Shaping Cities: How Dunaway's Comprehensive Planning is Transforming Texas Communities

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Everything is bigger in Texas, from the open skies to the communities that call it home. And Texas's rapid growth shows no signs of slowing down. According to the latest projection from the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for PublicService, Texas is set to have the third-highest growth rate among American states this decade, with its population reaching an estimated 32,463,602 in 2030.

As growth continues, Dunaway – a multidisciplinary planning, design, and engineering firm – is helping cities plan for the future through data-driven, people-focused comprehensive planning. "Planning is the intersection of aspiration and practicality,"notes Stephen Cook, AICP, Senior Planner and Associate at Dunaway."We work closely with city administrators and councils to make sure our plans are not just visionary but also grounded in reality."

The Role of Comprehensive Planning

Comprehensive planning is often the first critical step in a city's evolution. It creates a roadmap for growth that connects land use, transportation, housing, parks, and infrastructure. "Modern approaches focus on making plans practical and implementable," explains Cook. "They serve as a guide for future actions and decisions, helping communities grow sustainably."

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Dunaway's planners collaborate with city administrators, councils, and residents to distill local values into actionable strategies. Each plan is tailored to the community's unique needs and aspirations.

Guiding Growth in New Fairview

Once a landscape of open ranchlands, New Fairview, Texas, is now transforming into a balanced mix of residential and commercial development. Dunaway's planning and GIS expertise has guided the city's transition through zoning and subdivision plat reviews, specialized development regulations, and development agreements in the ETJ.

"Technology plays a key role," said Cook. "We create interactive maps and web applications that give officials and residents 24-hour access to zoning, road types, and subdivision data. These tools empower cities to understand their assets and make informed decisions." Dunaway also provides cities like New Fairview with ArcGIS Online platforms through a partnership with Esri, enabling real-time collaboration and community engagement.

Preserving Character in Caddo Mills

Lying on the western side of Hunt County, Caddo Mills has a strong railroad history as part of the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas (KATY) Railroad system. With excellent schools, the city is experiencing strong housing demand, making it a prime community in which to relocate. Dunaway's team worked closely with the city's steering committee to craft a vision that balances new growth with preservation.

"The committee provided direct input on future land use," said Cook. "The plan emphasized growing the I-30 Corridor while preserving the floodplain for parks and trails. That vision led to a park master plan and construction plan that prioritized balanced development."

Updating Codes in Kennedale

In Kennedale, Texas, Dunaway partnered with the city to align future development with housing market trends and community goals. Through a collaborative, publicly streamed planning process, Dunaway helped reorganize the city's Unified Development Code (UDC) to better reflect Kennedale's character and evolving needs.

"The updated comprehensive plan encourages smart residential density and thoughtful design," said Cook. "It's a forward-thinking roadmap grounded in community values."

Planning for Progress in Bridgeport

For Bridgeport, Texas, Dunaway led a comprehensive planning process that included public meetings, surveys, and committee input. The plan prioritized managing housing growth, preserving the historic downtown, supporting local businesses, and incorporating pedestrian-friendly spaces. Investments in infrastructure, like roads and stormwater systems, also aim to enhance resilience and sustainability by implementing modern technologies and solutions.

"Our partnership with the City of Bridgeport extends beyond planning," Cook noted. "We've also designed a downtown park and continue to provide engineering, zoning, and infrastructure planning support. This continuity, combined with the plan, has given Bridgeport a blueprint for a resilient and prosperous future."

A Holistic Approach to Shaping Cities

Dunaway's multidisciplinary team combines planning, engineering, landscape architecture, and GIS technology to help Texas communities grow with purpose. "Our collaborative process blends aesthetics with real-world solutions," said Cook. "The result is long-term value that improves lives and strengthens the communities we serve."

About Dunaway

Founded in 1956, Dunaway is a multidisciplinary professional services firm offering Survey, Civil and Structural Engineering, Planning + Landscape Architecture, Construction Inspection Services (CIS), and Environmental and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), in addition to SUE (Subsurface Utility Engineering) and ROW (Right-of-Way) services. With eight offices across Texas, Dunaway partners with both public and private clients to create meaningful, sustainable solutions.

For more information, visit https://www.dunaway.com/.

SOURCE Dunaway