Plano North | July 2024

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Plano North Edition VOLUME 10, ISSUE 10 JULY 20AUG. 19, 2024

2024 Home Edition

Closures to save district current, future expenses

Plano ISD is shrinking

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

Four Plano ISD schools are preparing for their nal school year. Armstrong Middle School, Carpenter Middle School, Davis Elementary School and Forman Ele- mentary School will all shut down following the 2024-25 school year. Accompanying the closings will be several changes to attendance boundaries across the district. The district’s board of trustees approved the closures on June 10 as PISD faces declining enrollment and annual budget shortfalls. District ocials say the transition process for aected campuses has already begun. PISD is forming teams of sta and parents to “serve as liaisons to the new families to their school,” according to a district presentation. Superintendent Theresa Williams called the decision the “hardest work I’ve been asked to do.” “The fact remains that our resources are limited, and it is our responsibility to make hard decisions that will maximize the long-term opportunities for our students,” PISD board of trustees President Nancy Humphrey said. “The decisions we made were not taken lightly.”

13.9% PISD enrollment dropped 13.9% from 2012 to 2024.

7.8% PISD projects further decline in enrollment by the 202829 school year.

See inside Plano’s housing market contributing to declining enrollment. (Page 12)

Carpenter Middle School is one of four Plano ISD campuses closing after the 202425 school year.

CONTINUED ON 14

COURTESY PLANO ISD

Also in this issue

Impacts: Pickleball Kingdom opens in Plano (Page 9)

Government: City calls for reduced DART funding (Page 16)

Transportation: Parker Road repairs continue (Page 17)

Events: Check out Plano’s Water Lantern Festival (Page 18)

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

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T A

C YRD.

Impacts

aimed at “building confidence in our students through academic mastery,” owner Bonny Pan said in an email. • Opening in August • 3308 Preston Road, Ste. 300, Plano • www.gideonmathandreading.com/west-plano 7 La La Land Kind Cafe The coffee shop serves a variety of hot and iced coffee, matcha and tea drinks as well as a food menu that features several toasts with different toppings and a selection of pastries. The new location is set for the former Soul Birds Chkn Shack, located in The Shops at Legacy East. • Opening late 2024 • 5717 Legacy Drive, Ste. 155, Plano • www.lalalandkindcafe.com

LONE STAR DR.

SRT TOLL

DNT TOLL

MCDERMOTT RD.

North Plano

1 14

LEGACY DR.

15 5

BISHOP RD.

EDGCOXE RD.

WINDROSE AVE.

LEGACYDR.

DNT TOLL

N. CENTRAL EXPY. ENTERPRISE DR.

4 12

SPRING CREEK PKWY.

Relocations

W. PARKER RD.

8 IshChicks The company will relocate in the beginning of July to a spot inside The Painted Tree Boutiques in Frisco which is located at 2930 Preston Road, Ste. 200B. Everything in the Plano store will be marked 50-70% off until the store closes. • Closed June 21 • 4025 Preston Road, Ste. 608B, Plano • www.ishchicks.com 9 Starbucks A Starbucks location in Plano moved from 4025 Preston Road to 4033 Preston Road and now offers a drive-thru option. The new location opened June 7. The Seattle- based coffeehouse chain offers coffees, teas, cold drinks, and food such as pastries and sandwiches. • Opened June 7 • 4033 Preston Road, Plano • www.starbucks.com

• 700 Windrose Ave., Ste. H150, Plano • www.uchiko.uchirestaurants.com

PARKBLVD. SOUTH PLANO

Now open

P L A N O P K W Y . 1 Tina Stephens Tina Stephens specializes in travel friendly lifestyle clothing. This store will also offer a made-in-Italy collection of easy-to-care linen, cotton and silk items. • Opened July 1 • 7201 Bishop Road, Ste. 10, Plano • www.shoptinastephens.com DNT TOLL 2 MYX Blend Bar This business provides the opportunity for customers to create custom formulas of lipstick and lip gloss. There is another location in Dallas. • Opened early July • 7300 Lone Star Drive, Ste. C-103, Plano • www.myxblendbar.com 3 Uchiko The Japanese restaurant features beef from Japan, Australia and the United States as well as a daily selection of freshly flown-in fish. • Opened June 18

15THST. 4 Southern Stork Baby and Children’s Boutique

4 T H ST.

PGBT TOLL Husband and wife Andrew and Bettye Stalder own the high-end baby and children’s boutique which sells clothing, shoes, accessories, bibs, towels, toys and more. • Opened June 17 • 5809 Preston Road, Ste. E-579, Plano • www.southernstorkboutique.com 5 TBP Windows & Doors The company sells aluminum windows and glass sliding doors. The company also has a location in Dallas. • Opened July 15 • 8700 Preston Road, Ste. 120, Plano • www.TBPusa.com

In the news

10 Walmart The store is having renovations done to its doors, parking lot pavement and auto center. Construction is set to begin in April 2025 and finish in May 2025,

Coming soon

6 Gideon Math and Reading Center Gideon Math and Reading offers supplemental education

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according to a project listed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Worth the trip

Now open

• 8801 Ohio Dr., Plano • www.walmart.com

World Springs A new recreational wellness destination featuring outdoor soaking pools and saunas is slated to open this summer at Grandscape in The Colony. WorldSprings spans 9 acres and will open with 46 mineral soaking pools, eight saunas, a 12-room spa facility, and a restaurant and bar, according to a news release. • Opening June 28 • 3240 Plano Parkway, The Colony • www.worldsprings.com

11 Walmart The store is having renovations done to its doors, parking lot pavement and auto center. Construction is set to begin in April 2025 and finish in May 2025, according to a project listed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 6001 N. Central Expressway, Plano • www.walmart.com 12 Grapes and Grain Construction on the new eatery is set to begin in late July and finish in August, according to a project listed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 5809 Preston Road, Ste. E-582 13 Bank of America The branch bank is set for several upgrades, with construction starting in August and finishing in September. • 2400 N. Central Expressway, Plano • www.bankofamerica.com

Closings

15 Daqs & Oxtails The daiquiri menu is divided into three categories: strong, sweet and mild. Daiquiris are available in medium and large servings as well as half gallon and gallon containers. Daiquiris can be purchased inside and via a drive-thru window. Food options include Cajun- or jerk-flavored oxtail plates featuring rice, red beans, corn, greens, yams, mac and cheese and corn bread side dishes. • Opened May 30

14 Angelika Film Center The closure was due to a variety of economic challenges that made it impossible for the tenant to sustain its cinema in Plano, according to a social media post. Angelika was open in Plano for 20 years and presented independent and specialty films as well as global cinema. The Angelika Film Center at 5321 Mockingbird Lane in Dallas remains open. • Closed June 5 • 7205 Bishop Road, Ste. E-6, Plano • www.angelikafilmcenter.com

• 8700 Preston Road, Plano • www.daiquirisoxtails.toast

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W. Parker Rd.

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

LEGACYDR.

Impacts

SPRING CREEK PKWY.

6 Minifig Adventures The children’s amusement center offers educational and entertainment services while using Lego play. It offers a variety of services including summer camps, birthday parties, rentable Lego sets and clubs. • Opened May 18 • 700 E. Park Blvd., Ste. 108, Plano • www.minifigadventures.com 7 Warby Parker The eyewear chain offers a variety of eyewear including prescription glasses, contact lenses, sunglasses and accessories. Glasses are offered online and in store. • Opened July 6 • 2101 Preston Road, Ste. B, Plano • www.warbyparker.com

DNT TOLL

PARKERRD.

South Plano

PARKBLVD.

E. 16TH ST.

T HST.

P L A N O P K W Y .

PLANO PKWY.

1 3

PGBT TOLL

W. PARK BLVD.

PGBT TOLL

E. RENNER RD.

Coming soon

8 Skyrocket Burger The burger joint will serve burgers, fries and milkshakes made with Blue Bell ice cream. Future locations, CEO Amin Talebi said, include Las Colinas and Arlington. A location in Lewisville opened June 7. • Opening end of July • 2300 Midway Road, Ste. C, Plano • www.skyrocketburger.com

• 6505 W. Park Blvd., Ste. 320, Plano • www.deevakitchenandbar.com

Now open

1 Super Llama Inflatable Park The 20,000 square-foot facility is the largest indoor inflatable park in Texas, according to the company’s website. The facility features slides, obstacle courses, bounce houses and more. • Opened April 19 • 6505 W. Park Blvd., Ste 230, Plano • www.superllama.com 2 Legacy Bank & Trust The financial center offers a variety of services for both personal and business customers, including checking and savings accounts, loans, online banking and more. • Opened May 15 • 437 Coit Road, Plano • www.legacybankandtrust.com 3 DeEva Kitchen and Bar The Italian restaurant includes lamb osso buco and short ribs bourguignon as top sellers. • Opened April 19

4 Sushi Masa The menu features sushi, sashimi, hibachi entrees, soup and salad. A variety of all-you-can-eat options are available. According to the company’s website, this is the eighth location. There are two in Louisiana, two in Florida and three others in Texas. • Opened May 27 5 The Wheelhouse Custer Road United Methodist Church launched a new nonprofit organization called The Wheelhouse on June 1. There are three parts of The Wheelhouse, each targeting a different demographic. The Bed helps families in poverty, Plain-O Helpers helps senior citizens and the Summer Lunch Program provides free adult lunches. • Opened June 1 • 2109 W. Parker Road, Suite 700, Plano • www.crumc.org/thewheelhouse • 6101 W. Park Blvd., Plano • www.sushimasaus.com

In the news

9 Urban Crust The downtown Plano pizza restaurant celebrated its

15th anniversary on July 1. • 1006 E. 15th St., Plano • www.urbancrust.com

10 Dallas Area Rapid Transit Dallas Area Rapid Transit officials announced new vinyl seat covers have been added to the agency’s entire light-rail train fleet, according to a June 28 news release. New seating was installed on the last train June 19, according to the news release. In total, more than 16,000 seats on 158 vehicles have been refurnished with the new material, which features new padding and a vinyl finish.

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14 MOD Facial The business offers a variety of facials and facial waxing, as well as lash and brow tinting. Construction is scheduled to start in August and finish in February 2025, according to project listing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

• 1001 E. 16th St., Plano • www.dart.org

Now open

11 Walmart The store will be undergo renovations to its doors and parking lot pavement. Construction is expected to start in late August and finish in September, according to project listing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

• 1601 Preston Road • www.modfacial.com

• 425 Coit Road, Plano • www.walmart.com

Worth the trip

Netflix House An experiential entertainment venue inspired by a streaming service’s favorites, Netflix House, is coming to the Galleria in Dallas next year, according to a news release. The Galleria location will be one of two Netflix House venues in the United States, the other being in

12 Beem Light Spa Beem offers various light therapy solutions, including infrared saunas, chromotherapy and red light therapy. A new location is expected to start construction in late July and finish in August, according to project listing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 1300 W. Plano Parkway, Ste. 160, Plano • www.beemlightsauna.com 13 Mike’s Chicken The new chicken restaurant is expected to start construction in August and finish in April 2025, according to project listing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • Northeast corner of Renner Road and SH 190, Plano • www.mikeschicken.co

15 Pickleball Kingdom The facility features 15 indoor pickleball courts, four dink courts, a pro shop and a snack bar, according to a news release from the company. Pickleball Kingdom is also offering free Pickleball 101 courses, and can host events. Pickleball Kingdom has locations planned for Irving, Fort Worth and Keller, according to its website. • Opened June 1 • 1301 Custer Road, Ste. 200, Plano • www.pickleballkingdom.com

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. • Expected opening in 2025 • 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas • www.netflixhouse.com

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PLANO NORTH EDITION

Real estate

BY CONNOR PITTMAN

Home Edition

2024

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Home Edition! This guide features news ranging from key real estate trends and new developments unique to your neighborhood to an overview of the housing industry across Texas. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—show them your gratitude by supporting local businesses. There is so much to explore in this year’s Home Edition. Our page 12 story provides a closer look at how Plano’s real estate market impacted Plano ISD’s recent decision to close four schools, expanding on information provided in our cover story. Other content includes a snapshot of the current market, which we work to provide every month. You can take a look there for more information on Plano’s real estate market, and keep reading the special section for a closer look at solar panels and what homeowners should consider before making a purchase. Anything we forgot that you’d love to see in next year’s Home Edition? Shoot us an email at plnnews@communityimpact.com.

What's inside

Changes could come to city’s Great Update Rebate program (Page 10)

Tracy Ruckel General Manager truckel@ communityimpact.com

Latest data and trends in Plano’s residential real estate market (Page 11)

Real estate market contributes to PISD enrollment decline (Page 12)

Plano to consider changes to Great Update Rebate program

Plano City Council could soon consider changes to the city’s Great Update Rebate program, which was last updated in 2017. Plano staff are refining the program—which pro- vides qualified Plano homeowners city funds for eligible home improvement projects—and updat- ing its mission as part of the changes, Director of Neighborhood Services Curtis Howard said. Two-minute impact Howard said the most recent updates will focus on providing grants for exterior improvement projects, such as windows, doors and roofing repairs. Interior renovations focused on improving accessibility, such as wider corridors for wheel- chair access, would also be eligible under the proposed changes. “We’re looking at trying to provide incentives to homeowners to repair and make sure that house looks good, especially the exterior,” Howard said. “That’s an important factor here as our housing stock continues to age.” Under the new guidelines proposed, the maximum rebate available to homeowners would be $5,000 with a $20,000 minimum project cost. Eligible homes must be owner occupied, at least 30 years old and worth no more than $478,975.

Some context Howard previously presented changes to the program during a preliminary open meeting May 13. The program was initially created in 2014, Howard said, with the most recent update taking place about seven years ago. Since its inception, homeowners have invested $36.2 million, and the city has rebated $6.1 million. Through March, more than 1,200 improvement projects have been completed by homeowners through the Great Update Rebate, according to city data. Digging deeper Howard said some of the most common projects conducted by homeowners include repair and replacement work for roofing, windows and doors. Additionally, with the new requirements, city officials said more than 2,600 homes will now be eligible for the program. Over 28,900 homes would be eligible should the new guidelines for the Great Update Rebate program gain approval. According to city officials, most of the homes that will be eligible for the program are located in central and eastern parts of Plano. More information can be found at www.plano.gov/930/The-Great-Update-Rebate.

Proposed rebate guidelines

Maximum rebate: $5,000

Minimum project cost: $20,000

Eligible homes must be: Owner occupied

At least 30 years old

Worth no more than $478,975

SOURCE: CITY OF PLANO/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

More than 270 homes were sold in Plano during May while nearly 260 new listings were added to the market. Plano's 75075 ZIP code area saw median sales price increase by about 4.2% year over year, the largest increase seen in the city. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

May 2023

May 2024

-11.3%

+20%

+ 83.87%

+ 62.5%

+17.24%

-11.36%

75074

75075

75093

75023

75024

75025

SRT TOLL

DNT TOLL

75025

Median home sales price

75024

May

2023

2024

75023

$415,000 $487,000 $820,000 $462,500 $735,817 $605,000

$420,000 $507,500 $815,000 $453,000 $710,000 $590,000

75074

75093

75074

75075

PGBT TOLL

75093

75023

75024

Plano

75025

May

2023

2024

310 362

New listings

Average days on market -37.9% +130.77%

224 271

Closed sales

-20%

-4%

-59.65%

+21.43

Homes under contract

242 212

MARKET DATA COMPILED BY COLLIN COUNTY AREA REALTORS • WWW.CCAR.NET

75074

75075

75093

75023

75024

75025

PLANO NORTH EDITION

Real estate

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

Some Plano ISD campuses, including Armstrong Middle School, are facing limitations due to the district’s lowering capacity. The school didn’t have a cheer program for two years, Principal John Tedford told the PISD board of trustees on May 21. The football team rarely has enough players to finish the season. There’s no peer assistance and leadership program. “We find ways to make sure all students receive opportunities,” Tedford said. “It becomes more and more difficult.” Declining enrollment is a major reason Armstrong, and three other PISD campuses are closing. Armstrong operated at 48% of its capacity last year, and around 66% of the district’s campuses operated under 80%-85% capacity—which Deputy Superintendent Johnny Hill called “ideal.” Market impacts PISD enrollment

The cause

What’s next

Plano ISD enrollment history

Projected enrollment

Peak enrollment

lower interest rates are “hesitant to sell” because they don’t want to take on a higher rate. District officials have also pointed to population growth in northern districts, relative to Plano’s population growth, as another reason for declining enrollment. Plano’s population grew 1.2% from 2017 to 2022, while Collin and Denton County populations grew 18.1% and 17.2% during that same time frame, according to US Census Data.

PISD officials attribute declining enrollment to several factors, including rising home costs in Plano. The median price of homes sold in Plano was $287,000 in 2015, while that number was $547,500 in May 2024, according to data from the Collin County Area Realtors. North Texas-based Realtor Pamela Harrison said that high interest rates and home prices have “knocked many first-time buyers out of the market.” She added that many longtime homeowners with

PISD staff do not expect to see enrollment rebound any time soon. Hill said PISD’s enrollment is expected to decline by 3,000 more students in the next five years. He added PISD currently has nearly 18,000 open seats. That number would rise to 21,500 in five years without any school closures, Hill said. “That’s just not sustainable over time,” he said.

60K

40K

20K

Median home price in Plano (May)

"We’re not going to grow any time soon. If we don’t get ahead

$574.3K

$547.5K

$600K

of this now, it’s going to be an even bigger bite to chew later on." JERI CHAMBERS, PLANO ISD TRUSTEE

Homes built in Plano

$520K

$355K $351.5K $347K $342K

$400K

$315K

$430.4K

$265K $291K

16,042 houses built between 1970-1979

26,649 houses built between 1980-1989

34,799 houses built between 1990-1999

17,976 houses built between 2000-2009

12,328 houses built between 2010-2019

510 houses built between 2020-2022

+106.6% percent increase

$200K

SOURCE: PLANO ISD, U.S. CENSUS DATA/COMMUNITY IMPACT

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

2022 2023 2024

2014

SOURCE: COLLIN COUNTY AREA REALTORS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

PLANO 5930 West Park Blvd (972) 250-0500

ALLEN 1839 N Central Expressway (972) 908-3488

EAST PLANO 3404 N Central Expressway (972) 423-6688

COIT ROAD 1453 Coit Rd (972) 867-2821

PLANO NORTH 5420 State Hwy 121 (469) 687-2581

Plano ISD is shrinking From the cover

New attendance boundaries for 2025-26 school year

What’s happening

Elementary schools staying open 1 Harrington Elementary

SPRING CREEK PKWY.

INDEPENDENCE PKWY.

LOS RIOS BLVD.

PARKERRD.

MEMORIAL

DOOLEY

The decision to shut down four PISD campuses after the 2024-25 school year came following a months-long process to evaluate the district’s building and property efficiencies, according to a presentation from district staff. The 70-member, board-appointed long-range facility planning committee considered campus capacity, facility assessment scores and operating costs, among other factors, when considering school closures. Two closing schools, Armstrong and Forman, feed into Plano East Senior High School, while Carpenter and Davis feed into Plano Senior High School. District staff is conducting further research on schools that feed into Plano West Senior High School. The west cluster is operating at 83% of its capacity, compared to 71.3% and 65.7% in the east and central clusters, respectively. The east and central cluster capacities will increase to 78.8% and 71.4%, respectively, following the closures. Williams added that certain areas of the west cluster are experiencing “unpredictable growth.” Students at the closed campuses will be reassigned to nearby schools, along with the following programming changes: • The centralized special education program located at Carpenter Middle School will be relocated to a new campus to be named prior to the 2025-26 school year. • The Regional Day School Program for the Deaf would move campuses from Davis Elementary School to Harrington Elementary School. Deputy Superintendent Johnny Hill added that current staff at closing schools will be reassigned to other campuses. “We are going to protect the staff through this process,” he said.

PARK BLVD.

SAIGLING

HARRINGTON

2 Saigling Elementary School 3 Dooley Elementary School 4 Schell Elementary School 5 Stinson Elementary School 6 Meadows Elementary School 7 Memorial Elementary School 8 Henry Dye Boggess Elementary Closing schools 9 Davis Elementary School 10 Forman Elementary School

15THST.

14THST.

BOGGESS

MEADOWS

P L A N O P K W Y .

SCHELL

PGBT TOLL

STINSON

RENNERRD.

C A M P B E L L R D .

BRAND RD.

N. GARLAND AVE.

PGBT TOLL

New attendance boundaries for 2025-26 school year

INDEPENDENCE PKWY.

Middle schools staying open 1 Otto Middle School

MCDERMOTT RD.

HE DGCO XERD.

LUCASRD.

HENDRICK

2 Bowman Middle School 3 Murphy Middle School 4 Haggard Middle School 5 Hendrick Middle School 6 Schimelpfenig Middle School Closing schools 7 Armstrong Middle School 8 Carpenter Middle School

MURPHY

SCHIMELPFENIG

ALMA DR.

SPRING CREEK PKWY.

PARKERRD.

HAGGARD

BOWMAN

PARKBLVD. LVD.

LOS RIOS BLVD.

15THST.

PLANO PKWY.

WILSON

PGBT TOLL

14TH ST.

OTTO

MCCREARY RD.

CAMPBELL RD.

JUPITER RD.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

Plano ISD approved budget shortfalls

The cause

Projected shortfall

recapture bill. Recapture is a program that redis- tributes tax dollars from property-wealthy districts to those the state deems property poor—PISD will have paid over $1 billion in recapture since fiscal year 2018-19 after FY 2024-25. Hill said the school closures will save the district around $5 million. He added that all four closing campuses are nearing “end of useful life,” and the cost to replace a campus is $60 million for an elementary school and $100 million for a middle school.

PISD’s enrollment has decreased every year since its peak of 55,700 in 2012. Enrollment for last school year was 47,800, and Hill said that number is expected to decrease by 3,000 students in the next three years. PISD is also facing budget concerns, Williams said. Humphrey pointed to a lack of state funding as one cause—districts across Texas have not seen an increase in funding from the Legislature since FY 2018-19. Part of PISD’s budget is a $155.6 million

$10M

$20M

$30M

$40M

SOURCE: PLANO ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

In their own words

What’s next

concerns over Forman Elementary’s closure. In 2022, Forman’s student body was 56.7% bilingual and 60.5% Hispanic, according to Texas Education Agency data. Forman parent Sheila Torres said the school has a strong support system for bilingual students that has been built over “years and years.” Forman and Armstrong are also both located in the same neighborhood, just south of Bob Woodruff Park in southeast Plano.

Many community members have voiced concern over moving the Regional Day School Program for the Deaf to Harrington Elementary, including former Davis Elementary parent Rebecca Mattern, who has lived near the school for more than 20 years. “The Davis community has built this safety net so [deaf students] are afforded the same independence that my kids would naturally have,” she said. “It’s possible [to move the deaf school], but it won’t retain the same culture of inclusivity and care.” PISD officials have already begun to evaluate classroom design, acoustical needs and other safety considerations needed to relocate the program. “We understand that change can be challenging, especially for our deaf and hard of hearing students and their families,” Williams said in an email. “Plano ISD is dedicated to making this transition as smooth as possible.” Community members have voiced similar

PISD is set to establish “campus transition teams,” consisting of staff and parents, to help students and families impacted by the school closures. The district is also establishing legacy committees, which will work to document the history of the closing schools and organize a “culminating event for each campus to celebrate and remember its history and spirit.” Williams said that more extreme measures would need to be taken if school closures were put off. “We’re not going to grow any time soon,” trustee Jeri Chambers said. “If we don’t get ahead of this now, it’s going to be an even bigger bite to chew later on.”

“This community was built together, and we have to resize ourselves [together].” THERESA WILLIAMS, PLANO ISD SUPERINTENDENT

PLANO NORTH EDITION

Government

BY CONNOR PITTMAN

Plano officials outline potential 2025 bond A bond proposal could be heading before Plano voters in May 2025. What you need to know Director of Budget Karen Rhodes-Whitley said a 2025 bond would primarily focus on streets, parks and recreation and public safety. Council members are expected to appoint a bond committee. Rhodes-Whitley said the preliminary proposal for a 2025 bond is $700 million, but that estimate has not been finalized. She added that around $50 million from the 2021 bond remains for street projects, and it is expected to run out next year. What’s next? Rhodes-Whitley said there will also be three public hearings dedicated to the main focuses of the bond scheduled tentatively for the following dates: • Nov. 25 for facilities • Dec. 9 for parks and recreation projects • Dec. 23 for streets projects Council would have to place propositions on the ballot by Feb. 10, 2025.

DART ridership Ridership on Dallas Area Rapid Transit has recovered to around 80% of levels from the 2018-19 fiscal year, according to data from the transit company.

Total number of riders 69.08M

80M 60M 40M 20M 0

48.8M

41.12M

50.2M

35.34M

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

SOURCE: DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Plano approves reduced DART contribution Plano City Council has called to decrease the city’s sales tax contribution to Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Council unanimously approved the resolution— which calls for a quarter-cent reduction in sales and use tax collections by DART—citing a need for greater financial transparency from DART, during its June 24 meeting. The transit authority’s board of directors—which have two Plano representatives—has to approve a resolution to place the reduced contribution before voters. The election would be called for a future date, and would be on the ballot for residents in all of DART’s 13 member cities. “The city of Plano does not have the authority to unilaterally reduce this tax rate exclusively for Plano,” a statement from Dallas Area Rapid Transit said. “Any reduction in the voter-approved 1% use tax that funds Dallas Area Rapid Transit would have devastating effects on the most vulnerable popu- lations in all cities that rely on DART to access jobs, health care, education and more.” The overview Director of Policy and Government Relations

said shared concerns of the 13 member cities include: • Cleanliness • Fiscal responsibility • Quality of service • Reliability of service • Safety The resolution also calls for capping all sales and use tax collections by the agency at $870.8 million, which is the projected collection in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Plano currently contributes the second-most sales and use taxes—trailing only Dallas—to Dallas Area Rapid Transit at $115 million, based on the one-cent contribution, which is required of all 13 member cities. Additionally, city officials are calling on Dallas Area Rapid Transit to provide the same levels of current service, but utilize growth and increasing ridership to offset lower projected revenues of a potential contribution decrease. They also want greater transparency on how DART spends its money and the value member cities receive. “We have no intention of leaving DART,” Mayor John Muns said. “We would like to lower our cost that we’re putting into DART because we’re not seeing the ridership that justifies $115 million a year from Plano.”

“We have been very, very successful when we’ve gone out for bond authority.” KAREN RHODES-WHITLEY, PLANO DIRECTOR OF BUDGET

City to replace over 240 traffic signal cabinets Plano staff are overseeing a project to replace more than 240 traffic signal cabinets, which are used to control traffic lights at nearly 300 intersec- tions in the city.

Traffic light upgrades

improvements portion of the Community Invest- ment Program. Two-minute impact Traffic signal cabinets throughout the city are between 12 and 20 years old, according to city documents. Transportation Engineering Manager Brian Shewski said that switching to new software will save the city around $100,000 in wireless control fees. Replacing all traffic cabinets will take two-to-three years.

Improved computer speed

Enhanced signal timing

Plano City Council approved the $1.4 million purchase of upgraded controller hardware and software for all of the city’s traffic signal cabinets, which includes those for eight new signalized intersections, during its June 24 meeting. Fund- ing comes from the fiscal year 2023-24 street

Automated performance measures

Flexibility to upgrade to transit signal priority and traffic responsive signal operation

COURTESY CITY OF PLANO/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Transportation

BY COLBY FARR & CONNOR PITTMAN

Repairs, no-parking zone set for Plano roads Plano City Council authorized a concrete repair contract worth over $3.3 million with Garret Shields Infrastructure, LLC for a section of Parker Road and the creation of a no-parking zone on Kimbrough Lane during its June 10 meeting. Two-minute impact A no-parking zone is now in effect along the

NCTCOG to seek federal funding for Cotton Belt Trail The North Central Texas Council of Gov- ernments will partner with Dallas Area Rapid Transit in seeking more federal funding for the regional Cotton Belt Trail project. What happened? Regional Transportation Council members greenlit a federal grant application for up to $12 million that would fund part of the regional trail project during a June 13 meeting. If awarded, the money would fund construc- tion of nearly 3 miles of trail, according to a staff presentation. The Cotton Belt Trail is a proposed 57-mile trail that will link several cities, including Grapevine, Coppell, Richardson and Plano, according to the NCTCOG’s website.

northern portion of Kimbrough Lane between Coit Road and Berwick Drive. According to city documents, parked vehicles on the north side of the road impede traffic and create sight issues. The other project affects a 1.5-mile segment of Parker Road between Independence Parkway and Country Place Drive. Looking ahead According to a city news release, construction on Parker Road is set to begin in July. Concrete repairs along the roadway are in preparation for the application of an asphalt overlay.

Kimbrough Lane no parking zone

Parker Road repairs

COUNTRY PLACE DR.

PARKER RD.

EVESHAM DR.

PLANO NORTH EDITION

Events

ADIYA GOSAIN & SUMMER SHERRED

• Urban Crust, 1006 E. 15th St., Plano • www.urbancrust.com/store/ event/2nd-annual-margarita-brawl

July

SHINE Presents Mary Poppins Jr. The Broadway Junior performance is a musical based on Disney’s movie and Broadway’s musical of Mary Poppins, according to Shine Performing Arts Studio’s website. • July 26-27, 3 pm • $12 • Plano Stages, 1509 H Ave., Plano • www.shineplano.org Christmas in July Market Over 100 local vendors featuring clothing, home decor, gourmet food and handmade jewelry will be featured. • July 27, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. • $5 (cash), free (12 and under) • Plano Event Center, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano • www.visitplano.com/event/christmas-in-july-market 2nd Annual Margarita Brawl Urban Crust is hosting this event that will include a four-course meal and four margaritas for participants to taste and vote to determine the best margarita. • July 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m. • $85

August

Plano Art & Culture Quest This experience will introduce participants to different local art vendors, pop-up shops, and installations along the Downtown Plano Art Exhibit. • Aug. 3, noon-3 p.m. • Free (admission) • Haggard Park, 998 E. 15th St., Plano • www.planoartassociation.org Quilt Plano The event will feature more than 45 vendors and over 300 judged quilts as well as special exhibits, free skill demonstrations, hourly door prizes, a mini quilt auction and raffle. • Aug. 9-10, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. • $12; free (children 12 and under) • 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano • www.qgplano.org

Plano Water Lantern Festival This celebration will have food trucks, activities and lanterns that will be released onto Haggard Park’s lake. Buying tickets in advance is suggested. • Aug. 10-11, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. • $34.99-$55.99 • Haggard Park, 901 E. 15th St. • www.waterlanternfestival.com/plano.php

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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