Plano Council Approves $150K Area Master Plan for Legacy and Granite Park

Plano City Council voted to hire engineering and planning firm Freese and Nichols with a $150,000 contract to produce an area-specific master plan for the Legacy and Granite Park districts. City officials framed the effort as a proactive response to shifting office market dynamics, recent corporate and hotel projects, and evolving state laws that allow residential and mixed-use development in some nonresidential zones.

The contract, approved Jan. 12, 2026, directs Freese and Nichols to lead public outreach and to develop land-use, infrastructure and zoning options for an area that city staff say is approaching build-out. The work is scheduled to conclude by April 2027, giving residents and property owners more than a year to weigh in as planners map options for the area’s next phase.

Plano leaders pointed to several recent developments that are reshaping the local market, including AT&T’s relocation, new hotel projects and a series of corporate leases. Those moves, coupled with broader office-market shifts, prompted the council to seek guidance on whether, and how, to allow greater flexibility in land use. State-level changes such as SB 840 and related administrative rules now permit residential or mixed-use activity in some formerly nonresidential zones, a legal context that local planners must reconcile with existing zoning and infrastructure capacity.

Freese and Nichols’ scope includes community engagement and the technical analysis necessary to evaluate transportation, utilities and public services as the Legacy district moves toward physical build-out. City staff will consider zoning amendments, infrastructure investments and land-use strategies intended to preserve economic vitality while responding to market and legal changes.

For homeowners, renters and business owners in Collin County, the master plan could influence traffic patterns, parking, property values and the mix of retail and housing options in the Legacy and Granite Park areas. A master plan that enables mixed-use development could open opportunities for new housing and amenities near corporate campuses, while changes to zoning or infrastructure priorities could affect local construction timelines and municipal budgets.

This planning exercise positions Plano to manage growth deliberately rather than reactively. Freese and Nichols’ public outreach will shape the balance between commercial preservation and potential residential conversion, and the April 2027 completion date gives the community a clear deadline for input. Residents should watch for outreach events and city staff updates as the plan takes shape and as elected leaders decide whether to adopt recommended zoning or infrastructure changes.