Plano council approves Willow Bend rezoning to allow single‑family homes after debate over arts tenant and drainage

The Plano City Council voted to approve an ordinance amending the planned‑development zoning for the Willow Bend Mall site to allow single‑family residential development and related modifications, the council announced at its regular meeting. The ordinance affects approximately 89.1 acres on the west side of the Dallas North Tollway and leaves the total residential cap at 965 units with a 40‑unit cap on multifamily units.

Christina Day, director of planning for the City of Plano, told the council the request would reorient the previously approved redevelopment plan and add standards to allow single‑family attached and detached products. “The number of total residential units is staying the same, 965 units with a cap of 40 multifamily units,” Day said. She said the revised plan preserves different portions of the existing mall, requires reconfigured open space and internal streets, and includes a 50‑foot setback from major roadways.

Developers represented by Centennial Real Estate presented the revised concept as a pivot from last year’s plan after anchor changes at the center. Michael Platt, vice president of real estate development, said the team added for‑sale housing and reconfigured the site to strengthen the public green space. “The one thing that really doesn't work on this site is what's there today,” Platt said. Steven Levin, founder and CEO of Centennial, said the company purchased Macy’s former store parcel to maintain control of the redevelopment path: “we bought their box.”

Speakers for North Texas Performing Arts (NTPA) urged Centennial to honor a year‑old commitment to provide a long‑term location for the performing arts organization. Daryl Rodenbaugh, who described himself as full‑time CEO for North Texas Performing Arts, said the group has grown into a major regional arts provider and asked Centennial to confirm a durable home on the redeveloped site. “We would love them to be on this project if we can accommodate them,” Rodenbaugh said; developers repeatedly said they were willing to include NTPA if the final development plan and commitments from other anchor owners allowed it.

Nearby homeowners and neighborhood representatives raised stormwater and erosion concerns. Rhett Broussard, speaking for Willow Bend Polo Estates, said his community has five retention ponds that are essential to stormwater management and that maintenance costs there recently exceeded $1,000,000. He asked the city to complete a watershed study before approving redevelopment to quantify downstream impacts and help address silt and erosion problems.

Resident and zoning critic Bill Lyle raised a separate procedural concern, arguing the proposed planned‑development language should be reconciled with the city’s recently adopted Expressway Corridor Overlay District. City staff and developers said they would review overlay applicability; no further changes to the ordinance were made at the meeting.

Council members questioned developers about unit mix, the location of performing‑arts space, and project timing. Council member Horn noted the addition of roughly 50 single‑family detached units in the updated plan and asked whether Centennial intends to keep NTPA in its current location. Steven Levin and Michael Platt said Centennial had honored existing leases after acquiring the property, had expressed willingness to include NTPA at a financially difficult lease term if the overall redevelopment could support it, but could not make unconditional commitments without agreements from other property owners such as Neiman Marcus and Dillard’s.

The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the zoning case by a 4‑1 vote, Christina Day said. After public comment and council discussion, council members moved to approve the ordinance. A motion to approve the item passed with six votes in favor, zero opposed and one abstention; the abstaining council member cited a personal relationship with North Texas Performing Arts.

Implementation of the plan remains contingent on securing commitments from existing anchors and final development agreements. During the meeting a council member asked the city manager to meet with NTPA leaders to explore options should the organization need a relocation plan while redevelopment proceeds.

The council’s approval authorizes the zoning changes described in the ordinance language presented at the meeting; it does not by itself finalize construction, lease terms or individual tenant agreements. Developers said they plan to seek anchor approvals and to move toward permitting once those negotiations progress.