Peter Braster has been hired as the city's new special projects director and will start Nov. 30[/caption]

Special Projects Director Phyllis Jarrell will retire in April.[/caption]

The city of Plano announced Nov. 23 it has hired a new director of special projects to replace Phyllis Jarrell, who is retiring in April.

The city hired Peter Braster, senior development manager for the city of Carrollton, who will start Nov. 30. Braster will be working with Jarrell to manage special projects and downtown development, and will assume her position upon her retirement, according to a news release from the city.

Braster has been with the city of Carrollton for nine years, managing downtown and transit-oriented development. Prior to that, he worked in several capacities with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and for private engineering consulting firms. He holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. Braster is also active in professional organizations including the Urban Land Institute, International Economic Development Council and the Texas Downtown Association.

"Peter has the experience and skills required to ensure Plano’s high priority economic development projects are properly and expeditiously managed and that downtown reinvestment and revitalization continue," the release stated.

Jarrell began working for the city of Plano as a planner 31 years ago. She was appointed to planning director in 1998 and became the special projects director in 2014. Jarrell served as the project manager for several of Plano's major corporate headquarters developments and assisted in the development of Legacy Town Center and in historic downtown Plano’s revitalization.

"I’ve had the great fortune to participate in Plano’s transition from a bedroom community of 100,000 people to its present day status as a major regional employment center of 271,000 [people]," Jarrell said. "I’m also very proud of the neighborhood planning and revitalization efforts that the planning department initiated during this time."

Jarrell said she will miss working with Plano staff as well as city residents.

"As a city planner, I could not have asked for a better place to conduct my career. Plano’s fast growth trajectory provided a wide range of issues and challenges that we were able to meet with the steady support and guidance of City Council, the Planning & Zoning Commission and other boards," she said. "It’s been very gratifying to work with citizens from all walks of life and from all parts of the community who have the city’s best interests at heart."