Group Demands Vote On Plano's Growth Plan
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PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) - A legal battle is brewing over Plano's growth and future, as one group wants to see more public input in long-term development plans. The issue is set to go before the city council on Monday.
The growth is already there -- buildings are going up all over the city -- and officials have a plan to handle it. But not everyone who lives in Plano likes the direction that things are moving.
The city approved the Plano Tomorrow Plan last October, which lays out guidelines for development, including how land will be used and how residential complexes are built, among other things.
However, thousands of people have signed a petition against the plan. There are concerns over how the changes would impact traffic, schools, population density and the quality of life in Plano. They want to see a popular vote on the plan.
City officials have argued that, legally, state law does not require a referendum on the plan because it provides the framework and policy for zoning.
The group's attorney gave the city until Monday to respond to the petition. But the city asked for that deadline to be extended until Tuesday, so that the city council can discuss it in executive session on Monday night. One of the petitioners said that she is willing to take the fight as far as necessary -- even if that means going to the Supreme Court of Texas.