Frequently Asked Questions
and Glossary of Terms

Following adoption of the Town’s 2017 Comprehensive Plan, recent state legislation on land use, and a desire for a more streamlined approach to development, the Town has decided that making updates to the Town’s current development regulations will help improve the development process, position the Town for the next generation of growth, and help implement the Comprehensive Plan. Updating the development regulations could mean adding new standards to reflect new land use challenges and development opportunities, removing standards that work as a barrier to the type of growth the community wants to see, and updating other standards to reflect new technology and development trends. The key issues that will be addressed in the update will be identified in the Code Assessment Report that will be completed in October.

In addition to implementing the Town’s 2017 Comprehensive Plan (and recently approved updates to that plan), the LDC update will focus on modernizing the LDC. That means that the project will work to reflect changes in technology, industry trends, best practices for land use regulations, and state and federal law since the last comprehensive review and update of development regulations. Recent trends like short-term rentals, food truck parks, tiny houses, coworking spaces, e-fulfillment centers, rideshare, drone delivery, and many other land uses have become more common over time – in addition to a shift towards more remote work and online shopping. In Little Elm, outdated land use permissions may present unnecessary barriers to creating a small home business or repurposing underutilized office and retail space to address other commercial and residential needs. Other LDC changes may come from taking a different look at development costs and community investments. For example, despite the shifts in the way people live, work, shop, and do business, existing parking and infrastructure standards may require costly investments that aren’t necessary based on market trends and create barriers to development. As a result, the updated LDC needs to address gaps in regulations for new types of development, increase flexibility so the LDC can adapt to future land use changes, and remove regulations that don’t advance community priorities. Lastly, the updated LDC will need to be tailored to reflect the unique features and neighborhoods in Little Elm – from the Lakefront District and the miles of shoreline to the U.S. 380 corridor, from commercial centers to residential neighborhoods. Prior to making updates to the LDC, the project team will complete a full assessment of the current regulations with the goal of creating a new LDC that is simplified, streamlined, and improved in keeping with regulatory best practices.

The updated LDC will apply to all property within the Town of Little Elm. This can feel confusing based on the unique geography of the community around Lake Lewisville and the variety of water and school districts that overlap with the Town. Some communities that feel like they are part of Little Elm may not be while other neighborhoods within the Town may feel different from other areas of the community. See if you are within the Jurisdictional Boundary here: https://town-of-little-elm-new-tole.hub.arcgis.com/documents/4a6b013dd4434019b43aa4b250b0cba5/explore. The rules that are in the current development regulations and the updated LDC will apply to both new development and redevelopment. This generally means that the LDC’s standards will apply to the construction of a new home or business and changes to existing properties (although the standards may vary). The updated LDC will influence what new development is possible as the Town grows, what new development looks like, how it fits into the community, and how it can help the Town create a strong, diverse economy and high quality of life. So, if you live, work, own land, own a business, or love to visit Little Elm, the updated LDC is worth caring about!

An updated LDC may include updates to the names and standards of zoning districts. Some zoning districts may be eliminated, consolidated with another zoning district, or repurposed. Other new zoning districts may be proposed to give the Town tools to achieve community goals. However, during the process of updating the LDC, there will be no rezoning of property (e.g., from residential to commercial, from a predominantly residential neighborhood to a small-scale mixed-use neighborhood). The name and standards of your zoning district may change, but not dramatically. The Town may explore rezoning of property in a separate process following adoption of the LDC, based on policy direction from the updated Comprehensive Plan. Although the LDC provides a description of the zoning districts and the standards that apply to them, the Town’s Comprehensive Plan provides the basis for what type of development is best suited in each area of the community.

Everyone! Updating development regulations requires input from all kinds of people – residents, neighborhoods, businesses, non-profits, schools, retirees, the development community, other agencies and service providers, and many others. This update project is being led by the Development Services Department, with support from a consultant team. The Planning and Zoning Commission will provide technical feedback and guidance on updates to the LDC and ultimately the Town Council is tasked with adopting any updates.

If you don’t own property or run a business in Little Elm you may think that the effort to update the LDC isn’t important. The reality is that everyone should care about the updated LDC! Here’s why: The LDC influences what type of housing is available in Little Elm – whether you rent or own – and determines where different types of housing are allowed to be built. Although there are many factors that impact housing affordability, how much and what type of housing is built does impact the cost of housing (for you and future generations). The LDC determines where commercial and industrial development occurs, which means that your ability to walk to a local business, how far you commute to work, and how easy it is for you to establish a business are impacted by what the updated LDC allows. Although much of Little Elm has been developed recently, homes, businesses, and the roads that you drive on are often designed to last for decades and the development patterns that are established today will last for generations. Because the LDC impacts what development and infrastructure is built today, it will also impact where your children and grandchildren live, work, and get around in Little Elm So, you should participate if you care about how Little Elm grows!

Yes. The Town is working on a separate project to update the Comprehensive Plan (specifically for the Lakefront District and the U.S. 380 corridor). Updated policy direction will inform how and where the Town expects growth and development to occur. The LDC is a tool for implementing the land use policies from the Comprehensive Plan through regulations. Additionally, the Comprehensive Plan is often referenced in the LDC to inform zoning decisions.

The LDC update project is being led by the Development Services Department, with support from a consultant team. The consultant team is being led by Goebel Partners, a Denver-based consulting firm that specializes in comprehensive planning and land use regulations, and Olsson Studio, a local planning team with expertise in planning and design.

The project is expected to take about two years to complete, with final adoption in January 2026. It takes a while to update development regulations because it takes time to provide everyone in the community with enough opportunity to share their ideas and feedback before the LDC is adopted. Please view the About the Project page to see the timeline for project.

Start by signing up for project updates here! We will keep you posted on upcoming events, meetings, opportunities to review and comment on LDC drafts, and other major announcements.

Absolutely not! By living, working, owning land, owning a business, or caring about the future Little Elm, you know so much about your community. Your input and ideas are vital to the success of the LDC. Whether you have just moved to the community or are a life-long resident, your perspective is important.