Frisco city council members met with Texas Representative Jared Patterson to discuss concerns regarding state legislation that restricts municipal authority over land use. The discussion focused on Senate Bill 840, a 2025 statute that permits the construction of apartments and mixed-use residential buildings without rezoning in cities with populations exceeding 150,000 residents.
Frisco’s population is estimated at nearly 250,000, placing it under the jurisdiction of this new rule. Under the law, multifamily housing is permitted by right in zones currently designated for office, commercial, retail, or warehouse purposes. To comply with the statute while maintaining some control, Frisco added a heavy industrial zoning category, which explicitly prohibits apartment construction.
Council member Laura Rummel stated that the city seeks greater local control over development. She argued that the influx of multifamily projects could increase traffic and place additional demands on water supplies and public safety resources.
Rummel noted that as of 2024, only 3.3 percent of Frisco’s land was allocated for multifamily use, compared to 30 percent for single-family homes and 12 percent for commercial projects.
City documents indicate that more than 13,000 multifamily units had been built in Frisco as of April 2025, with approximately 10,000 additional units under construction. Rummel told The Dallas Morning News that the city already has sufficient multifamily housing and does not require more.
