Plano City Council Regular Meeting - February 23, 2026

The Plano City Council convened on February 23, 2026, for a regular meeting that began with an invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, and a proclamation declaring February 17 to March 3, 2026, as Lunar New Year Days (Year of the Fire Horse). The council addressed zoning cases, an economic development incentive agreement with AT&T, and a series of decisions regarding the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) authority. The council approved an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) establishing a General Mobility Program with DART, repealed the ordinance calling for a May 2, 2026, election on dissolving DART in Plano, supported governance reform for the DART board, and repealed a previous resolution to cap DART sales tax. The council also approved a contract with Via Transportation for alternative transit services and selected "Plano Rides" as the name for the city’s complementary transit program.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved 8-0 with the exception of Items H and I, which were pulled for individual consideration. Item H (an economic development incentive agreement with AT&T Services Inc.) was subsequently approved 8-0 after discussion, as was Item I.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ember Chaffin spoke generally about Plano’s reputation for careful, planned decision-making and avoiding sudden changes.
• Lestia Nelson testified that 395 days had passed since her daughter, a 19-year-old nonverbal, medically vulnerable young woman, was abused inside a Plano ISD classroom. She stated that a police report was filed on January 22, but the case was not sent to the District Attorney for 303 days. She criticized the city and school district for lack of accountability and urged the council to watch video evidence of the assault, which she provided via a QR code.
• Alvin Nelson reported a "failure of integrity" with the Plano Police Department, alleging that Adult Protective Services substantiated the abuse but the School Resource Officer and detective dismissed it as non-criminal. He expressed concern that the DA’s presentation to the grand jury may exclude the video due to a faulty police narrative.
• Alex Stein pleaded with the council to watch the video of the assault and asked what they would do if they witnessed such an incident outside a school.
• Jessica Bosley, the victim’s aunt, called the case a community issue and urged consistency, integrity, and courage from the city.

Zoning and Development Items

• Item 1 (SUP 56 – Antenna Support Structure): The council considered amending Specific Use Permit 56 to reduce the permitted height of a commercial antenna support structure from 120 feet to 95 feet and change the design from a monopole to a magnolia tree-style stealth tower. Planning Director Christina Day presented the proposal, noting the magnolia design was supported by staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission (8-0). Applicant Mason Griffin stated the design offers improved concealment and coverage, with nine antennas per level versus three on a flagpole. Corey Reineker expressed support, noting the thorough public process. The council approved the item 8-0.
• Item 2 (SUP 539 – Vehicle Dealer): A request to amend and expand Specific Use Permit 539 for a new vehicle dealer on 29.7 acres at Parkwood Boulevard and Spring Creek Parkway, allowing an adjacent office building to house administrative offices and major vehicle repair subordinate to the dealership. No public speakers appeared. The council approved the item 8-0.
• Item 3 (Rezoning – 99 Acres at Legacy and Parkwood): A request to rezone 99 acres from Plan Development 62 Commercial Employment to Commercial Employment, returning the property to its original base zoning. No public speakers appeared. The council approved the item 8-0.
• Consent Item H – AT&T Economic Development Incentive: The agreement includes a $10 million development grant (described as less than three-quarters of a percent of AT&T’s $1.35 billion investment), another $10 million grant tied to bringing 10,000 full-time employees to Plano, a waiver of development fees, and a 25-year tax abatement valued at over $100 million. Corey Reineker questioned whether the subsidies were meaningfully influencing AT&T’s decisions, raised equity concerns about fee waivers for a major corporation, and asked about measurable returns for taxpayers. Deputy City Manager Doug McDonald and staff confirmed all incentives are performance-based. The council approved the item 8-0.

DART Interlocal Agreement and Governance Reform (Items 4-7)

• Item 4 – Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with DART: Andrew Fortune, Director of Policy and Government Relations, presented a General Mobility Program (GMP) returning funds to member cities for transportation projects. Key terms: guaranteed base funding starting at 5% in 2026, growing to 10% by 2031, with potential for up to 25% through new revenue opportunities. The Regional Transportation Council contributed approximately $75 million to assist. Participating cities would cease legislative efforts to reduce the one-cent sales tax supporting DART. The agreement expires in 2031, with a potential withdrawal election in 2032. DART Board Chairman Randall Bryant thanked the council and expressed commitment to continued partnership, saying the work is "not perfect, but it is progress."
  • Public testimony: Ember Chaffin (Keep DART in Plano) and Brett Cooper suggested creating a standing transit advisory committee, a transparent project dashboard, and partnerships to increase ridership. Alex Flores supported the ILA but stressed that rider representation and accountability are essential, and that the city now shares responsibility for transit service levels. Connor Chatick opposed the ILA, citing a 100% increase in DART overhead over four years without proportional ridership increases, and called for a public vote. Multiple speakers (William Cravins, Joel Waslinger, Nathaniel Adam, physician Micah Nishisaki, Joshua Haupt) expressed support, emphasizing that GMP funds should be used for public transit and that continued community engagement is needed.
  • Council members universally expressed support, characterizing the ILA as a fair compromise after years of negotiation. Councilmember Kerr noted he was "now a believer" and Councilmember Quintanilla called it "not a great deal" but "a deal in the right direction." Mayor Muns thanked the community and DART for collaboration. The motion passed 8-0.
• Item 5 – DART Board Governance Reform: A resolution supporting state legislative action to implement a new governance structure, ensuring each member city has at least one board seat (Plano would hold two) and no single city holds a majority. Public speakers Alex Flores and Joshua Haupt voiced support, with Flores requesting that a regular rider be appointed to the board. The council approved the resolution 8-0.
• Item 6 – Repeal of Resolution 2024-6-9R: A resolution supporting a cap on DART sales and use tax revenues was repealed, reflecting the new collaborative direction. Public speakers supported the repeal. The council voted 8-0 to approve.
• Item 7 – Repeal of Election Ordinance 2025-11-1: The ordinance ordering a May 2, 2026, election to dissolve DART in Plano was repealed. Staff noted that once repealed, the next opportunity for a withdrawal election would be 2032. Multiple speakers testified in support of remaining in DART, sharing personal stories: a dialysis social worker whose patients rely on paratransit, the director of ARC of DFW Area emphasizing transit needs for individuals with disabilities, a retired teacher whose husband uses DART paratransit for Parkinson’s therapy, and others. The council voted to repeal the ordinance (motion passed).

Alternative Transit Services and Program Naming (Items 8-9)

• Item 8 – Via Transportation Contract: A proposal to purchase alternative transit services from Via Transportation Inc. for an initial six-month term at $3,952,247, with three one-year automatic renewals at an estimated $8 million annually. Staff stated the scope would be refocused on circulators, microtransit, and senior rides to complement DART service.
  • Public testimony: Ember Chaffin expressed neutrality but requested clear cost assumptions, ADA considerations, and exit options. Marcus Mitchell and Alex Flores opposed the contract, citing poor experiences with Via in Arlington, particularly for elderly and vulnerable users. Alex Flores urged using DART’s GoLink or other options instead. Corey Reineker (Yes DART) requested tabling the contract until all scheduled DART elections in the region are resolved. Joel Waslinger called for coordination with DART and community involvement. Joshua Haupt suggested the service could supplement but needs more consideration.
  • Council discussion noted the flexibility of the not-to-exceed amount and potential to scale services. The motion passed 7-1.
• Item 9 – Name and Logo for Alternative Transit Program: Communications Director Shauna Haley presented two options: “Plano Rides” (a service-direct name with prior recognition from a former Wellness Center program) and “Plano Go” (an active, modern brand). Councilmembers expressed preference for “Plano Rides” due to historical resonance and to avoid confusion with DART’s GoLink. The name and associated logo (stylized RP with a forward arrow) were selected by consensus.

Key Outcomes

• Approved 8-0: Consent Calendar (with Items H and I approved individually), Zoning Cases 2025-16 (antenna structure), 2025-20 (vehicle dealer), and 2025-23 (rezoning), DART Interlocal Agreement (Item 4), DART Governance Reform Resolution (Item 5), Repeal of Resolution 2024-6-9R (Item 6), and Repeal of Election Ordinance 2025-11-1 (Item 7).
• Approved 7-1: Via Transportation contract for alternative transit services (Item 8).
• Selected by consensus: “Plano Rides” as the name for the alternative transit program, with the associated logo (Item 9).
• Next Steps: City to submit a project list to DART by June 30, 2026, with the first GMP payout on October 1, 2026. Staff to bring back a revised scope for Via services focused on microtransit and senior rides. The legislative session will address shared DART priorities and governance reform implementation.