McKinney Planning Commission Unanimously Backs Cannon Beach Rezoning Request

McKinney's Planning and Zoning Commission cleared the path for a $200 million surf resort along the Sam Rayburn Tollway corridor, voting 7-0 on March 10 to recommend rezoning the 35-acre Cannon Beach site at the northeast corner of Stacy Road and State Highway 121.

The unanimous recommendation advances Legistar file 25-0131Z to the McKinney City Council, which is scheduled to take final action at its April 7, 2026 meeting. City planning staff, including Director of Planning Lucas Raley and Planning Manager Caitlyn Strickland, recommended approval with the condition that the property develop in accordance with attached development regulations under a Planned Development District designation, consolidating the site's existing patchwork of Regional Commercial, Planned Development, and Highway Commercial zoning into a single PD framework while retaining the Highway Commercial Overlay District.

The proposed development centers on a four-acre surf lagoon equipped with wave-generating technology, surrounded by a full-service resort-style hotel, restaurants, entertainment venues, and public open space. According to a December 2024 announcement from the McKinney Economic Development Corporation and McKinney Community Development Corporation, the project is projected to create more than 700 local jobs, attract 300,000 visitors annually, and generate over $2 billion in economic impact over 20 years.

"This project is truly transformative, answering our community's call for more family-focused activities while positioning McKinney as a premier destination for one-of-a-kind recreational experiences," Mayor George Fuller said in that announcement. "Cannon Beach perfectly reflects our city's unique spirit, seamlessly combining innovative attractions with purposeful urban planning to drive economic growth."

The commission's approval was not without reservation. Commissioners discussed concerns raised by residents living near the site's residential edge, focusing on four issues: noise, lighting, screening, and security. No specific mitigation commitments were detailed in public records from the meeting, and the full development regulations attached to the Legistar file would govern how those concerns are addressed if the council approves the rezoning.

The application was originally submitted to the city on October 13, 2025, with a revised submittal filed November 19, 2025. Those dates fall later than a timeline the city outlined in late 2024, when a press release projected a 2025 groundbreaking and a first-phase opening as early as 2026. The sources available do not explain why the schedule shifted, and the question of construction and opening timing will likely surface again when the council takes up the item April 7.