NATURAL & CULTURAL RESOURCES

Plano bears its name from the flat plains that exist in the City, however, more undulating topography can be found at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in the western part of the City. Additionally, almost the entire eastern border of Plano is parkland or open space, creating a scenic greenbelt for natural relief. The centerpiece of this eastern greenbelt is Rowlett Creek which eventually ends at Lake Ray Hubbard. Additional natural and channelized streams exist in Plano, including: Brown Branch; Bowman Branch; Russell Creek; Watters Creek; Spring Creek; Pittman Creek; White Rock Creek; and, Indian Creek. The City had the foresight to develop trails along many of these creeks and preserved them as open space.

In addition to natural resources, there are also significant cultural resources within the City. There are five sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including: Plano Downtown Historic District; the Plano Station/ Texas Electric Railway; the Ammie Wilson House; the Saigling House; and, the Texas Pool. Additionally, there are nine sites that are designated as Historic Landmarks and an additional ten cemeteries designated as Historic Cemeteries by the Texas Historic Commission.1

Plano is home to many festivals and events hosted on parkland throughout the year that add to the unique and diverse culture, including the Plano International Festival,

Plano Balloon Festival, Asia Fest, and AllAmerican Fourth. These events typically draw thousands of attendees from around the region, creating a boon for the local economy. The Arts, Culture and Heritage Division is housed under the Parks and Recreation Department. The arts and theater community is also very active; Downtown Plano houses the ArtCentre of Plano, Plano Repertory Theatre, Plano Courtyard Theater, and Cox Playhouse. The McCall Plaza Stage is a public performance space down the street from Haggard Park.

Physical Development

As previously discussed, the City transformed into a bedroom community in the 1960s and 1970s so the development pattern that emerged was relatively typical for the period: commercial development at major roadway intersections with low-density, single family residential development and associated uses filling in the rest of the square mile block. Parks, however, were typically established adjacent to schools, which created a neighborhood unit design that served as a model for many other communities. As Plano matured and grew, the demand for different types of housing increased; a variety of residential types are now found in Downtown Plano and the Legacy area in Northwest Plano. Today, Plano is about 94% built out, so opportunity for substantial growth is limited, but opportunities for redevelopment exist.