Plano presents Module 1 of Unified Development Code rewrite; council signals support

Plano planning staff on Dec. 16 presented the first substantive portion of a multi-year rewrite of the city’s Unified Development Code, a package of zoning and subdivision ordinance changes officials said are designed to align regulations with the city’s comprehensive plan and simplify how land uses are described and regulated.

Christina Day, the city’s director of planning, told the council the rewrite began with a diagnostic report completed in December 2024 and is being delivered in four modules. ‘‘This is Module 1 that we’re bringing to you tonight,’’ Day said, adding staff paused work earlier in 2024 to incorporate legislative changes from that year’s state session before resuming the update.

Christina Sebastian, Land Records Planning Manager, described a new residential framework that separates ‘‘form’’ (what buildings look like and dimensional standards) from ‘‘function’’ (how a dwelling is used). The proposal defines three foundational terms—dwelling, private room and sleeping quarter—and uses those to categorize residential uses. Under the draft, a home with no private rooms or sleeping quarters remains a private residence; one to four private rooms with no sleeping quarters would be a ‘‘shared residence,’’ five to eight private rooms a ‘‘boarding house,’’ and nine or more private rooms or any sleeping quarters would move the use into a residential care facility classification. Sebastian said a new ‘‘Care Home’’ use would cover up to eight private rooms or sleeping quarters with required supervision and care, aligning with existing household care facility rules.

Daniel Harrison of consultant Friese and Nichols described how the rewrite would reduce and reorganize the city’s zoning districts—moving from about 31 districts to roughly 24, grouped into residential, mixed-use, community design and special districts—and streamline the land-use chart from roughly 200 categories to about 110. Harrison said the intent is clearer, more consistent rules that make redevelopment easier to interpret and implement.

Day said staff and the rewrite advisory committee have accepted the Module 1 draft and that the eventual adoption is expected in late 2026. She said future modules will set use allowances by district and develop additional use standards.

Council consented to ‘‘move this forward’’ during the meeting but the transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote on substantive acceptance of Module 1 at this session. City staff said the draft had been presented previously to the Planning and Zoning Commission and to the rewrite advisory committee.

The council and presenters discussed public outreach: staff said the draft has been posted online for public review, comments were collected through an online collaboration platform used by the advisory committee, and additional public outreach will follow as later modules are developed. Staff also noted that some components of the process were adjusted to reflect changes in state law enacted during the 2024 legislative session.

Next steps described by staff include continuing public engagement, returning with additional modules (Modules 2–4) and a plan to bring the full package forward toward adoption in late 2026. The presentation packet and the advisory committee’s materials were provided to council for further review.

The council did not adopt any ordinance or take a formal final action on Module 1 at the Dec. 16 meeting; staff requested direction and indicated they would return with additional detail in upcoming sessions.