Town staff on Nov. 5 told the Argyle Planning and Zoning Commission the town is studying a small-area plan for the FM 407/Waterbrook corridor that includes a 6-acre parcel the town owns and an adjoining 12-acre tract held by a private owner.

Mike Sims, town staff, described the project as a multi-phased planning study meant to test whether the town-owned parcel should be treated as part of a future town center rather than remain under its present single-family future land-use designation. Sims said consultants will present at least two options: one that keeps the future land use consistent with the town's existing map and another that shows what mixed-use development could look like if the town and private owner pursue a coordinated town-center concept.

Consultants and staff identified key issues that will shape any change in land use or zoning: tree preservation corridors near the Argyle Nature Trail, internal circulation to reduce reliance on FM 407 and Highway 377, floodplain constraints and a planned LOMR (letter of map revision) submittal for an adjacent subdivision, and the need to align the future land-use map with any town-initiated zoning change. The consulting team is preparing options that would show an ‘‘Option A’’ consistent with existing future land use and an ‘‘Option B’’ that would show a more intensive mixed-use scenario, staff said.

Sims told commissioners he expects the matter to return as action items at the December commission meeting and asked commissioners to submit technical questions by email if they wanted staff responses before then. He said the town and the municipal development district (MDD) are coordinating outreach and may stage joint workshops with the MDD, P&Z and town council to gather public input.

Why it matters: the 6-acre parcel was purchased for a municipal complex and law-enforcement center but is adjacent to 12 acres the town says could be part of a broader town-center strategy. Any change to the town's future land-use designation or zoning would require public hearings, and commissioners flagged tree preservation, stormwater/drainage, and circulation as issues commissioners expect to see addressed with supporting technical analysis.

What comes next: staff said consultants should return with refined concepts soon and that P&Z will likely see a more detailed presentation in December. Staff also recommended beginning internal coordination now so that the town's future land use, zoning and MDD objectives can be evaluated together.