Abstract The expansion of the urban perimeter for the construction of housing estates or even regularization of spontaneous occupations are realities in Brazilian cities. As the city grows, streams and ponds are landed, cut off slopes and occupied banks of rivers and natural areas.-Socio-environmental questions are increasingly present in the planning and organization proposals of the territory. In this article, the relationship between the master plans and urban expansion is analyzed, considering the new environmental challenges presented to urban planning and management, focusing on the city of Teresina, Piauí. A bibliographic review and discussion of the theme were carried out. A survey and documentary analysis of regulatory instruments, plans, and municipal programs was also carried out, observing the Executive Plans and the legislation that protects them. The main urban problems highlighted in their plans were the precarious urban drainage; lack of landfill; the deforestation; the burnings; difficulties in mobility and urban transportation. The new Teresina Master Plan Agenda 2030 and more recent legislation point to better scenarios in the future of Teresina. However, there is still a need for greater efficiency in the construction of urban sustainability.