McKinney Council to Consider 379 More Homes in Trinity Falls, Along With Major Land Changes
Trinity Falls could expand by another 379 homes under a proposal going before the McKinney City Council on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The agreement would add approximately 106 acres to the master-planned community north of McKinney while also beginning the process of bringing nearly 145 acres of separate land into the city limits. Beyond the additional homes, the proposal includes changes that could shape how Trinity Falls expands in the years ahead.
City staff recommends approval, and the proposal is on the council's consent agenda, meaning it could pass alongside other routine items without separate discussion. The agreement involves several changes to the development rules that have governed Trinity Falls for more than a decade, including how land is added to its utility districts and how certain public services are funded.
What would change in Trinity Falls?
The proposed expansion would create Planning Unit 10, a new 106.5-acre section of Trinity Falls near Hardin Road. The addition would raise the community's maximum number of homes from 5,304 to 5,683, allowing another 379 residences under the existing development framework. The developer would be responsible for improvements to Hardin Road, although the agreement does not establish when the additional homes would be built.
Like the rest of Trinity Falls, the new neighborhood would remain outside McKinney's city limits. Homeowners would pay property taxes to Municipal Utility District No. 1 rather than the city, with those taxes helping finance infrastructure such as roads, water lines and sewer systems. The distinction can affect what residents pay annually, since MUD rates differ from the city's property tax rate. School, county and other applicable property taxes would still apply.
The expansion also comes with a condition. Before the amended development agreement can take effect, the additional 106 acres must be formally added to MUD 1. That means council approval would establish the terms for the expansion but would not immediately authorize construction of hundreds of new homes.
Why the land changes matter
While Trinity Falls would gain land outside McKinney, a separate 145-acre property associated with the development could eventually become part of the city itself. The property was set aside for MUD 2A, a third utility district that was created but never activated. Under the existing development agreement, MUD 2A is to be dissolved once about 80 acres on and next to a portion of the future Collin County Outer Loop are conveyed to the city.
Under the proposal, McKinney would begin the process of annexing that property into its city limits. Annexation would place the land under applicable city regulations and could eventually generate additional property tax revenue, depending on ownership, taxable status and future development. However, the agreement does not establish what will be built there, and Tuesday's vote would not immediately complete the annexation.
Another provision could have longer-term implications for Trinity Falls. The amended agreement would give advance city consent for qualifying land within half a mile of the community's existing boundaries to be added to its utility districts. The agreement describes that consent as "unconditional and irrevocable," meaning future additions meeting its conditions would not require another council vote granting the same consent. Other applicable development requirements would remain in place, and the overall residential limit of 5,683 homes would still apply.
Together, the changes would give Trinity Falls room for additional housing while allowing McKinney to pursue annexation of land associated with the former utility district. They would also establish terms for potential future district expansions, even though the agreement does not guarantee that more land will be developed. For residents, the questions ahead include when construction might begin, how surrounding roads will accommodate additional traffic and what ultimately happens to the property near the Outer Loop.
The City Council will consider the proposal during its 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday at City Hall, 401 E. Virginia St. Residents who want to address the council must submit a speaker card by 5:45 p.m. McKinney Weekly will report on the council's decision after the meeting.
