Princeton’s Monday Agenda Is Packed: New Schools, Short Term Rentals, PD 46, Roads, PARC, Police Cameras, and the City Manager Search

Scroll to the Quick Read below.

Princeton residents already feel the city changing.

They feel it on crowded roads. They see it in new neighborhoods. They hear it in school growth conversations. They notice it when construction moves faster than city services can explain what is coming next.

On Monday, April 27, many of those issues will appear on one City Council agenda.

The meeting includes two future school sites in Crossmill, more subdivision phases in Whitewing Trails and Eastridge, a major roadway update, short term rental regulation, the $60 million Princeton Aquatics and Recreation Center, a proposed historic preservation program, a police grant tied to license plate reader cameras and vehicle theft enforcement, more than $291,000 in equipment for a Parks and Recreation facility, and the next step in the search for a permanent city manager.

It also brings back PD 46, the closely watched rezoning request for 1503 Longneck Road.

That is the story.

Not one item.

A city trying to manage almost every major consequence of growth at the same time.

Quick Read

• Princeton City Council will consider multiple items tied to growth, traffic, schools, public safety, city facilities, and leadership.
• Two future Princeton ISD school sites are moving through the platting process in Crossmill: Banschbach Middle School and Joyce Carrell Elementary School.
• Brookside Boulevard is the road to watch. It is tied to school access, Crossmill development, future signals, and long term city maintenance.
• The Crossmill developer reimbursed the city $5.1 million. Part of that money can be used for signal improvements at Brookside and Beauchamp if needed.
• Princeton has about 112 active short term rentals inside city limits, according to the city’s presentation.
• The city is now weighing short term rental rules, including annual registration, a database, local contacts, inspection ability, occupancy limits, parking plans, and possible zoning changes.
• The Princeton Aquatics and Recreation Center, branded as PARC, is moving toward final design with a $60 million project budget.
• The PARC design update says the project team targeted $15 million in savings by reducing the conditioned building footprint from 84,000 square feet to 64,000 square feet.
• The police department is seeking a $230,825.54 grant tied to catalytic converter theft, motor vehicle theft, license plate reader cameras, FLOCK database access, vehicle trackers, detective salary reimbursement, and a program vehicle.
• Council will also discuss proposals from executive search firms for the permanent city manager position.

The Big Pattern: Princeton Is Moving From Growth To Growth Management

For years, Princeton’s biggest question was where growth would go.

Now the harder question is what happens after growth arrives.

Monday’s agenda is about that second stage.

Roads have to be accepted and maintained. Schools need access. Neighborhoods need rules. Short term rentals need tracking. Police need tools. Facilities need funding. Historic sites need a process before they disappear. And the city still needs to hire a permanent city manager to run the operation.

That is the real pattern behind the agenda.

Princeton is no longer only approving growth. It is trying to manage the city that growth created.

Two New School Sites Are Moving Forward In Crossmill

Two future school sites are on the agenda.

Banschbach Middle School is proposed at 1110 Brookside Boulevard. The final plat covers 23.3833 acres on the north side of Brookside Boulevard and west of South Beauchamp Boulevard.

Joyce Carrell Elementary School is proposed at 1015 Brookside Boulevard. That site covers 12.6396 acres on the south side of Brookside Boulevard and west of South Beauchamp Boulevard.

Both are in the Crossmill area. Both are tied to Brookside Boulevard. And both show why school growth and road growth are now connected in Princeton.

The city’s memo says the school sites and Brookside Boulevard are inside Princeton city limits, while the adjacent Crossmill single family neighborhood is outside city limits.

That matters.

The city can approve the school plats before Brookside is formally accepted. But the schools cannot receive certificates of occupancy until Brookside Boulevard is completed and formally accepted by the city.

In plain terms, the road has to be ready before the schools can open.

That makes Brookside one of the most important roads on the agenda.

Brookside Boulevard Is The Road To Watch

Brookside Boulevard is not only another new road.

It is tied to two school sites. It is tied to Crossmill. It is tied to future city maintenance. It is tied to possible signal improvements at Brookside and Beauchamp. And it is tied to the timing of when future public school buildings can actually be occupied.

The city’s materials say Brookside is being built by the Crossmill developer and will be maintained by the city once accepted.

That means residents should watch two things: when Brookside is completed, and when Council formally accepts it.

Those two steps will matter more than the plat language itself.

Crossmill Phase 1A Is Being Treated Differently

Crossmill Phase 1A is also on the agenda.

That proposed phase covers 43.840 acres near the northeast corner of Beauchamp and Myrick.

But this item is different from the school plats.

City staff says Crossmill Phase 1A is outside city limits. Because the city does not control building permits in the county, staff recommends conditional approval only after Brookside Boulevard is accepted by the city.

That is the key difference.

For the school sites, Princeton can control occupancy.

For the county portion of Crossmill, Princeton does not have the same building permit control.

So the city is using road acceptance as the condition.

That is not a small technical point. It is a practical control point.

The Number To Watch: $5.1 Million

The Crossmill developer reimbursed Princeton $5.1 million for roadway infrastructure.

That is the dominant number in the Crossmill discussion.

Part of that money can be used for signal improvements at Brookside and Beauchamp if needed.

That matters because new schools and new homes do not only create development activity. They create traffic patterns. They create turning movements. They create signal needs. They create maintenance costs.

The $5.1 million gives the city a funding tool. It does not erase the long term responsibility.

Once Brookside is accepted, Princeton maintains it.

More Than 176 Acres Are Also Moving Through

The agenda also includes three major subdivision plats tied to Whitewing Trails and Eastridge.

Whitewing Trails Phase 4A 1 covers 91.032 acres.

Whitewing Trails Phase 3E covers 45.223 acres.

Eastridge Phase 8 covers 40.549 acres.

Together, that is more than 176 acres of additional subdivision activity.

The city materials say roads, water, and sewer infrastructure outside individual lots will be public infrastructure. The HOA will maintain the storm drain system in those areas.

That means the city is not only approving land divisions.

It is setting up future public infrastructure responsibilities.

That is the part residents should watch.

Growth does not end when a neighborhood is drawn on paper. It continues through roads, utilities, maintenance, drainage, service calls, traffic, and city staffing.

Princeton’s Road System Is Moving Into A New Phase

The roadway update may be one of the most practical items for residents.

Beginning in summer 2025, Roadway Asset Services surveyed all roadways maintained by the City of Princeton. Those roadways were scored, and an overall update was presented to Council in November 2025.

Now the city is preparing for on call roadway services.

A request for proposals was issued March 26 and closes May 1. The selected contractors would use pre approved engineering standards for roadway work.

That means Princeton is trying to move from identifying road problems to building a repair system.

That matters because residents usually experience road problems one street at a time. A pothole. Rough pavement. A drainage issue. A bad turn. A bad surface.

The city is trying to move toward a structure that can respond more consistently.

The same update says streetlight outages have dropped from 79 to 54 since March 1, 2026.

That is progress.

It also means 54 lights are still out.

For residents walking, driving, or living near dark streets, that number matters.

TNMP is also expected to add lighting to Cypress Bend Boulevard in May.

112 Short Term Rentals Are Now On The Table

Short term rentals are also on Monday’s agenda.

The city defines a short term rental as a residential rental for less than 30 days. That includes entire homes, rooms, or accessory units listed through platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO.

The city’s 2026 snapshot estimates about 112 active short term rentals inside Princeton city limits.

That number changes the conversation.

This is no longer a small side issue.

The city’s presentation says short term rentals are growing because of Lake Lavon tourism, rapid residential growth, and proximity to DFW. Typical stays are described as short weekend stays of two to three days, along with recreation and relocation visits.

Residents will likely see both sides. Some property owners see income. Some neighborhoods see noise, parties, parking overflow, and transient occupancy.

The city’s presentation lists those exact neighborhood concerns.

It also identifies operational problems: no 24/7 contact enforcement, unknown total inventory, compliance gaps, and limited inspection authority.

That is the actual issue.

Princeton does not only need to decide whether short term rentals are good or bad. It needs to decide whether it can track them, contact someone when problems happen, inspect for safety, collect the right revenue, and prevent clustering in neighborhoods.

What Could Change For Short Term Rentals

The city is weighing several options.

Annual registration. A short term rental database. A local responsible party available 24/7. Occupancy limits. Parking plans. Safety certification. Inspection capability. Digital tracking and enforcement. Possible limits per block or neighborhood. Possible zoning changes later.

The presentation outlines a possible Phase 1 over the first zero to six months, focused on registration, a database, local contact requirements, and inspection capability.

A later Phase 2 would evaluate complaints, geographic clustering, and possible zoning adjustments.

That is the practical question.

Does Princeton regulate now while there are about 112 active short term rentals?

Or wait until the number grows and the enforcement problem becomes harder?

PARC Is Still $60 Million, But The Building Got Smaller

The Princeton Aquatics and Recreation Center is also moving forward.

The facility is branded as PARC.

The Park Board voted 7 to 0 on February 3, 2026, to move forward with that branding.

The project is part of the 2023 Parks and Recreation Bond Program.

The current total project budget is $60 million. That includes an estimated $48 million for construction and $12 million for furniture, fixtures, equipment, and design.

The design update says the project team targeted $15 million in savings by reducing the conditioned building footprint from 84,000 square feet to 64,000 square feet.

That is one of the biggest numbers in the entire agenda.

The facility is still large. The budget is still major. But the design has already been reduced to fit the construction budget.

Residents should watch what stayed in the design, what changed, and whether the final version still matches what voters expected from the bond project.

Police Want License Plate Cameras And Theft Tools

The police department is requesting approval to apply for a $230,825.54 Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant.

The grant is tied to catalytic converter theft and motor vehicle theft.

According to the memo, it could support additional license plate reader cameras, access to the FLOCK database, vehicle trackers, salary reimbursement for one current detective, and a vehicle for the program for one year.

For residents, this item has two sides.

The public safety side is direct. Vehicle theft and catalytic converter theft affect households, businesses, parking lots, and neighborhoods.

The technology side is also direct. License plate reader cameras can help identify vehicles connected to crime. They also raise reasonable questions about data use, storage, access, and oversight.

The agenda item is a grant application.

The larger issue is Princeton’s growing public safety technology system.

The City Manager Search May Matter More Than It Sounds

Council will also discuss proposals from executive search firms for the permanent city manager search.

Interim City Manager Jeff Jones submitted three proposals.

Council can choose based on the proposals or invite some or all firms for interviews at the next regular City Council meeting.

There is no staff recommendation.

This may sound procedural.

It is not.

The next city manager will inherit the city’s road issues, growth pressure, development process, staffing needs, public communication demands, budget execution, and major capital projects.

Most residents know the mayor and council.

Fewer residents follow the city manager position.

But in a fast growing city, the city manager is one of the most important people in the building.

This search deserves attention.

PD 46 Is Back

PD 46 is likely to be one of the most watched items Monday.

The request involves 1503 Longneck Road.

The proposal would rezone the property from SF E to PD 46 with a C 2 commercial base.

According to the city’s presentation, PD 46 keeps the commercial intent of C 2 but removes several uses the city describes as higher intensity, auto oriented, or less compatible with surrounding development.

The excluded uses include auto repair, service stations, car wash, mortuary or funeral home, tire dealer, convenience store with gas pumps, tattoo or permanent cosmetics shop, drive in or drive through restaurants or facilities, nail salon, laundromat, coffee shop, vape or smoke shops, and dental office.

Planning and Zoning recommended approval by a vote of 4 to 1, with one abstention, on April 20.

Council is scheduled to continue the public hearing that was tabled March 23.

Council can approve the request as recommended, approve it with conditions, or deny it.

The core question is simple.

Are the restrictions enough to make commercial zoning acceptable at that location?

That is what residents will be watching.

Historic Preservation Is Also On The Agenda

Council will also discuss whether Princeton should create a historical preservation program.

The city’s materials identify several possible historic assets, including remnants of a World War II German prisoner of war camp, agricultural artifacts, early brick and wood frame buildings, cemeteries with 19th century gravestones, and Princeton’s railroad origins as Wilson’s Switch.

Staff recommends a phased approach.

First, an Advisory Preservation Board.

Then a possible hybrid model with more defined review processes.

Later, if needed, a formal Historic Preservation Commission.

This item is easy to overlook.

It should not be.

As Princeton grows, older sites can disappear before the city has a process to document them.

The question is whether Princeton wants a preservation system before redevelopment pressure makes the decision for it.

Even Tax Collection Is Getting More Expensive

Council will also consider an agreement with Collin County for property tax collection services.

The city currently contracts with the Collin County Tax Assessor Collector’s Office for tax bills, current and delinquent tax collection, delinquent tax records, and refunds.

The new rate would move from 75 cents per parcel to $1.00 per parcel inside Collin County and $1.10 per parcel outside Collin County.

A letter from the Tax Assessor Collector says Princeton’s prior fee was $12,122.25 for 16,163 parcels. Under the new fee, that would have been $16,163 based on last year’s parcel count.

This is not the most dramatic item on the agenda.

But it shows the same pattern.

More parcels create more revenue.

They also create more administrative cost.

Another Parks Building Cost Is On The Agenda

Council will also consider $291,070.96 in furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the Parks and Recreation Administrative and Maintenance Building on Beauchamp at J.M. Caldwell Sr. Community Park.

The proposed spending includes:

• $137,907.50 for furnishings.
• $74,305.10 for access control and security cameras.
• $78,858.36 for audio visual systems.

The amount is within a previously approved $630,700 budget for the facility’s furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

After this purchase, $339,629.04 would remain for future needs tied to the facility.

This is another operating-stage item.

The building is not only being planned.

It is being equipped.

What Residents Should Watch Monday

Watch Brookside Boulevard.

That road affects school access, Crossmill, Beauchamp traffic, future signals, and city maintenance.

Watch short term rentals.

The city is deciding whether to move toward registration and enforcement while the market is still manageable.

Watch PARC.

The project is moving toward final design after a major footprint reduction.

Watch PD 46.

The issue is whether the proposed commercial restrictions are enough for that location.

Watch the police grant.

The question is both vehicle theft enforcement and how Princeton expands its camera technology.

Watch the city manager search.

The next permanent city manager will help determine whether Princeton’s government can keep pace with the city’s growth.

Why This Meeting Matters

Many of Monday’s items sound technical.

Final plat. Interlocal agreement. FF&E. Grant application. Search firm proposal.

But those words hide the real effects.

A plat can shape traffic. A road acceptance can determine when a school opens. A short term rental rule can affect the house next door. A grant can expand police technology. A facility budget can shape public spending. A city manager search can affect how every department operates.

That is why this agenda matters.

Princeton is entering a stage where growth is no longer only measured by new rooftops.

It is measured by whether the city can manage the roads, rules, services, facilities, and leadership that come after them.

Some items may pass quickly. Some may draw public comment. Some may look routine.

But taken together, Monday’s agenda shows a city being tested by the same thing residents already feel every day.

Growth has arrived.

Now Princeton has to manage it.