking, open space and building height requirements
- SB 2477, which assists with converting nonresidential office buildings to mixed-use multifamily residential
Sebastian said city staff have been working to find ways to be in compliance with the new legislation before it goes into effect in September while still trying to follow Plano’s comprehensive plan and city standards.
What happened
City staff outlined questions about the changes, including how the legislation will affect the expressway corridor overlay district and if and how the city should notify residents when development occurs due to SB 840.
Commissioner Michael Bronsky said as SB 840 conflicts with Plano’s comprehensive plan, which was adopted in 2021, citizens should be notified when developments are going up due to the legislation.
“I think it is absolutely 100% the responsibility of this body to communicate, to those citizens and those businesses, why we are allowing some of these things that this bill requires to have happen,” Bronsky said. “When things like SB 840 are out there creating something different than the citizens want and the businesses expect, we [should] clearly tell them that we’re complying with state law as opposed to overriding their wishes.”
Sorting out details
City staff also asked if the city should allow single-family homes in the previously nonresidential areas that are now subject to multifamily and mixed-use residential options under SB 840.
Commissioner Tianle Tong said she would support single-family residential in nonresidential areas to diversify housing options, particularly smaller lots like duplexes or townhomes.
“I personally feel like Plano needs more housing,” Tong said. “Since we now have a new law that kind of allows all the non-residential uses when they could be used for multifamily, why not allow them to be single family?”
Additionally, Commissioner Sean Lingenfelter said the addition of single-family residential uses in commercial areas could impose new requirements on surrounding properties and cause potential changes in home values.
“There is a reason we kind of put buffers, and we put single family and separate them from industrial,” Lingenfelter said. “Not to pick on a city, but we don’t want to be like Houston where you have no zoning, and everything’s just mismatched around. There is some conformity and structure that should always be utilized here.”
What’s next?
The city is holding a series of meetings to discuss amendments to the zoning and subdivision city ordinances ahead of the new legislation going into effect in September, including:
- July 28 at 4 p.m. – Joint City Council and Commission work session
- Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. – Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing
- Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. – City Council public hearing
