Frisco, TX Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- Facade plan required before
- Building permit issuance (OTR and OTC)
- OTC facade material
- Clay-fired brick construction
- Districts covered
- OTR and OTC (downtown Frisco)
- Design standards ordinance
- Ordinance 2025-09-43, adopted 9/2/2025
- Pre-existing material cutoff
- September 3, 2002
Summary
New construction and facade changes in Frisco's Original Town Residential and Original Town Commercial districts need an approved facade plan before a building permit can issue, and must follow the Downtown Architectural Design Standards under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.07.09(E)-(F). OTC buildings must use clay-fired brick.
(E) OTR facade plan requirement. (1) All main and/or accessory building construction in the OTR – Original Town Residential District must have an approved facade plan before issuance of a building permit. (2) All newly constructed dwellings in the OTR – Original Town Residential District must adhere to Subsection 9.06 Downtown Architectural Design Standards; OTC & OTR. ... (F) OTC facade plan requirement. (1) All main and/or accessory building construction in the OTC – Original Town Commercial District must have an approved facade plan before issuance of a building permit. (2) New construction in the OTC – Original Town Commercial District must adhere to Subsection 9.06 Downtown Architectural Design Standards; OTC & OTR. a. Any change in facade for main buildings or structures in the OTC – Original Town Commercial District shall be clay-fired brick construction.
Full Breakdown
Frisco requires a facade plan review before any building permit issues for main or accessory construction in the OTR Original Town Residential District and the OTC Original Town Commercial District, the city's two downtown districts around the historic Main Street core. 06's Downtown Architectural Design Standards, and any change to an existing facade must use pre-existing materials (in place before September 3, 2002) such as wood, non-combustible fiber cement siding, or clay-fired brick, matching the architectural style of the main structure. 06 standards, and any facade change to a main building must be clay-fired brick construction, with original materials allowed only on pre-September 2002 buildings undergoing expansion.
16 Facade Plan Review. 06. 09(G), and, for the OTC District, may grant exceptions to the brick requirement on a Planning & Zoning Commission recommendation if the proposed material is compatible with the district's historical architectural character.
Violations & Fines
Construction that proceeds without an approved facade plan, or that uses non-conforming materials such as vinyl siding on an OTC storefront, does not receive a building permit from the Chief Building Official's office until the plan is revised to meet Section 4.07.09 and the Downtown Architectural Design Standards. Facade changes on pre-2002 OTR structures using disallowed new materials are likewise held at the permit-review stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need special approval to build downtown in Frisco?
What exterior material is required for new OTC buildings in Frisco?
Can Frisco approve a different material than the code requires downtown?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Frisco
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Frisco to another location·View the Texas zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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