The Plano City Council approved a new ordinance pertaining to the design of the city’s streets and roadways at a September meeting.
The city council adopted a document known as Street Design Standards, which was recommended by the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission during an earlier meeting on August 21.
Passage of the new ordinance necessitated the repeal of “obsolete transportation planning and design documents,” such as the Subdivision Ordinance and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, while amending the Plano Comprehensive Plan.
Street design standards in the city were last updated in 2009, but staff have been working on revisions since 2021, according to Community Impact.
The new standards cover all aspects of various roadway and street construction in the city, including medians, intersections, alleyways, driveways, curbs, turn lanes, street lighting, and more.
One section of the ordinance covers requirements specific to the city’s downtown area.
“Due to the historic character of the area and its unique design challenges, Downtown streets do not operate on the city’s standard functional classification system,” the document reads.
Comprehensive Planning Manager Michael Bell explained during the meeting that proposed changes to the downtown area would not be instituted until a study had been completed. The city council stipulated that city staff first test the changes to the downtown area before the standards are finalized.
Another section of the ordinance is devoted to neighborhood traffic management.
“The advantages of a neighborhood traffic management program include traffic calming elements which reduce traffic speed or volume, increase safety, and beautify city streets,” reads the standards document. “The disadvantages include possible inconvenience to residents driving in the neighborhood, parking restrictions, unattractive devices, and increased noise adjacent to the device.”
The new standards also allow citizens to petition the city staff for further changes.
“This ensures that we’re not limiting ourselves from making important street improvements down the line by not planning for future conditions,” Drew Brawner, lead planner for the City of Plano, explained at the meeting.
