During a Plano Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Aug. 7, 2023, the commission voted 6-2 to recommend approval for a new development on the southwest corner of Plano Parkway and Executive Drive. If approved, the 19-acre mixed-use project will be located between Bush Turnpike and Plano Parkway, just east of U.S. Highway 75.
Since Fry’s Electronics closed its Plano store in February 2021 as part of a nationwide wind-down process, the California-based developer Bay West Development’s been pitching plans for a new mixed-use project on the site. Plano Star Courrier reported that in March 2023, the commission denied approval, since a commercial development would be a better fit with the city’s comprehensive plan.
“Plano has some policies regarding noise and air quality that we try to reflect through studies done by applicants, then we put language in our standards to mitigate those impacts,” Planning Manager Eric Hill said during a planning and zoning meeting on March 6, 2023. “There was a lot of discussion when P&Z requested some changes to really clarify mitigation and update the phasing.”
As previously reported by Local Profile, in May 2023, Plano Planning and Zoning Commission again rejected Onlap Property Owner’s request to rezone the property and its concept plan due to concerns raised that the project would not fit Plano’s comprehensive plan and noise concerns.
Now, the commission recommended approval for the project that is set to go in front of the city council on Aug. 28. If approved, the development will include 501 mid-rise residential units, 33 single-family residence attached units, 123,600 square feet of office space and 100 hotel rooms. With the commission’s recommendation, only five votes are needed to approve the project.
As reported by Community Impact, the first phase of the project would see the construction of all the single-family units, 240 midrise units, the hotel and open space. The second phase would include the remaining 261 midrise units and potentially the office space, although Bay West Development partner Bryon Wolf said that the office building’s construction is subject to the demand for office space and it could go unconstructed if demand does not improve.
