At a workshop item on Oct. 1, Argyle staff announced two concurrent small-area planning efforts to shape future growth: a study focused on the I‑35W corridor (led by GFF Planning) and a separate town‑center study around the Highway 407 / U.S. 377 area that will evaluate design standards, zoning overlays and thoroughfare recommendations.

Staff explained the I‑35W corridor area studied includes properties on both the east and west sides of the freeway, and that earlier concept plans submitted for some parcels (including large-format retail/medical concepts and a proposed residential concept on the Fossil Gate Farms property) informed the discussion but are not prescriptive. The study will evaluate land-use scenarios, design standards (masonry/awnings/landscaping/walkability), and infrastructure implications, and will be used to craft a zoning overlay and update the town’s thoroughfare plan. GFF will work with town staff, the municipal development district and other stakeholders; staff said deliverables will include zoning‑overlay recommendations and design guidance.

The separate town‑center small-area plan will focus on the existing activity near Cook Street, the railroad corridor and the 407/377 central area (the town-owned six-acre parcel has been cited as a focal point). Staff and the town manager emphasized the town‑center study is intended to refine where a civic or “main street” place should be encouraged, noting the existing “center” area already has activity that could support walkable, small‑scale retail and events. Commissioners and staff discussed trade-offs — whether to prioritize development activity tied to freeway frontage for visibility and tax base or to invest in reinforcing a walkable town center — and noted both studies will inform the updated thoroughfare plan.

Staff previewed an outreach and timeline plan: public kickoff events and opportunities for commission input are expected over the fall, with illustrations and overlay recommendations to follow. Staff emphasized the studies are intended to be practical, producing regulatory language (overlay standards and design requirements) the town could adopt to shape future proposals, rather than simply illustrative concepts.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff described a tension between the economic potential of freeway-front development and preserving Argyle’s rural character and walkable town identity. The planning studies are designed to give the town criteria to evaluate future proposals, craft consistent design expectations and coordinate infrastructure decisions (roads, trails, utilities) before individual rezoning or site-plan applications arrive.