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[City Plan Commission Forward Dallas Public Comment on April 18, 2024.]
THE ROLL CALL.DISTRICT 12, DISTRICT 13 HERE.
WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
TODAY IS APRIL 18TH, 6:12 PM WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED.
UH, A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS BEFORE WE GET TO, UH, HEARING FROM ALL OF YOU.
UH, AGAIN, WELCOME, UH, TO THE SPECIALTY CALLED HEARING OF THE DALLAS CITY PLAIN COMMISSION.
WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE WITH US HERE THIS EVENING.
AS WE GATHER, GATHER TO TAKE PUBLIC INPUT ON FORWARD DALLAS AND THE DRAFT BEFORE US.
I WANNA BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE TREMENDOUS EFFORT THAT HAS GONE INTO CRAFTING THIS DRAFT SINCE LAUNCHING, UH, APRIL, 2021.
THE ENGAGEMENT FOR FORWARD DALLAS HAS INCLUDED IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT ENGAGEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
22,000 WEB MAP VISITS WERE REGISTERED, AND 1600 WEB MAP WEB MAP COMMENTS WERE PROVIDED.
YOUR PARTICIPATION AND FEEDBACK HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE IN SHAPING THIS DOCUMENT.
I MUST ALSO COMMEND THE HARD WORK OF THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN COMMITTEE.
CLUB CLUB CONSISTS OF THREE DALLAS CITY PLAN COMMISSIONERS AND 12 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THEY MET OVER 20 TIMES TO DELIBERATE ON ALL ASPECTS OF THIS DRAFT.
THROUGHOUT THEIR MEETINGS, ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO VIEW THE VIDEOS OF THESE MEETINGS ONLINE.
THE UPDATE IS BEFORE THE FULL CD PLAN COMMISSION.
WE HAVE CONDUCTED MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS, BRIEFINGS, AND ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH STAFF AT THE MOST RECENT CITY PLAN COMMISSION MEETING.
POTENTIAL EDITS OF THE PLAN WERE DISCUSSED.
YOU CAN FIND THE PRESENTATION OF THESE ONLINE, OR PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO STAFF FOR MORE DETAILS.
ADDITIONALLY, FURTHER REFINEMENTS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN UPCOMING MEETINGS, SO BE SURE TO STAY UPDATED.
ALL INFORMATION IS POSTED ON THE DALLAS FORWARD DALLAS WEBPAGE.
THERE HAVE BEEN A RANGE OF DISCUSSIONS AND OPINIONS SURROUNDING THIS UPDATE, SOME FACTUAL AND ACCURATE AND SOME NOT.
WE HAVE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE INPUT THROUGH EMAIL, AND I WANT TO ASSURE THAT EVERY MESSAGE HAS BEEN READ AND CONSIDERED.
YOUR VOICES ARE CRUCIAL AND WE HEAR YOU.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED THOUGH, I, I'D LIKE, I, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU, UH, TO THINK ABOUT ONE IMPORTANT ELEMENT AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER SPECIFICALLY TO PLACE IN PROPER CONTEXT, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ZONING AND FORWARD DALLAS.
MR. MOORE, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ZONING AND FORWARD DALLAS? CERTAINLY, MR. CHAIR, FORWARD DALLAS IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IS DISTINCT FROM ZONING.
A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A PLAN FOR THE LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY, AND IS GOVERNED BY CHAPTER TWO 13 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
WHILE ZONING IS GOVERNED BY CHAPTER TWO 11 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTERS TWO 11 AND TWO 13 ARE CLEAR THAT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES NOT REZONE ANY PROPERTY.
FIRST SECTION TWO 13.005 REQUIRES THAT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE.
A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE ZONING REGULATIONS OR ESTABLISH ZONING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.
SECOND, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS NOT THE END ALL BE ALL FOR ZONING AS SECTION TWO 13.004 ALLOWS THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT OTHER PLANS, POLICIES, AND STRATEGIES FOR ZONING.
THIRD AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SECTION TWO 13.002 C ALLOWS THE CITY TO DEFINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ZONING AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE CITY HAS ALREADY DEFINED THAT RELATIONSHIP AND DALLAS CITY CODE SECTION 51 A 1.108 AS FOLLOWS.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS IS THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SERVES MERELY AS A GUIDE FOR REZONING
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REQUESTS RATHER THAN AS A MANDATORY RESTRICTION ON THE CITY'S ABILITY TO REGULATE LAND USE.QUOTE FORWARD, DALLAS DOES NOT AND CANNOT ALTER THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP.
WHILE SECTION TWO 11.004 ALLOWS FOR ZONING TO BE ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
TEXAS COURTS HAVE HELD THAT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT DESCRIBES ITSELF AS PROVIDING QUOTE UNQUOTE GUIDELINES IS MERELY ADVISORY AND A GUIDE AND NOT A MANDATORY RESTRICTION ON THE CITY'S ABILITY TO REGULATE LAND.
ADDITIONALLY, FORWARD DALLAS DOES NOT CHANGE THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED ZONING PROCEDURES.
STATE LAW AND CHAPTER 51 A REQUIRE THAT EACH ZONING REQUEST BE NOTICED, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEARBY PROPERTY OWNERS TO PROTEST A PUBLIC HEARING AT CPC, BE CONDUCTED CPC TO MAKE A, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL WHERE THE ZONING REQUEST IS ONCE AGAIN NOTICED ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD.
AND FINALLY, CITY COUNCIL MAKES ITS DECISION FORWARD.
DALLAS DOES NOT AND CANNOT ALTER THESE ZONING PROCEDURES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MOORE.
UM, AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TONIGHT.
YOUR INPUT IS CRUCIAL AS WE STRIVE TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN THAT REFLECTS THEIR LONG-TERM NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO ENGAGE IN A RESPECTFUL AND MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES, IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN SPANISH? I, UM, THESE ARE OUR SPEAKER GUIDELINES FOR TONIGHT.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE BEGIN WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
MS. FAINA WILL KEEP TIME AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
WE DO HAVE SOME REGISTERED SPEAKERS ONLINE.
UH, PLEASE HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON AND WORKING AS STATE LAW REQUIRES US TO SEE YOU IN ORDER TO HEAR FROM YOU.
I'LL ALSO RESPECTFULLY ASK ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS NOT TO REFER TO ANY PLAN COMMISSIONER BY NAME AND ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
AGAIN, WELCOME, AND WE ARE READY TO GET STARTED.
UM, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU COULD JUST CALM ON DOWN, MAKE YOUR WAY DOWN AND, UH, MAYBE, UH, FIVE SPEAKERS AT A TIME.
WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, MS. SINA, WE'LL KEEP TIME.
UH, THERE ARE SOME YELLOW CARDS DOWN HERE.
IF, IF, UH, YOU WERE NOT HERE EARLIER, WE REALLY DO WANT TO HAVE A RECORD OF YOUR VISIT, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU TAKE ONE OF THOSE YELLOW CARDS.
FILL IT OUT AND JUST LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE ON THE TABLE.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LITTLE BUTTON THERE THAT YOU'LL SEE AND IT'LL TURN ON THE MICROPHONE.
HI, MY NAME IS JASMINE PRICE ADDRESS 2 3 0 6 SOUTH TYLER STREET, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 2 4.
AND I'M AN OAK CLIFF NATIVE, CURRENTLY RESIDING IN DISTRICT ONE JUST ABOVE THE BORDER OF DISTRICT FOUR.
I'M FULLY AWARE THAT FORWARD DALLAS ENCOMPASSES FUTURE LAND USE GUIDANCE AND HAS NO DIRECT IMPACT ON ZONING LAWS, BUT THAT IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT AREAS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR PRESERVATION.
THEREFORE, I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE 10TH STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT, FRIEDMANS TOWN, LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT FOUR.
I HAVE RECENTLY STARTED WORKING WITH VICE PRESIDENT LARRY JOHNSON OF THE 10TH STREET RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO CONTINUE STRATEGIZING HOW WE CAN BEST REVITALIZE THIS INCREDIBLY RICH COMMUNITY.
THE CITY ZONING ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWED FOR THE DEMOLITION OF RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES SMALLER THAN 3000 SQUARE FEET WITHIN A LANDMARK DISTRICT GREATLY DIVESTED THE AREA OF ECONOMIC AND HISTORICAL SUSTENANCE.
ALTHOUGH THE ORDINANCE HAS RECENTLY BEEN OVERTURNED BY DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, THE LASTING EFFECTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY BEARING ON 10 STREET RESIDENTS.
ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION, LOCAL ADVOCATES IN THE MANY NAMED AND UNNAMED FREEMAN, I HUMBLY ASK YOU TO URGENTLY REDIRECT EFFORTS AND PROPER FUTURE LAND USE GUIDANCE TO THE 10TH STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT DESERVES THE SAME LEVEL OF PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION THAT HAS BEEN SO HEAVILY INVESTED IN OTHER HISTORIC DISTRICTS SUCH AS LAKE CLIFF, MUNGER PLACE, AND SWISS AVENUE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, FOLKS.
I'M, I'M SORRY, OUR, OUR RULES DID NOT ALLOW CLAPPING.
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EVENING.UH, CPC, THANK YOU FOR, UH, HAVING ME TONIGHT.
I LIVE AT 61 45 PARKDALE DRIVE IN DALLAS, TEXAS, 7 5 2 2 7 IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF DALLAS FOR 53 YEARS, BORN AND RAISED HERE, BORN AND RAISED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF PARKDALE LAWN VIEW.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF PARKDALE LAWN VIEW.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN IS NOT, DOES NOT REZONE, BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES YOU GUIDANCE TO REZONE.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BUILT IN 1926.
OUR HOMES, MOST OF OUR HOMES WERE, WERE BUILT 19, LATE FORTIES, MID FORTIES, UH, INTO THE FIFTIES.
UH, WE ARE NOT PROTECTED BY A NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION OVERLAY, A CONSERVATION DISTRICT, OR A HISTORIC, OR A PRESERVATION DISTRICT.
SO I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE OPPOSED TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN BASED ON THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY FORWARD DALLAS.
AND WE ASK YOU TO MAKE PROTECTIONS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A VERY LONG TIME THAT WILL BE DISRUPTED BY THE ACTIONS OF THIS, UH, COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS HEEL, COLORADO 1509 MAIN STREET, DALLAS, TEXAS DISTRICT 14.
I SUPPORT ASPECTS OF THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN THAT ALLOW MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING SUCH AS GRANNY FLATS IN-LAW SUITES, DUPLEXES AND TOWN HOMES IN ALL RESIDENTIAL PLACE TYPES.
WHAT DEFINES NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AND HOW DO WE PRESERVE IT? IF YOU BUY A HOME EXPECTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BE QUIET, SHOULD THE CITY FORBID NEIGHBORS FROM TAKING DRUM LESSONS IN THE GARAGE? IF YOU EXPECT PRIVACY, SHOULD WE FORBID SWING SETS AND TRAMPOLINES FOR KIDS, IF YOU EXPECT TRAFFIC FREE TREATS, SHOULD WE BAN HAVING FRIENDS AND FAMILY OVER FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER? THERE ARE THOSE HERE TODAY WHO WANT A TOP DOWN SOLUTION TO THESE SITUATIONS.
THEY SAY FORWARD DALLAS NEEDS A PLACE TYPE EXCLUSIVELY FOR DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES, BUT SUPPOSEDLY TRAVELED BACK IN TIME TO THE FOUNDING OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS PRIOR TO 1950S.
PRIOR TO MODERN SINGLE FAMILY ZONING.
HOW MIGHT YOU DEAL WITH NEIGHBORHOOD DISTURBANCES FOR NOISE? PERHAPS YOU'D TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, COMMUNICATE AND LEARN ABOUT THEM FOR PRIVACY.
MAYBE YOU'D PLANT TREES FOR TRAFFIC, MAYBE START A PARKING BENEFIT DISTRICT.
ORGANIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR CIVIL CONFLICT RESOLUTION IS A FEATURE, NOT A BUG OF GENTLE DENSITY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER IS DEFINED NOT BY THE LOOK AND FEEL OF ITS STRUCTURES, BUT BY THE CHARACTERS LIVING IN THOSE STRUCTURES.
SO AS YOU HEAR THE VOICES TODAY, AS THEY RAISE THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR RHETORIC, CONSIDER PERHAPS THERE'S IS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD GROWTH, MATURITY, AND SURVIVAL.
I AM GOING, I'M JUST GETTING LINE.
UM, MY NAME IS ADAM LAMONT, UH, 9 4 3 2 AMBERTON PARKWAY, UM, DALLAS, TEXAS.
UM, I DO HAVE TO ADMIT SOMETHING, UH, WHICH IS THAT I SPEND A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH OF MY FREE TIME WATCHING Y'ALL'S MEETINGS.
UM, I KNOW THAT, WELL, MAYBE IT'S TIME WELL SPENT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT Y'ALL SPEND TO HELP OUR CITY.
I KNOW AND HEAR, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERNS THAT ARE ALWAYS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU.
UM, AND I ALSO HOPE, AND I I THINK YOU DO KNOW THE REALITY OF OUR HOUSING CRISIS AND OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE, UM, IN DALLAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THOSE WHO WANNA WATER DOWN FOR DALLAS, UM, ARE LOOKING TO MAINTAIN A STATUS QUO, UM, THAT IS SIMPLY NOT WORKING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT HOUSING PRICES, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S OWN, UM, MARKET VALUE ANALYSIS, YOU KNOW, HAVE NEARLY TRIPLED IN THE LAST SIX YEARS.
UM, Y'ALL KNOW THAT THERE ISN'T A REZONING, RIGHT? FOR MORE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU AREN'T PASSING, RIGHT? WE CAN'T JUST DO TODD BECAUSE THERE'S NOT SIMPLY ENOUGH DEMAND FOR TODD, UM,
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ACROSS THE CITY.I LOVE TODD, RIGHT? WE NEED MORE OF IT, BUT THAT ALONE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH.
Y'ALL KNOW THAT THE STATUS QUO IS SUCH THAT ONLY ADDITIONAL MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING GET THAT WE GET OCCURS IN MORE GENTRIFYING AREAS, WHICH DOES RIGHT AND CAN EXACERBATE, UH, DISPLACEMENT.
WHILE WE HAVE RICHER AREAS THAT REMAIN UNCHANGED AND DON'T HAVE THE ADDITIONAL HOUSING THAT WE NEED, UM, WHY AREN'T THOSE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, YOU KNOW, GOING IN THOSE MORE RICH RESOURCE AREAS, YOU KNOW, MOSTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE RULES THAT MAKE IT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN DROWN OUT AND, AND MAKE IT SO THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU, UH, TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT FORD DALLAS IS, IS REALLY ABOUT.
UM, MY, IF YOU'RE A BASKETBALL FAN, UM, JUST FORGIVE ME FOR A SECOND, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU EVER WATCH ALAN IVERSSON, YOU KNOW, THE FAMOUS, UH, SPEECH, UM, WHICH WAS TAKEN MUCH OUT OF CONTEXT.
BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE GAME, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT ZONING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAND USE, OKAY? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAND USE, MAN, NOT EVEN ZONING.
SO ANYWAY, FORGIVE ME FOR THAT, BUT I WILL JUST SAY THIS.
I'M ONE OF THE ONLY TEACH WITH MY GENERATION, UM, WHO LIVES IN DALLAS, UM, BECAUSE OF HOUSING COSTS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TEACHERS MY AGE BUYING GARLAND CRANDALL, PRINCETON, UM, LITERALLY YESTERDAY IN A MEETING, ANOTHER MATCH AT, AT MY SCHOOL, SAID, RIGHT, SHE'S LEAVING THE DISTRICTS BECAUSE HER HOUR LONG COMMUTE IS TOO MUCH FOR HER.
SO SHE'S TAKING A JOB 10 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD FROM HER.
THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA KEEP HAPPENING, RIGHT? MORE AND MORE AND MORE WE ARE GOING TO LOSE OUR TEACHERS, RIGHT? ALL THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY GREAT.
UM, AND SO I JUST ASK YOU, RIGHT, I'M SO LUCKY I ONLY LIVE IN DALLAS BECAUSE MY WIFE BOUGHT A 1970S TOWN HOME IN DALLAS IN 2014.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO THE BEST TIME TO HAVE BUILT MORE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING WAS, YOU KNOW, 40, 50 YEARS AGO.
I URGE YOU PLEASE, RIGHT TO KEEP FOR DALLAS IN SUCH A PLACE THAT WE CAN HAVE IN MORE AND EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE CITY.
HELLO, GREGORY REDEEMERS, THE LIVING DISTRICT THREE.
UH, MY QUESTIONS REALLY IS, I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND MAYBE ONE STATEMENT.
THE FIRST THING IS GONNA BE FORWARD DOLLARS.
THE PROGRAM THAT I LOOKED AT AND I SAW LAST NIGHT DON'T REALLY FAVOR US THAT ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS.
IT DON'T FAVOR US IN ANY WAY TO WHERE I CAN SEE WHAT WE GOING TO BENEFIT.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU, IF THE NEXT DOOR TO ME, IF THEY TEAR IT DOWN AND PUT TWO TRIPLEXES OR VICE VERSA, IS THE PROPERTY TAX FOR THAT TRIPLEX GOING TO AFFECT MY PROPERTY TAX? MAN, YOU GOT TO REALIZE THE TRIPLEX, THEY GOT THREE INCOMES THE OWNER OF THAT'S GONNA BRING IN MORE MONEY THAN A SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNER.
SO THAT'S GOING TO KIND OF LIKE GENTRIFY THE AREA TO WHERE YOU GOT TO GO.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD $6,000 A YEAR ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX, WHICH IS WHAT A TRIPLEX PROBABLY IS GONNA RUN YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS GONNA BE PARKING THE STREET'S ALREADY JUST OUR STREET IS REALLY 35 FEET WIDE VERSUS 35 AND, AND I THINK IN THE RED BURG AREA, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OVER THERE OFF OF RED LAKE PLASTIC AND STUFF, WE, WE ALREADY TIGHT RIGHT NOW.
I WENT DOWN THE STREET KNOCKING ON DOORS BECAUSE PARAMEDICS AND FIRE TRUCKS COULDN'T EVEN GET DOWN THE STREET.
IF WE GO WITH THIS PLAN AND THEY START PUTTING THESE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS AND MULTIPLEXES IN OUR AREA, WE GONNA BE, YOU CAN'T EVEN DRIVE YOURSELF DOWN THE STREET.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO NEW YORK.
IT'S LIKE A PLACE THAT YOU DON'T NEED A CAR.
YOU DON'T EVEN WANT A CAR IN NEW YORK 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T DRIVE DOWN THE STREETS.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
WE HEADED AND AS EACH ONE OF Y'ALL, AS YOU PUT A PLAN TOGETHER, THAT CAN BE KIND OF MORE UNIFIED, I THINK AS FAR AS SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICTS GIVE ME, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I THINK EVERY, NOBODY WANTS, EVERYBODY DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A HOUSE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT CAN WE PUT SOMETHING TO WHERE, IN PLACE LIKE A DEED RESTRICTION TO WHERE IF THEY PUT A DUPLEX THAT IT'S GOT TO BE UNDER OWNERSHIP.
THE OWNER CAN'T BE IN CALIFORNIA AND RENT IT OUT EVERY THREE MONTHS.
SHORT TERM RENTAL, I THINK THE LAW FOR IT IS LESS THAN A MONTH LEASE.
SO IF THEY RENT IT FOR TWO MONTHS, THEY'LL, THEY, THEY BEAT THE PAUSE AS FOR A SHORT TERM RENTAL, BUT THEY CAN STILL LEASE IT OUT FOR WHATEVER TIME THEY WANT.
BUT WE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FIGHTING AGAIN FOR ANOTHER DIFFERENT SITUATION THOUGH.
JUST THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE PUZZLE.
I'M ONE OF THE ASSOCIATE MINISTERS AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF DALLAS, AND I LIVE AT 2 6 5 0 CEDAR SPRINGS IN DISTRICT 14.
ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE, THE MEDIAN LISTING PRICE FOR A HOUSE IN DFW HAS INCREASED BY 30% SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2020.
BROADLY, THERE ARE ONLY TWO WAYS TO MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE.
ONE WAY IS TO DECREASE DEMAND.
WE COULD MAKE DALLAS GENERALLY A TERRIBLE PLACE TO LIVE, WHICH WOULD LOWER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WANNA LIVE HERE AND CAUSE THE PRICE TO GO DOWN.
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THE ONLY OTHER WAY TO LOWER PRICES IS TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF HOUSING.THANKFULLY, FOR DALLAS ACKNOWLEDGES THIS REALITY AND ENCOURAGES DENSITY INCREASES ACROSS RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN WAYS THAT ARE CONTEXTUAL WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
OF COURSE, WE SHOULD LISTEN TO SOME LANDOWNERS WHO LIVE IN COMMUN IN THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL AREA WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH THEIR PROPERTY VALUES.
I BELIEVE FORWARD DALLAS DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF LISTENING TO THOSE CONCERNS BY RECOMMENDING THAT DEVELOPMENT BE DONE IN WAYS THAT ARE ARCHITECTURALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AS WE ALLOW GENTLE DENSITY INCREASES ACROSS THE CITY, WE CAN FURTHER OUR WORK TO DESEGREGATE DALLAS AND MAKE IT A MORE EQUITABLE AND WELCOMING PLACE TO LIVE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO RECOMMEND FORWARD DALLAS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS PROPOSED.
I'M ALSO A DEVELOPER IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
WHILE ON ONE HAND I WORK WITH VETERANS AND VETERAN FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED OF HOUSING.
I'VE SPOKE HERE BEFORE ABOUT THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH GOES ALONG TO THE SIDE THAT WE NEED TO FIND SPACE FOR EVERYBODY IN DALLAS.
I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT OF DALLAS, WE'RE LOSING OUR DALLAS PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO STAY.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, I LIVE IN A A DU.
I BUILT IT 30 YEARS AGO IN DISTRICT EIGHT, AND IT SERVED MY FAMILY WELL.
THERE IS A WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK AND PROVIDE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD TO STAY IN DALLAS AS A DEVELOPER IN DISTRICT EIGHT, IN THE AREA I'M LOCATED ACROSS THE STREET FROM UNT DALLAS, WE NEED DENSITY AND, UM, I KNOW THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE THAT CAN AFFORD TO STAY THERE, BUT AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO GO FORWARD.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'VE COME TO THE MEETINGS, THE PLACES WE'VE IDENTIFIED WHERE WE BELIEVE THIS WILL WORK FOR, UH, FOR DALLAS AND WHERE WE KNOW WE DON'T NOW LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM A EMPTY LOT AND MOST LIKELY SOMEBODY'S GONNA TRY TO PUT A WAREHOUSE THAT'S NOT THE PLACE FOR IT.
NOT WHERE WE LIVE, NOT ACROSS FROM OUR CHILDREN, NOT ACROSS FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
ALSO ATTENDED DAVID W. CARTER HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT THOSE AREAS, BUT WE CAN FIND PLACES WHERE WE CAN GO FORWARD WITH DALLAS FOR THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
HELLO, MY NAME IS BECCA KOBLE, UH, 42 0 7 LIVE OAK STREET DIS, UH, DISTRICT TWO.
UM, EVERY TIME I SIT IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC, UH, FOR AN HOUR ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK LIKE I DID TODAY, I'M REMINDED ABOUT HOW THE CHOICES THAT WE'VE MADE IN ZONING AND DENSITY AFFECT OUR EVERYDAY LIVES IN A VERY REAL WAY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
MY COMPANY RELOCATED FROM DOWNTOWN DALLAS TO THE SUBURBS A FEW YEARS AGO FOLLOWING MANY OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AND IS NOW UNFORTUNATELY NOT ACCESSIBLE BY TRANSIT.
I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE PERSON AT MY JOB UNDER THE AGE OF 50 WHO OWNS A HOME IN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND EVERYONE DRIVES SO FAR TO WORK.
THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF THE SPRAWL WE'VE ALLOWED AND I SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF FORWARD DALLAS TO CHANGE THAT.
RECENTLY I'VE STARTED THE SEARCH, UH, TO BUY MY OWN HOME AND QUITE HONESTLY, IT FEELS VERY HOPELESS.
UH, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A GOOD JOB AND I'VE BEEN SAVING AND I WANT TO LIVE IN THIS CITY.
UM, I'VE WATCHED MY SIBLINGS BUY IN THE SUBURBS AND THE EXCERPTS OF DFW, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSIT, THEY CAN'T BIKE OR WALK ANYWHERE MEANINGFUL AND IN MY OPINION, ARE QUITE ISOLATED.
I WILL NOT BUY ANYWHERE THAT ISN'T WALKABLE.
IT DOESN'T PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR TRANSIT OR TRANSPORTATION.
UH, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF GENTLE DENSITIES, ADUS, MORE TYPES OF HOUSING CURRENTLY OUTLINED IN FORWARD DALLAS.
I WANNA LIVE IN THIS CITY, BUT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
MY NAME IS JOHN, THE THE MICROPHONE.
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JOHN HINBERGER, 1627 HOLLYWOOD, DALLAS, TEXAS DISTRICT ONE.I'LL DOVETAIL ON A FEW EARLIER COMMENTS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE PLANNING URBAN DESIGN HAS OPPOSING GOALS, MAY INCREASE DENSITY, BUT ITS DECREASING TRANSPORTATION THOROUGHFARE.
I'LL SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT VERY FEW OTHER PEOPLE WILL.
YEARS AGO, DURING A SIMILAR CITYWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROJECT, I RECOMMEND NOT ATTEMPTING TO DIRECT WASTE AND RECYCLING FACILITIES OUT OF THE CITY OR IMPOSE VERY LIMITED LOCATIONS.
IN MY REVIEW OF THE CURRENT PLACE, TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL HUB LOGISTICS, INDUSTRIAL PARK AND FLEX COMMERCIAL INDICATE MORE PLANNING FOR THESE NECESSARY INDUSTRIES RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, WASTE AND RECYCLING WILL BE NEEDED.
I NOTE THAT THE INDUSTRIAL HUB DESCRIPTION, HEAVY INDUSTRY CONSTRUCTION RELATED FUNCTIONS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIAL STORAGE IS POTENTIALLY INCOMPATIBLE, BUT NECESSARY INDUSTRIAL USES SUCH AS ASPHALT, BASS PLANTS, BULK PROCESSING, WASTE COLLECTIONS, SALVAGE FACILITIES ARE IN THIS PLACE TYPE.
THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE TYPE THAT EVEN MENTIONS HAS THAT STORAGE OR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
THERE'S ALSO LOGISTICS, INDUSTRIAL PARK AND FLEX COMMERCIAL.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT MENTIONED IN ANY OF THESE INDUSTRIAL UH, SITES.
IN FACT, FLEX COMMERCIAL EVEN NOTICE SIGNALING TRANSITION FROM HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USE TO PROVIDE MORE COMPATIBLE, LESS IMPACTFUL USES TO SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
LOGISTICS IS ALSO DISTRIBUTING AND STORAGE FOCUSED ON PRODUCTION AND EMPLOYMENT.
THE CONCEPT OF WASTE AND RECYCLING IS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT IN THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE ITEM.
NOTE, THE IN THAT INDUSTRIAL HUB NOTES ONLY THREE LOCATIONS IN THE ENTIRE CITY AND BOTH OF 'EM ARE AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE CITY.
THIS IS A VERY INEFFICIENT PROCESS.
I LIKE TO MAKE A COMPARISON TO URBAN WASTE.
IT'S PICKED UP EVERYWHERE, ALL ACROSS THE CITY, AND THEN GOES INTO OTHER LOCATIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION, WHICH IS WASTE TRANSFER, AND THEN RECYCLING BEFORE GOING TO MCCOMBS LANDFILL, WHICH IS THE ONLY SITE LISTED UNDER THAT HUB.
THIS SITE WE NEED TO CONSIDER EVEN FUTURE, UH, ITEMS SUCH AS RECYCLING.
WE'RE GOING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES, BATTERY RECYCLING IS GOING TO BECOME, UH, MUCH MORE NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE.
IS YOUR TIME? IS THAT MY TIME? YES SIR, IT IS.
I AM A HOMEOWNER AT 3 3 6 BECKLEY WOOD BOULEVARD IN DISTRICT FOUR, AND I'M A MEMBER OF DALLAS NEIGHBORS FOR HOUSING.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CURRENT VERSION OF FORWARD DALLAS THAT ALLOWS MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING IN COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL PLACE TYPES.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT CONTEXT SENSITIVE, MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IN DALLAS.
SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY HAVE SMALL MULTIFAMILY HOMES THAT BLEND BEAUTIFULLY WITH THE OTHER HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN MY PART OF TOWN, WINNETKA HEIGHTS, KINGS HIGHWAY, KIDS SPRINGS ARE ALL SOME OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER PARTS OF THE CITY AND THEY'RE DOTTED WITH THE TYPES OF HOMES THAT ARE GONNA BE ENCOURAGED AGAIN BY THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE PLAN.
FORD DALLAS ENCOURAGES US TO BUILD THESE TYPES OF HOMES AGAIN, ADDING BADLY NEEDED HOUSING STOCK TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE'VE GOT A HOUSING CRISIS IN DALLAS AND IT'S A SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE.
WE CAN FIX IT BY BUILDING MORE HOUSING, ALLOWING FOR BUILDING AND MORE HOMES CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE WANNA LIVE AND WORK IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP WITH PRICES.
I WORKED IN MINNEAPOLIS WHERE UH, HOUSING WENT UP ONLY 1% COMPARED TO 20% HERE IN DALLAS.
AT THE SAME TIME I WORKED IN AUSTIN, WHERE HOUSING AND RENT PRICES ARE DOWN 10% COMPARED TO OUR MODEST INCREASE THIS YEAR.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DESIGN OF THE CITY WILL ALSO PAVE THE WAY FOR BETTER BIKE AND TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY.
BUT, UH, THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER DAY.
SO I URGE YOU SUPPORT MORE HOMES, SUPPORT MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, AND SUPPORT THE CURRENT VERSION OF FORWARD DALLAS.
[00:30:02]
MR. SCHUBERG.BECK DOWNWIND RISK 1808 SOUTH GOOD LATIMER 7 5 2 2 6.
OUR GROUP HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN FORWARD DALLAS SINCE WE JOINED THE FIGHT OVER SHINGLE MOUNTAIN FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE SAW FIRSTHAND HOW LAND USE CAN IMPACT YOUR EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE WORKED TRACKED AND PURSUED THE FORWARD DALLAS PROCESS, NOT ONLY IN FLORAL FARMS, BUT IN WEST DALLAS AND CHOPPY AS WELL.
WE'VE WORKED WITH RESIDENTS IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS TO ROLL BACK RACIST LAND USE AND UH, BASED ON OVER A CENTURY OF SEGREGATION AND PROVIDE RELIEF FOR THOSE WHO ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE A TARGET ON THEIR BACK.
THOSE RESIDENTS AND THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVE SUCCEEDED.
THE CURRENT FORWARD DALLAS MAP REPRESENTS THE SINGLE LARGEST ROLLBACK OF RACIST LAND USE IN DALLAS HISTORY.
THERE'S A REASON WHY THOSE ARE ON THE EDGES OF TOWN NOW, SIR.
IT'S BECAUSE UP TILL THIS MAP EVERYTHING WAS ALONG THE TRENDY RIVER IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
THESE PEOPLE ARE THE REASON THAT MAP CHANGED.
THOUSANDS OF ACRES ARE AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES.
THE CITY'S WORST EXAMPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM ARE AFFECTED BY THIS ROLLBACK IN PROJECTED LAND USE.
YOU'LL NOTICE I DIDN'T MENTION ZONING BECAUSE AS MUCH AS MY GROUPS AND OTHER GROUPS WISH IT WERE, SO IT DOES NOT IMPACT THAT AT ALL.
THEY KNOW THAT THE REAL FIGHTS ARE STILL YEARS AHEAD TO CHANGE ACTUAL ZONING CODE.
IT DOES NOTHING ABOUT LOT LINES.
IT DOES NOTHING ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES, NOTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IT DOES OFFER A PATH OUT FOR THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THESE RESIDENTS KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? THE NOW THEIR PROGRESS THAT THEY'VE SPENT THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS ON IS THREATENED BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW THIS DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO WOULD WANT TO KILL IT, QUOTE UNQUOTE DOING SO, WOULD NOT PROVIDE ONE IOTA OF RELIEF OR PROTECTION FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, BUT IT WOULD BE SETTING BACK THE CAUSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BY DECADES.
A GOOD FRIEND OF OURS IS IN THE HOSPITAL TONIGHT, RUSHED THERE ON TUESDAY AND NOT NOW DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER.
HE'S A COMMUNITY LEADER IN JOBY PER CAPITA, PERHAPS THE MOST POLLUTED NEIGHBORHOOD IN DALLAS.
HIS HEALTH WAS FINE WHEN HE MOVED TO THE FIVE YEARS AGO.
TONIGHT HE HAS A DIAGNOSIS OF CANCER.
HE'S MOVED HEAVEN AND EARTH WORKING ON THIS MAP TO WIPE AWAY THE DISCRIMINATION THAT MAKES IT HARD TO BREATHE IN CHOPPY, JUST BREATHING THE AIR THERE CAN MAKE YOU SICK.
NOW, I KNOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ADVERSE REACTIONS AND DON'T LIKE ADUS AND DUPLEXES, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY DO NOT GIVE YOU CANCER.
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH ARE SUFFERING THIS MAP TO SOME DEGREE, LAYS A FOUNDATION FOR THE RELIEF OF THAT SUFFERING.
IT GIVES THEM ANOTHER STEP TO CLIMB UP ON AND GO TO THE NEXT STEP.
THAT IS WHY WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE APPROVAL OF THIS PLAN AND THANK THE STAFF FOR LISTENING AND WORKING WITH THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS ALEXANDER DUNN, UH, AND I LIVE AT 55 55 AMES PRAIRIE DRIVE, UH, DALLAS 7 5 2 0 6.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE AND I'M A RENTER.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE CURRENT VERSION OF FORD DALLAS.
DALLAS IS FACING A CRISIS AND A CHOICE.
IN ORDER TO THRIVE, A CITY NEEDS TO GROW AND IN ORDER TO GROW, IT NEEDS PEOPLE.
AND FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN DALLAS, THEY NEED A PLACE TO LIVE.
HOWEVER, CURRENTLY THE LAND USE PLANS OF DALLAS DO NOT ALLOW FOR THIS GROWTH.
RIGHT NOW, THE CITY IS TRAPPED IN A QUAGMIRE OF EXCLUSIONARY LAND USE REGULATIONS THAT STIFLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW HOUSING AND NEW BUSINESSES.
DAY BY DAY, DALLAS IS LOSING POPULATION AS PEOPLE FLEE THE HIGH HOUSING COSTS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THESE RESTRICTIONS ON SUPPLY TO ITS OUTLINING SUBURBS AND EVEN TO OTHER METRO AREAS.
THIS IN TURN, WILL DRIVE DALLAS EVEN DEEPER INTO FISCAL CRISIS AS WE LOSE THE TAX BASE THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE OUR ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES FOR DALLAS IS AN IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY STEP TO REMEDYING THIS CRISIS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE QUITE REASONABLY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT POTENTIAL CHANGE THAT MAY COME TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN, IN THE FORM OF GENTLE DENSITY LIKE ADUS OR MULTIPLEXES OR EVEN SMALL APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
HOWEVER, I WOULD CAUTION THAT THE MORE THAT ONE TRIES TO PREVENT CHANGE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD BY PREVENTING DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT, THE MORE IT CHANGES REGARDLESS IN OTHER WAYS AS YOUR STREETS BREAK DOWN BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PAY TO RESURFACE THEM, YOUR SIDEWALKS CRACK AND EVENTUALLY THE THE, UH, THE BLIGHT COMES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[00:35:01]
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS STAGNATION.THERE IS ONLY GROWTH OR DECAY, AND PREVENTING GROWTH MEANS ENCOURAGING DECAY.
SO IF WE DO NOT WISH TO DECAY, WE MUST GROW AND GROWING MEANS ALLOWING MORE HOUSING SO PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN OUR CITY.
AS PARA SPEAKERS HAVE NOTICED, UH, NOTED, THE ONLY GOOD, THE ONLY GOOD WAY TO KEEP HOUSING PRICES DOWN IS TO ALLOW MORE HOUSING TO BE BUILT SO THAT OUR SUPPLY CAN MEET OUR DEMAND.
AND ALSO, LIKE OTHER SPEAKERS, I TOO WOULD LOVE TO LIVE IN DALLAS WITH MY OWN HOME THAT I OWN ONE DAY IN A WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH TRANSIT, PLENTY OF NEIGHBORS AMENITIES, BUT THE STATUS QUO MEANS I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO.
WE CANNOT LET DALLAS BECOME A CITY OF DEAD AND BROKEN DREAMS. WE MUST PASS FORWARD DALLAS BECAUSE THEN WE CAN BUILD THE CITY OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE ASPIRE TO BE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DOLORES LEVY SOROKA AND I LIVE AT 48 22 SWISS AVENUE IN DALLAS.
SWISS IS NOT A FOUR LETTER WORD, IT'S A FIVE LETTER WORD.
I HAVE ATTENDED NUMEROUS FORWARD DALLAS MEETINGS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE'VE BEEN ASKED, WHAT DO YOU WANNA SEE IN, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? AND YET THE CURRENT FORWARD DALLAS PLAN DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT WE SAID THEN AND CONTINUE TO SAY WE WANT A SINGLE FAMILY PLACE TYPE FORWARD.
DALLAS IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A VISION DOCUMENT.
THIS BEGS THE OBVIOUS INSTEAD OF CALLING IT A COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN, MA'AM.
PARDON ME, MA'AM, WE HAVE SOME, SOME FOLKS ONLINE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU PULL DOWN THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT? OH, SORRY.
FORWARD DALLAS IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A VISION DOCUMENT.
THIS BEGS THE OBVIOUS, INSTEAD OF CALLING IT A COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN, WHICH BY STATE LAW HAS SOME REQUIREMENTS ABOUT ZONING TO BE ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAN, CALL IT A VISION DOCUMENT.
I'M TIRED OF HEARING STATEMENTS THAT ONLY SEEM TO EVADE ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS LIKE CONSTANTLY TELLING US THIS IS NOT A ZONING DOCUMENT.
THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN BE CONTEXT SENSITIVE, THAT AFFORDABILITY IS A CONCERN AND A HOST OF OTHER MISLEADING STATEMENTS.
I'M SO FRUSTRATED READING A DOCUMENT WITH INACCURACIES AND AREAS LEFT UNDEFINED CONSIDERABLE TIME IS SPENT TALKING AROUND THE OBVIOUS FACT THAT ONLY OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE DENSITY AND REVENUE PRODUCING TARGETS.
THIS WHOLESALE GIFT TO INVESTORS AND DEVELOPERS SHOULD MAKE THEM VERY HAPPY AT OUR EXPENSE.
YES, THERE ARE SOME DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES AND SMALL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE SEEN PRESENTATIONS THAT ILLUSTRATE CONTEXT SENSITIVE BY SHOWING, FOR EXAMPLE, A DUPLEX BUILT AROUND THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS NEXT TO A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OF THE SAME ERA.
THE REALITY IS THAT MATERIALS, I, AS I UNDERSTAND IT BY STATE LAW CANNOT BE DICTATED.
SO THERE'S OFTEN A STARK OR EVEN SHOCKING CONTRAST IN WHAT MAY BE BUILT NEXT TO AN EXISTING HOME.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK AND WANT CPC TO INCORPORATE A SINGLE FAMILY PLACE TYPE INTO FORWARD DALLAS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? MY NAME IS JOHN HILTON.
I LIVE AT 2 2 9 7 HALLS AVENUE.
I DIDN'T PREPARE A SPEECH TODAY, BUT I SUPPORT UH, FORD DALLAS.
I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 10 YEARS AND DALLAS IS THE BEST CITY IN THE METROPLEX.
YEAH, IT HANDS DOWN THE BEST CITY IN THE METROPLEX.
IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CITY GREATER AND BE, UH, SUSTAINABLE FAR AS FISCALLY IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE TO BUILD MORE HOUSING, MORE MISSILE, MORE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.
I UNDERSTAND THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT EVERYONE'S CONCERNED WITH, BUT THE PROPERTY TAXES IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTA MAKE UP A DIFFERENCE.
SO IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE THE BURDEN ON EVERYONE, WE NEED TO BUILD MORE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO LIVE HERE.
I AM A RENTER AT 2 2 2 BROWDER STREET.
I'VE LIVED IN DFW MY WHOLE LIFE.
[00:40:01]
UM, I'VE BEEN RENTING DOWNTOWN FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS, FOR TWO OF THOSE YEARS.TWO OF THOSE YEARS I HAVEN'T OWNED A CAR.
UM, I GET TO TAKE THE TRAIN TO WORK, WALK TO GET GROCERIES.
UM, IT'S A BIT OF A WALK, BUT I MAKE IT WORK.
UM, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT FORWARD DALLAS AS PROPOSED BECAUSE I HAVE A DEEP CONVICTION THAT A PART OF MY PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN JUST BEING KIND TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO ME.
IT MEANS WORKING TO SEE THAT DALLAS ENJOYS PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
I'VE WATCHED FRIENDS MOVE OUT OF DALLAS AND EVEN OUT OF TEXAS BECAUSE OF THE RISING COST OF, OF HOUSING.
UM, AND IT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO START THEIR FAMILIES HERE TO BUY A FIRST HOME HERE.
I MEAN, EVEN MY YOUNGER SISTER IS AN EXAMPLE.
SHE BOUGHT A HOUSE OUT IN AUBREY AND SHE HATED THE ISOLATION SO MUCH THAT SHE SOLD IT AFTER TWO YEARS AND MOVED DOWNTOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE WANNA BE IN DALLAS.
THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE WANNA BE, BUT THE RISING COST OF HOUSING IS MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE.
AND SO I WANNA BE HERE, I WANNA OWN HERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE AND OWN SOMEWHERE WHERE I CAN WALK TO THE TRAIN OR TAKE THE BUS OR WHATEVER IT IS AND CONTINUE TO NOT OWN A CAR.
UM, AND SO I'M ASKING YOU PLEASE.
UM, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE YEARS OF WORK THAT THE CITY STAFF HAS PUT INTO THIS PLAN AND TRUST THAT IT'LL BE THE VISION THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS FOR AN AFFORDABLE, LIVABLE AND WALKABLE DALLAS.
SO PLEASE DON'T LET A FEW LOUD FEARFUL VOICES DARKEN THE VISION THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR FUTURE.
HI, UM, MY NAME IS ABRAHAM MORENO.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE AND MY ADDRESS IS 4 0 7 EAST NINTH STREET.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO YOU, NOT AS A RESIDENT OF DALLAS, BUT AS A STUDENT OF DALLAS ISD AND AS A DISTRICT ONE YOUTH COMMISSIONER.
NEAR, UM, SINCE MY FAMILY MOVED HERE IN 2016, WE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE PORTEO NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND EVER SINCE THEN, WE HAVE MET SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND I HAVE MET SOME WONDERFUL CLASSMATES.
BUT THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT MOST OF THEM CAN'T AFFORD A HOME.
I CANNOT COUNT THE TIMES THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR MY OWN FRIENDS TO STAY OVER AT MY HOUSE WHILE THEY CRY OVER THEIR MOMS NOT HAVING A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
AND EVEN DURING HIGH SCHOOL, I CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES MY CLASSMATES HAVE BEEN MISSING IN SCHOOL OR STAR TEST BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE TWO JOBS IN ORDER FOR, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR, UH, FAMILY'S HEAD.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND I DO REALLY MEAN IT.
IS THIS THE FUTURE WE IMAGINE THE CITY TO BE? I MEAN, I'M THE ONLY ADVOCATE HERE UNDER 18.
I AM GOING TO INHERIT THE CITY BY RIGHT, AND I DO NOT SEE MYSELF OR ANY OF MY FRIENDS LIVING IN DALLAS IN THE FUTURE.
DO WE REALLY WANT A BROKEN CITY? DO WE WANNA KEEP MAKING THESE RACIST POLICIES THAT WILL KEEP EVERYONE SEPARATE? THE POOR, THE RICH, THE BLACK AND WHITE SEPARATE? THIS IS NOT THE CITY I SEE.
SO I SUPPORT FORWARD DALLAS AND I SUPPORT MORE DENSITY, MORE TYPE OF HOUSES AND THE DEATH OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
JIM ANDERSON, 47 0 6 SWISS AVENUE.
I LIVE IN THE PEAKS SUBURBAN EDITION HISTORIC DISTRICT ON LOWER SWISS AVENUE.
I'M AN URBAN PLANNER, WORKED FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS 26 YEARS.
I'M A VISIONARY, BUT I'M A REALIST.
THE URBANISMS ARE ALL ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND DENSITY.
THIS IS ABOUT DENSITY, NOT ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE, THESE TOWN HOMES ARE SELLING FOR $650,000 AND A DU COSTS ABOUT $150,000 TO BUILD A NEW GARAGE APARTMENT.
IS SOMEONE GOING TO GIVE ME A DEAL TO MAKE THAT AFFORDABLE? I HAVE TO PAY OFF THAT MORTGAGE ON $150,000.
UH, THERE'S NO FORWARD DALLAS PLACE TYPE FOR SINGLE FAMILY WITHOUT ADUS.
UH, STATE LAW DICTATES THAT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MUST, THE ZONING MUST FOLLOW THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THIS IS THE CAMEL'S NOSE UNDER THE TENT.
WHEN SOMEBODY COMES TO CITY PLAN TO THE CITY COUNCIL REZONING NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD,
[00:45:02]
UH, ON FORWARD DALLAS ALLOWS FOR ADU AND, AND ADDITIONAL DENSITY.SO HOW DO WE CONTROL THE CHANGES? AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT NEW URBANISM.
THESE FOLKS BACK HERE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THEY, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE THERE.
NOW YOU'RE GONNA DIVIDE A SINGLE FAMILY LOT INTO SIX UNITS AND THEY'RE GONNA SELL FOR WHAT PRICE.
IS THERE A PLAN TO MAKE THOSE AFFORDABLE FOR THESE GUYS? I DON'T THINK SO.
THE DEVELOPERS ARE GONNA GO AT SIX 50 TIMES SIX 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY CAN GET FOR IT.
THIS IS GONNA CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF THE CITY.
IN THE 1950S, WE HAD URBAN RENEWAL.
THEY MOWED DOWN HOUSES IN SOUTH DALLAS, EAST DALLAS OAK CLIFF AND BUILT THE SWINGING SINGLES APARTMENTS.
THOSE HISTORIC DISTRICTS NOW ARE SURVIVING DESPITE THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WENT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO PUT MORE DENSITY INTO SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AND EXPECT THEM TO BE STABLE.
STABILIZATION WAS MAKE THE CITY GREAT.
I HAVE FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN LINCOLN PARK IN CHICAGO.
HE HAS TO TAKE AN UBER TO GET HIS CAR 10 MILES AWAY.
DALLAS DOESN'T HAVE THAT PARKING PROBLEM.
NOW ALL THE APARTMENTS IN DALLAS, EVEN THE ONES DOWNTOWN, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, THE OLD BUILDINGS ALL HAVE PARKING GARAGES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS THAT HAVE TO GET IN AN UBER TO GO GET THEIR CAR, BUT WITH THIS NEW DENSITY ALREADY, THERE'S NO PLACE TO PARK ON MY STREET.
THERE'S ONLY PARKING ON ONE SIDE AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET THERE ARE A, A COUPLE OF GARAGE APARTMENTS AND AND SUCH AND THOSE PEOPLE ALL PARK AT ONE AND I, I'M FINE WITH THAT, BUT THERE'S NO MORE ROOM FOR ANY MORE CARS ON MY STREET.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODS, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE WHEN THEY PUT IN MORE DENSITY.
I LIVE IN THE, THE TRINITY RIVER AREA WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING IN DRAINS RIGHT NOW ON GASTON AVENUE FOR THE FLOOD PROBLEMS. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND IT ISN'T ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, IT'S ABOUT DENSITY.
IT'S ABOUT DEVELOPERS WHO WANT TO DEVELOP THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE ALL OVER THE CITY OF DALLAS NEAR, UM, UH, DART STATIONS.
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CITY HAS LOT OF AVAILABILITY.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF ZONED LAND FOR APARTMENTS THAT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED.
DON'T TAKE THE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORS THAT MAKE DALLAS GREAT AND COMPROMISE THEM FOR DENSITY FOR APARTMENTS THAT THESE KIDS CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN.
DARRYL BAKER, 63 0 6 ELDER GROVE DRIVE, DALLAS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THIS PLAN AS IT STANDS NOW.
I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THAT THERE WAS VERY GOOD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY THE STAFF IN THE PROCESS.
THERE WAS VERY GOOD SPANISH TRANSLATIONS AND IT WAS PUT SIDE BY SIDE.
IT WASN'T PUT ON THE BACKSIDE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THERE WAS GREAT PARODY AND EQUITY AS THAT.
AFTER TWO YEARS, THERE SHOULD BE MORE CLARITY TO THIS PLAN, AND IT'S NOT AFTER TWO PLUS YEARS, THERE SHOULD BE MORE FLESH ON THESE BONES OF A PLAN AND THERE'S NOT, THERE SHOULD BE MORE CLARITY IN THE PLAN THAT REMOVES CONFLICTING LAND USES IN AND AROUND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE CONSULTANTS' TURNAROUND TIME TO INCLUDE OUR INPUT AT THESE, UH, WORKSHOPS, UH, IN A TIMELY MANNER WAS POUR AT BEST.
IT TOOK TWO OR THREE ITERATIONS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY SAW, AT LEAST IN MY PART OF TOWN, WHAT WE ACTUALLY PUT ON THE MAPS, WHAT WE ACTUALLY WROTE, THE ENDLESS NUMBER OF DOTS THAT HAD TO DIE ON MAPS BEFORE OUR INPUT GOT TO THIS POINT, UM, WAS, WAS STAGGERING.
UH, THE CURRENT DRAFT IS STILL VERY JARGON LADEN AND DOES NOT COMMUNICATE WELL WITH JOHN AND MARY Q CITIZEN AFTER TWO PLUS YEARS OF, OF AND WITH THE CONTRACT EXPIRING.
I THINK BEFORE THE PLAN IS GOING TO BE FINISHED, THIS ISN'T, UH, A GOOD PLAN TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT JUST ISN'T BASED ON DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS NATIONWIDE FOR LARGE CITIES FOR DALLAS DOES NOT PROVIDE A WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN FOR RIGHT SIZING.
DALLAS, I DON'T THINK GROWTH IN DALLAS IS IN OUR FUTURE.
I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK THAT TREMENDOUS GROWTH IS IN OUR FUTURE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE'S NOT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT SOME OF THIS, AND I THINK THIS HAS TO BE A REAL WORKING MAN'S REALITY BASED PLAN AND IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE, THERE'S NO, UM, ACCOMMODATION OR RECOGNITION OF THE EMPTY LAND WE STILL HAVE THROUGHOUT DALLAS THAT'S ALREADY ZONED FOR DENSITY.
THE PLAN IS PUSHING IN OUR PERCEPTION THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF, RATHER THAN IN ADDITION TO
[00:50:02]
OUR SINGLE FAMILY ESTABLISHED SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOODS, THE REASON THAT PEOPLE BUY INTO THEM IS BECAUSE THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL, UH, SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ON THE TABLE AS A COMPROMISE FOR SOME OF THE SO-CALLED INNOVATION THAT'S NOT BEEN PROVEN AND HASN'T BEEN TESTED AS IT STANDS NOW.UH, THE CURRENT, THE PLAN IS MORE LIKE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH AND THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ANYBODY.
UH, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS THAT'S BEEN PLACED ON THE VALUE OF THE INLAND COURT.
EVELYN MAYO, 2 8 3 3 PROVINCE LANE, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 2 8.
I'VE PARTICIPATED IN THE FORMATION OF THIS PLAN WITH FRONTLINE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES SINCE ITS SOFT LAUNCH BACK IN 2019.
WE'VE STAYED COMMITTED TO ENSURING OUR GOALS ARE INCORPORATED THROUGHOUT THE TURNOVER AT PUD IN 2020 AND THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS IN THE FIELD AT CLUB, AND THROUGH NUMEROUS COALITION CONVERSATIONS.
IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS THAT OVERALL I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PLAN BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF COLLABORATION AND ADVOCACY FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO ENSURE THAT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AGENDA IS INCLUDED.
I HAVE A FEW SPECIFIC COMMENTS ON THE LANGUAGE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THEME AND THEN HAVE SOME SPECIFIC PLACE TYPES IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES I WORK WITH.
I WANNA ADDRESS FIRST THE PLAN SAYS THAT IT WANTS TO SUPPORT CITYWIDE EJ GOALS, BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANY.
UM, SO PUD HAS DONE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE OUTREACH IN EJ NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I'VE EVER SEEN AND HAS JURISDICTION OVER THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, WHICH IS LAND USE AND ZONING.
SO THEY SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS INSTEAD OF DEFERRING TO GOALS THAT DON'T YET EXIST.
SPECIFICALLY THEY IDENTIFY THE ISSUE OF WHERE EJ ISSUES ARE HAPPENING IN THE FIRST BULLET POINT OF THE WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT SECTION OF THE EJ THEME BECAUSE OF THE CONCENTRATION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR NEXT TO AND WITH INDUSTRY.
BUT THEN AGAIN, NO INDICATION OF WHAT THE CITYWIDE EJ GOALS ARE AND WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.
SAME IN THE IMPLEMENTATION TABLE.
BASICALLY IT SOUNDS LIKE CREATE THE GOALS EXCEPT FOR FORWARD DALLAS JUSTICE ANALYSIS, WHICH ACTUALLY SAYS TO PRIORITIZE REZONING FOR THESE AREAS WITH INCOMPATIBILITIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD TO GOALS THAT DON'T EXIST YET IN THE MITIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHERE OR HOW THE CITY WILL INTEGRATE STRONGER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REVIEWS.
IS THIS A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CODE FOR WHAT CONSTITUTE CONSTITUTES AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT? SAME IN ITEM B 10 IN THE IMPLEMENTATION TABLE.
IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT MONITORING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES EMITTING AIR POLLUTION REALLY MEANS.
ARE WE TALKING AIR MONITORING? ARE WE TALKING OTHER KIND OF CODE ENFORCEMENT? UM, IT ALSO ONLY SPECIFIES THAT FOR THE INDUSTRIAL HUB SECTION, BUT MOST OF THE MAJOR SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION ARE IN INDUSTRIAL FLEX, UH, COMMERCIAL FLEX AREAS.
FINALLY, SECTION C 13 SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREA OF FOCUS IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT IT ONLY TALKS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS AND I THINK IT SHOULD INCLUDE THE ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION TO ENACT SOME OF THESE CHANGES.
FINALLY, THE PLACE TYPE DESIGNATIONS HAVE BEEN MEANINGFULLY IMPROVED AND ADJUSTED THANKS TO PUD LISTENING AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
FLORAL FARMS DROPPY AND WEST DALLAS PREVIOUSLY HAD INDUSTRIAL HUBS AS THEIR PLACE TYPE IN JANUARY, 2023.
NOW THEY ALMOST ALL HAVE INDUSTRIAL ADJACENCY REMOVED EXCEPT THE ONE PIECE OF COMMERCIAL FLEX AND FLORAL FARMS. AND THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY DESIGNATE THE THREE 10 CORRIDOR AS COMMUNITY MIXED USE TO ALIGN WITH THE COMMUNITY'S VISION IN PY.
I LIVE AT 5 0 2 CAMERON AVENUE, DALLAS, 7 5 2 2 3.
THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN PROMOTES REDEVELOPMENT OF OUR MOST AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE UPZONING PROPOSED BY THIS PLAN INVITES DEVELOPERS TO DESTROY OUR EXISTING HOMES AND BUILD MUCH LESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS.
THE NEW APARTMENTS WE FIND THROUGHOUT DALLAS RENT FOR MUCH MORE PER SQUARE FOOT THAN AN OLDER EXISTING HOME IN AN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOOD, GENTRIFICATION INFLATION HAVE ALREADY TAKEN A TOLL ON OUR EXISTING HOUSING NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MOUNT AUBURN AND ELM THICKET TO THE LARGE LOTS AROUND WHITE ROCK LAKE AND PRESTON HOLLOW HAVE SEEN GOOD SOUND HOMES DEMOLISHED AND MORE EXPENSIVE HOMES BUILT.
AS TAXES GO UP, THE OWNERS OF THESE ESTABLISHED HOUSES STRUGGLE THOSE WHO MAY BE RENTING
[00:55:01]
OUT THEIR, WHAT WAS THEIR FAMILY HOUSE HAVE TO SELL BECAUSE THEY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD THE TAXES.AND MORE RENTERS MOVE OUT IN SEARCH OF A PLACE THEY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE.
FAMILIES ARE THE MOST AFFECTED AND ARE LEAVING THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE NOW HAVE FORWARD DALLAS, WHICH PROMOTES UPZONING IN THE NAME OF DENSITY AND IN AND AN INCREASED TAX BASE.
INFLATION AND GENTRIFICATION AREN'T ENOUGH.
MULTI-STORY APARTMENTS ARE THE ANSWER TO PROVIDING EVEN MORE DENSITY AND TAXES PER SQUARE ACRE.
ALONG WITH THIS PLAN COMES AN INCREASE IN OUR NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FOR SERVICES FOR OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
IN RESPONSE, MULTIMILLIONAIRE DEVELOPERS LOOK FOR GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND TAX ABATEMENTS TO BUILD FOR THOSE WITHIN THE 80% A MI FAMILIES STRUGGLE, WAGE EARNERS MOVE EVEN FARTHER FROM THEIR JOBS AND ARE CHALLENGED TO FIND AND PAY FOR TRANSPORTATION.
THIS IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF THE MANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN.
THE LACK OF OF SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND AN INCREASED NEED FOR BASIC CITY SERVICES IS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF SOCIAL DYSFUNCTION CAUSED WHEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES DISAPPEAR AND SOCIAL SUPPORT IS GONE.
IT'S NOT PART OF THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN CA CALCULATIONS.
FAMILIES, NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITIES ARE LIVING SOCIAL SYSTEMS TO ONLY LOOK AT LAND USE AND INCREASING DENSITY IS VERY SHORTSIGHTED.
AND THIS IS A PLAN FOR MULTIPLE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE.
AND I AGREE WITH MR. ANDERSON.
THESE, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME IN DALLAS AS LONG AS YOU KEEP TEARING DOWN THE HOUSES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO MANY OTHERS.
AND I'M SO SORRY TO HAVE TO TELL HIM THAT.
UH, I'VE BEEN TO A NUMBER OF THE FOUR DALLAS, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT MEETINGS BEFORE AND I THINK CITY STAFF'S DOING A GREAT JOB WITH IT.
I'VE GOT TWO PERSONAL ANECDOTES FOR YOU.
I WORK AT A DESIGN FIRM HERE IN DALLAS AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO WORK FROM US STRAIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE.
THEY RENT APARTMENTS IN DALLAS, BUT THEY TEND TO STICK AROUND AT OUR FIRM FOR A WHILE.
AND AS THEY GET TO THE AGE WHERE THEY MARRY AND LOOK FOR HOUSES, ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN MOVING TO PROSPEROUS SEINA FRISCO.
AND YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY WE ONLY HAVE TO COME TO THE OFFICE A COUPLE DAYS A WEEK, SO IT KIND OF WORKS.
BUT I GET TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR TERRIBLE TRAFFIC DILEMMAS ALL THE TIME.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF 'EM HAVE STAYED HERE IN DALLAS AND IT'S BECAUSE OF AFFORDABILITY.
UH, AND THEIR LIVES AT LEAST THE TRAFFIC PART OF IT DO NOT SOUND FUN.
UH, THE SECOND ONE, UH, MY SISTER AND HER HUSBAND A FEW YEARS AGO BOUGHT A HOUSE IN LAS VEGAS, UH, NO LOS ANGELES.
AND AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, BECAUSE OF SOME ZONING CHANGES THEY MADE TO ALLOW ADUS, UH, THEY BUILT AN A DU AND THAT WAS WHAT ALLOWED THEM TO BE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE INCOME FROM THAT A DU AND IT'S AN EXTREMELY QUAINT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A LOT OF 1920S BUNGALOWS AND THEM HAVING THAT A DU THERE AND SOME OTHER NEIGHBORS HAS NOT AFFECTED IT NEGATIVELY.
UH, THEY'RE, I'VE GO AND VISIT THEM.
SOMETIMES YOU SEE FILM CREWS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, THERE ARE NOT REALLY ANY PARKING PROBLEMS OR BAD RENTERS OR WHATEVER.
UM, I DO AGREE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF GENTRIFICATION OR UNSCRUPULOUS DEVELOPERS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION, BUT AT LEAST THERE, WHICH IS AN EAGLE ROCK.
THEY COULD AFFORD TO HAVE A HOUSE THERE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WONDERFUL STILL WITH ADUS.
I LIVE AT 40 39 COLE AVENUE, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 0 4.
I'VE LIVED IN DALLAS MY WHOLE LIFE.
UH, MY DAD LIKES TO TELL STORIES ABOUT WHEN HE FIRST MOVED TO DALLAS IN 1985.
UH, HE LIVED IN THE VILLAGE APARTMENTS ON NORTHWEST HIGHWAY AND THREE YEARS IN A ROW HE WENT TO HIS LEASING OFFICE TO RENEW HIS LEASE AND THEY LOWERED HIS RENT EACH YEAR BECAUSE DALLAS WAS ACTUALLY BUILDING ENOUGH HOUSING FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO LIVE HERE.
I RENTED IN DALLAS FOR SIX YEARS AND MY RENT UP ALL SIX YEARS TO THE POINT THAT IT HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED BY THE TIME I WAS READY TO BUY.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE A DALLAS WHERE ENOUGH HOUSING IS BUILT TO SUPPORT THE DESIRES OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S NEVER EXISTED IN MY LIFETIME.
THE HARD TRUTH IS THAT PEOPLE WHO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE IN DALLAS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MOVE HERE AND THEY'LL EITHER OUTBID THE CURRENT RESIDENTS,
[01:00:01]
THE TEACHERS AND THE SERVICE WORKERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE OR OUR CITY CAN ALLOW ENOUGH HOUSING TO FIT EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE HERE.I FULLY SUPPORT THE CURRENT DRAFT OF FORWARD DALLAS.
IT'S THE ONLY PLAN ON THE TABLE THAT CREATES A FRAMEWORK FOR BUILDING ENOUGH HOUSING TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND AND THAT HOUSING, UH, NECESSARILY MEANS ADUS, DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES LOW AND MID-RISE APARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
I HOPE THAT THE PLACE TYPES PROPOSED IN THIS PLAN, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL TYPE SUPPORT, THE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING AND THE DENSITY THAT DALLAS NEEDS, NOT JUST TO GROW, BUT TO SURVIVE.
AND I HOPE THAT AS FORD DALLAS CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD, YOU CAN REMEMBER THAT ITS IMPLEMENTATION IS NOT JUST FOR THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, BUT FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO LIVE HERE BUT CAN'T OR EVEN WORSE HAS BEEN FORCED OUT.
I LIVE AT 7 1 8 CRESTED COVE DRIVE 7 5 0 4 0.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF A NON-PROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BASED HERE IN DALLAS CALLED DOWNWINDERS AT RISK.
AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF FORWARD DALLAS.
FOR YEARS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SEE RESIDENTS OF JAPE LOCATED IN SOUTHEASTERN DALLAS AND RESIDENTS OF THE SINGLETON CORRIDOR IN WEST DALLAS, ENGAGE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS PLANNERS TO INCORPORATE THEIR ASKS AND ASPIRATIONS FOR WHAT THEY WISH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THE NEXT DECADES TO COME.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAND USES THESE RESIDENTS HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH AS NEIGHBORS, YOU MAY BE SURPRISED WE'RE EVEN LIVING IN THE SAME OR SAME CITY OR WORKING IN THE SAME CITY.
ALONG SINGLETON BOULEVARD, YOU'LL SEE GAFA SHINGLE FACTORY LOCATED DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO A COMMUNITY CENTER, A LIBRARY, A SCHOOL, AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES EVERY DAY.
PEOPLE HAVE TO WAKE UP, GET OUT AND BREATHE IN A EMISSIONS SPEWING FROM RIGHT NEXT DOOR BECAUSE THESE HOMES ARE ZONED ON LAND THAT'S FOR INDUSTRIAL USE.
YEARS PRIOR, ON THE SAME ROAD, WITHIN NEARLY THE SAME BLOCK ON SINGLETON AND BOULEVARD WERE CEMENT PLANTS AND LEAD SMELTERS AND THE ZONING CODES OF THE TIME ALLOWED FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
AND CURRENTLY STILL PERMIT INDUSTRIAL USE.
MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES, MOSTLY BLACK AND BROWN FOLK, HAVE LIVED ALONG SINGLETON BOULEVARD AND CHOPPY THAT THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DESIGNATIONS.
THESE DESIGNATIONS HAVE HISTORICAL ROOTS.
THESE SAME AREAS WHICH WERE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS WERE REDLINED OR CLASSIFIED AS HAZARDOUS AREAS BY THE HOMEOWNERS LOAN CORPORATION IN 1937.
AND THESE ARE THE SAME AREAS WHICH ULTIMATELY BECAME ZONED FOUR INDUSTRIAL USE WHEN ZONING LAWS APPEARED AND CONTINUE TO IMPACT RESIDENTS TODAY.
THE LIVED REALITIES THAT MY DEAR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON THE DAILY IS TRULY HEARTBREAKING.
HAVING TO DEAL WITH BREATHING IN POLLUTANTS THAT MAKE THEM COUGH, THAT MAKE THEM ONE STEP CLOSER TO HAVING CANCER THAT PLACE THEIR HEALTH IN JEOPARDY.
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATES ASSOCIATIONS IN JOBY FLORAL FARMS IN WEST DALLAS WORK TO UNDO WITH FLORAL DA FORWARD DALLAS.
WITH FORWARD DALLAS RESIDENTS WHO HAVE SUFFERED INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM ARE NOW GIVEN A CHANCE TO HAVE A SEAT IN THE DECISION MAKING TABLE TO PROTECT NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH AND AMEND THE STATUS QUO FOR A MORE EQUITABLE CITY MEETING.
AFTER MEETING RESIDENTS SHOWED UP TO PUT IN THEIR SAY OF HOW THEY WISH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WILL LOOK LIKE.
NO RESIDENT OF DALLAS SHOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIGH EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION BECAUSE OF RACIST ZONING LAWS IMPLEMENTED DECADES PRIOR TO ME SUPPORTING FORWARD DALLAS IS SUPPORTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN A CITY WHERE THESE ISSUES HAVE NOT YET BEEN ADDRESSED.
COMMISSIONERS, I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD WITH FORWARD DALLAS TO SUPPORT A MORE EQUITABLE OUTLOOK FOR THIS CITY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRIS MCDONALD.
I LIVE 6 5 5 0 SHADY BROOK LANE VILLAGE APARTMENTS.
AND I'M VERY FLATTERED THAT EARLIER TONIGHT I WAS REFERRED TO AS A YOUNG PERSON, SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE.
I'M HERE TO, UH, BE IN SUPPORT OF, FOR DALLAS, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE BIG CRISES AND THE CITY AS WELL AS, UH, THE COUNTRY IS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE CITY.
I READ A ARTICLE THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS POPULATION IS DECLINING, WHICH I THINK IS ALARMING.
I'VE GOT FRIENDS ALSO MOVING TO PROSPER, TO OPRY, EVEN OKLAHOMA CITY.
BUT, UH, ANYWAYS, I THINK, UH, BUILDING MORE HOUSES, UH, BUILDING MORE DUPLEXES, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT MAY BE TO MORE PEOPLE STAY IN DALLAS, MORE PEOPLE LIVE IN DALLAS.
I'VE BEEN HERE, WORK HERE, LOVE THE TOWN.
[01:05:02]
HI, MY NAME IS MICHAEL TAFT.I'M AT 5 4 3 6 RICHARD AVENUE, UH, IN VICKERY PLACE.
UM, SO I LIVE IN A CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND WITHIN A FEW BLOCKS OF MY HOUSE, WE HAVE, UH, PROBABLY LIKE A DOZEN, UM, GRANDFATHERED DUPLEXES AND QUADPLEXES AND, UH, EVEN SOME EIGHT PLEXES.
AND, UH, RECENTLY A A SEVEN STORY APARTMENT BUILDING JUST WENT UP ON GREENVILLE.
I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE OKAY.
UH, SO WE DIDN'T ADD, AS I UNDERSTAND, ANY ADDITIONAL PARKING OR, UH, THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH SEWAGE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
ALL OF THE OTHER KINDS OF ISSUES THAT, UH, KIND OF BEEN AROU, UM, BEEN BROUGHT UP.
HOWEVER, I THINK THOSE DEFINITELY SHOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, REVIEWED AND SO ON.
UM, IN FACT, I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY MY AREA IS EVEN BETTER THAN EVER.
I THINK THAT MORE BUSINESSES CAN SURVIVE BECAUSE THERE'S, IT'S, IT'S WALKABLE.
OTHER PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET TO IT AND, AND KEEP THOSE BUSINESSES GOING.
UH, SO I SUPPORT THE FORD DALLAS PLAN, AND I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF START WITH THAT ANECDOTE.
I I HAVE A NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET.
HE BOUGHT, UH, A DUPLEX ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO.
HE WAS ABLE TO AFFORD THE HOUSE BECAUSE, UH, HE WAS ABLE TO RENT OUT THE OTHER HALF OF IT.
AND, UH, AND IN FACT, HIS DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO MOVE IN JUST LIKE A BLOCK AWAY AND ALSO BUY A, A DUPLEX AND RENT OUT THE OTHER HALF.
UH, AND THEN LATER, AS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU KNOW, AS A, YOU KNOW, RICHER KIND OF PEOPLE MOVED IN AND SAID, OH, THIS IS GREAT.
YOU KNOW, LET'S TURN THIS INTO A CONSERVATION DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, PRESERVE IT JUST THE WAY IT IS.
UM, BUT, BUT YOUR ZONING NEEDS TO BE FIXED, SO WE'RE GONNA CHANGE ALL THOSE DUPLEXES AND WE'RE GONNA OUTLAW THOSE AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT JUST SINGLE FAMILY, RIGHT? SO THAT'S NO LONGER EVEN ALLOWED ANYMORE.
SO THAT, THAT KIND OF STORY FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOUSE BY RENTING OUT THE OTHER HALF, INCREASING AFFORDABILITY THROUGHOUT THE AREA, AND EVEN HAVE YOUR KIDS, UH, LIVE CLOSE IS NO LONGER, UH, E EVEN ON THE OPTION, EVEN AN OPTION.
UM, THERE'S NO WAY MY KIDS COULD AFFORD TO LIVE IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, I COULDN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IF I HADN'T BOUGHT A HOUSE, YOU KNOW, AT AN OPPORTUNE TIME.
SO, AND I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS ARE, ARE, ARE COMING FROM, YOU KNOW, EXISTING HOMEOWNERS THAT JUST KIND OF WANNA, YOU KNOW, PULL UP THE LADDER.
AND, UH, NOBODY ELSE NEEDS TO KIND OF GET THERE, SO TO SPEAK.
SO, UM, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALSO A, A CONCERN OR AN ARGUMENT THAT I'VE HEARD THAT SAYS, OKAY, LOOK, IT'S NOT THE CITY OF DALLAS'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN AFFORD A HOME IN EVERY AREA.
AND, UH, SORT OF A FREE MARKET KIND OF ARGUMENT.
AND TYPICALLY I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, EXCEPT THIS IS NOT A FREE MARKET.
UM, THE ZONING HAS CREATED ARTIFICIAL SCARCITY, UH, WHICH RESTRICTS THE SUPPLY AND, AND, AND, AND ONLY PROVIDES IT TO, TO, TO CERTAIN PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER ARGUMENT THAT CAME UP ABOUT, OKAY, THIS IS GOING TO CREATE THESE LIKE $650,000 HOUSES OR UNITS AND SO ON, WHICH ARE NOT AFFORDABLE.
UH, THE WAY THAT I'VE HEARD IT KIND OF EXPLAINED IS THAT WHO MOVES INTO THOSE $650,000 HOUSES AS PEOPLE MAY BE COMING FROM A $550,000 HOUSE, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE, RIGHT? AND THEN WHO MOVES INTO THAT HOUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHAIN AND SO ON.
AND SO ADDING IN MORE SUPPLY OVERALL INCREASES THE, THE AFFORDABILITY.
SO I SUPPORT FOR DALLAS, AND I HOPE YOU ALL TOO.
MY NAME IS VALERIE MUNOZ AND I AM AT 27 0 6 WOODMERE DRIVE.
AND I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT FOUR.
SO ONE THING THAT WAS SAID LAST NIGHT AT OUR TOWN HALL MEETING WAS ONE HOUSE, ONE LOT.
WE DO NOT WANT FORWARD DALLAS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN I PURCHASED MY HOME IN EASTWOOD AS A 20-YEAR-OLD, UM, SINGLE WOMAN OR YOUNG LADY, I DID NOT PURCHASE THAT HOME BY MYSELF WITH KNOWING THAT THE ZONING COULD BE CHANGED AND THERE COULD BE A PLEX NEXT TO ME AND THE LOT COULD BE DOWNSIZED.
WHAT IS NOT BEING SAID IS THAT THE HOMES THAT FORWARD DALLAS IS PUSHING THIS INITIATIVE ARE NOT GONNA BE MADE AFFORDABLE TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME WHO THINK THAT THEY ARE.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE MAKING MID SIX FIGURES OR HIGHER TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME WITH THIS FORWARD DALLAS INITIATIVE, THIS MULTI, UM, FAMILY USE OF LAND THAT'S TRYING TO BE PUSHED.
I LIVE IN THE OTHER SIDE OF DALLAS, WHICH IS BELOW 30 IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR WHERE THERE IS A FOOD DESERT, THERE ARE NO RESOURCES IN PLACE.
HE, WELL, WE ARE GETTING A VALUE SAVER, HEB, BUT WE ARE BARELY GETTING A SPROUTS AS WELL.
THERE IS ONE TON THUMB TO SERVICE OAK CLIFF.
WE DO NOT HAVE A CENTRAL MARKET.
[01:10:01]
I HAVE TO GO NORTH OF 30 TO SPEND MY MONEY HERE.AND ALSO I'M A PART OF A BLUE FAMILY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT MAKING THE CITY MORE DENSE.
WHERE ARE THE RESOURCES IN PLACE FOR THIS, UM, MASS GROWTH THAT FORWARD DALLAS IS PROPOSING? I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE WELL THOUGHT OF TOO.
AND ALSO, UM, THE HOMEOWNERS IN EASTWOOD, UM, ENA, OAK PARKS, BRENTON WOODS, BISHOP ARTS STEVENS PARK, EVERYONE SOUTH OF 30 WITHIN THESE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, WE'RE OPPOSED TO FORWARD DALLAS.
WE DON'T WANT THESE MASSIVE STRUCTURES BUILT NEXT TO OUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF SPEAKERS THAT I'VE HEARD TONIGHT THAT JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AND ACTUALLY IT'S, IT'S WHAT'S NOT BEING SAID THAT IS THE REAL ISSUE HERE.
IT'S THE UNSPOKEN WORD THAT IS WHAT WORRIES ALL OF US.
SO, UM, I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT SOME OF THE VERBIAGE CAN BE CHANGED OR THAT FORWARD DALLAS JUST DOESN'T GO FORWARD WITH IT 'CAUSE WE ARE OPPOSED.
UM, I LIVE AT 8 6 2 9 SOUTHWESTERN BOULEVARD, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 0 6.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN.
UM, I MOVED TO DALLAS 11 YEARS AGO FOR SCHOOL, AND I STAYED HERE TO PURSUE PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND STAY NEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
UM, I GOT MARRIED IN 2021 AND WAS ABLE TO FIND A DECENT APARTMENT AT A RATE THAT FELT AFFORDABLE AND ALIGNED WITH MY FINANCIAL GOALS.
HOWEVER, IN THE THREE YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED THERE, MY RENT HAS INCREASED SO MUCH SO THAT I'M NOW PAYING $600 MORE PER MONTH, UM, THAN I, THAN WHEN I HAD ORIGINALLY MOVED IN.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO STRESS, I'M TALKING ABOUT A TYPICAL MARKET RATE APARTMENT.
UM, IT'S WELL MAINTAINED, BUT IT HAS OLDER APPLIANCES, CHEAP FINISHES.
IT'S NOT A LUXURY APARTMENT AT ALL.
UM, AND YEAH, THE, BECAUSE OF THAT INCREASE, WHICH WAS PRETTY DRASTIC, WE HAD TO, WE WERE FACED WITH A, A TOUGH DECISION.
WE COULD FIND A DIFFERENT APARTMENT, BUY A HOUSE IN DALLAS, MOVE FURTHER OUTTA DALLAS OR STAY, AND REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT MADE SENSE WAS STAY AND PAY MORE BECAUSE WE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE APARTMENTS AROUND US WERE, YOU KNOW, EQUALLY, EQUALLY PRICED.
AND, UM, YEAH, SO WE ENDED UP DECIDING TO STAY AND IT'S, UH, SET US BACK ON, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR FINANCIAL GOALS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO, AND I, THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, THE CURRENT HOUSING MARKET IN DALLAS.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED SIMILAR THINGS, UM, AND AS, AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, UM, IT IS INDICATIVE OF A WIDER, UH, AFFORDABILITY ISSUE IN DALLAS.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL SPECIFICALLY CITE THE CHILD POVERTY ACTION LABS 2023 RENTAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UM, THAT IS ANTICIPATING A, A SHORTAGE OF 8,000 OR 80,000, UH, APARTMENTS FOR, UM, DALLAS'S LOWEST INCOME FAMILIES BY THE YEAR 2040.
UM, SO IF IF THINGS DON'T CHANGE REGARDS TO, IN REGARDS TO CURRENT HOUSING POLICIES, THEN UH, THAT'S THE SITUATION THAT WE'LL BE IN.
SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT FOR DALLAS WILL CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING BY ENCOURAGING HOUSING NEAR DART STATIONS AND IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS, AND ALSO ENCOURAGING DENTAL GENTLE DENSITY SUCH AS GRANNY FLATS, BACK HOUSES, AND DUPLEXES THAT FIT THE CONTEXT OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR GOING IN NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
I'M A RENTER AT 5 9 1 6 BRIDGE BROOK DRIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IS, UH, AN ISSUE THAT MY WIFE AND I STRUGGLE WITH.
UM, IT IS, UH, A FRUSTRATION FOR US, UM, CAN BE VERY ANNOYING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
UM, BUT I KNOW FOR SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS HERE IN DALLAS, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IS MORE THAN JUST A FRUSTRATION OR AN ANNOYANCE.
UM, I CAME HERE ON THE DART TONIGHT AND PASSED BY SEVERAL OF OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS WHO ARE LIVING IN THE STREET JUST TO STONES THROW AWAY FROM CITY HALL.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF FOR DALLAS, UM,
[01:15:01]
ON THEIR BEHALF TONIGHT.SO I LIVE AT 32 50 NORTH HALL STREET, UH, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 0 4.
AND I'M HERE TO, UH, SUPPORT FOR DALLAS.
I MOVED HERE FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL.
UH, AND I'LL PROBABLY BE HERE FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, MAYBE, MAYBE SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT, WE'LL SEE.
UM, BUT ALREADY, YOU KNOW, DALLAS HAS MADE A PRETTY BIG IMPACT ON ME.
I LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT I MET HERE, AND I LIKE ENOUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I MIGHT, YOU KNOW, WANNA STAY HERE, BUT, UH, HOUSING UNAFFORDABILITY MAKES THAT KIND OF LIKE A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION.
SO ONE OF THE PITCHES THAT I WAS, UH, GIVEN WHEN I, WHEN I MOVED HERE WAS THAT IT WAS AFFORDABLE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ALREADY, UH, I PROBABLY SPEND, YOU KNOW, HALF MY STIPEND, PROBABLY MORE ON RENT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT, AT HOUSING PRICES, UH, YOU KNOW, BUYING JUST SEEMS LIKE KIND OF A PIPE DREAM.
UM, AND I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS.
I HEAR THE SAME THINGS FROM MY CLASSMATES WHO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM COMMUTE FROM, YOU KNOW, DENTON TO, TO GO TO, TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO GO TO WORK, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT LIKE A, THAT'S, IT'S NOT A PLEASANT COMMUTE.
UM, BUT HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU FIX THAT, I GUESS IS, IS THE QUESTION.
AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS TO, TO BUILD MORE HOUSING.
IN FACT, THAT'S THE ONLY SOLUTION.
I DON'T STUDY ECONOMICS, I STUDY BIOLOGY, BUT I REMEMBER SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, SO FOR DALLAS IS, IS JUST GUIDELINES.
UM, THAT MUCH IS TRUE, BUT GUIDELINES SORT OF SIGNAL INTENT.
AND I THINK THAT IF DALLAS INTENDS TO GROW AND WELCOME PEOPLE, THEN FORD DALLAS IS A GOOD STEP FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THIS EPC.
MY NAME IS VINNY AND I'M HERE IN FULL SUPPORT OF FOUR DALLAS.
IN ITS CURRENT FORM, HOUSING IS AN EVER INCREASING COST AND INCREASINGLY UNAFFORDABLE FOR THIS CITY'S RESIDENTS.
THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO ALLOW GENTLE DENSITY THROUGH BUILDING MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.
IT ALLOWS MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE IN DALLAS, TO STAY IN DALLAS.
AND WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH THE CITY IS LOSING JOBS AND CITIZENS TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
DO WE NOT WANNA PROTECT THE CULTURE OF THE CITY? THE CHARACTER WE LOVE SO MUCH IS IN OUR PEOPLE AND WE'RE LOSING THEM.
WE COULD OFFER SO MUCH MORE HERE AND A MORE ATTRACTIVE LIFESTYLE BY BUILDING GENTLE DENSITY.
IT WOULD CEMENT THE CITY'S PLACE AS THE LINCHPIN OF THE METRO AREA.
STUDY AFTER STUDY SHOWS THAT THE STATUS QUO OF CITY PLANNING ISN'T SUSTAINABLE.
GENERATIONS OF ALL AGES CANNOT AFFORD TO GROW.
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES DETACHED.
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AREN'T THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE.
WE NEED MORE CHOICES IN HOUSING.
GENTLE DENSITY OF HELPS AFFORDABILITY, FORCING MOST OF DALLAS TO LIVE IN DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY ZONING IS THE TRUE UNSUSTAINABLE AND UNSU AND, UH, UNSUSTAINABLE CULPRIT HERE.
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IT, LIKE DESTRUCTIVE HIGHWAYS, PEDESTRIAN UNFRIENDLY ROADS FORCES US TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE.
AND NEITHER ARE THEY THE ONLY WAY TO GET AROUND.
HAS ANYONE NOTICED THE COST OF A CAR NOWADAYS? IT'S ALSO AN AFFORDABLE FOR MANY.
AND NEITHER CAN THE CITY AFFORD TO MAINTAIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEM.
IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES BEING UNAFFORDABLE, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MUCH CITY OF THE CITY'S BUDGET GOES TOWARDS MAINTAINING ROADS THAT IS ULTIMATELY ON THE CITIZEN'S SHOULDERS.
BUILDING DENSITY IS A, IS AFFORDABLE.
IT REQUIRES LESS INFRASTRUCTURE AND CREATES WALKABILITY.
WE NEED A MIX OF HOUSING THAT PROVIDES OPTIONS FOR THOSE LIVING IN ALL PLACE TYPES.
IDEAS LIKE ADUS AND MULTIPLEXES ARE ONE STEP IN ATTAINING AFFORDABLE LIVING.
FREEDOM OF CHOICE ARE THE BACKBONE OR OF OUR VALUES.
FORCING ALL OF DALLAS TO LIVE IN THE SAME UNSUSTAINABLE WAYS, NOT FREEDOM.
IF DALLAS HAS A PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR DALLAS, WILL HELP ACHIEVE IT.
[01:20:03]
GOOD EVENING.I'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
I'VE REVIEWED THE NEW MAP, I'VE READ THE DOCUMENT AND IT'S VAGUE IMPLEMENTATION CHAPTER.
AND VERY SADLY, I FEEL VERY, UH, BAD FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE BEHIND ME BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TERRIBLY MISGUIDED.
STAFF ADMITS THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT AFFORDABILITY OR AFFORDABLE HOMES.
YOU HEARD EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAY AFFORDABLE.
IT DOESN'T PROMOTE PROTECTING HOMEOWNERS THREATENED BY RISING LAND EVALUATIONS AND TAXES.
IT DOESN'T PROPOSE ANY OF THE PROGRAMS INITIATED IN OTHER CITIES TO KEEP RESIDENTS IN THEIR HOMES OR TO PROMOTE AFFORDABILITY.
IT DOESN'T MAXIMIZE AREAS AROUND DART STATIONS TO BUILD THOSE NEW WALKABLE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS OR EVEN VIBRANT HIGH DENSITY UNITS IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE MIXED OR FLEX USE, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED NEW HOUSING.
THOSE OF NOW IN THE NEW MAP BEEN CHANGED TO INDUSTRIAL PARKS.
WHY SOME ARE ADJACENT TO EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT STILL PROMOTES WAREHOUSES ALONG MAJOR CORRIDORS.
INSTEAD OF THE HOUSING YOU CLAIMED YOU WOULD PRIORITIZE.
WHY IS FORWARD DALLAS PROMOTING AND PROTECTING WAREHOUSES INSTEAD OF PLANNING FOR MORE NEIGHBORHOODS? IT STILL, IT STILL IGNORES THE POTENTIAL FOR NEW HOUSING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT ARE NOW WAREHOUSES.
TIRED RETAIL AREAS, DART STATIONS AND MAJOR CORRIDORS.
IT'S PLACED MOST OF ITS EMPHASIS ON INFILL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPER INVESTORS WHO ARE PROBABLY FUNDING THE PLAN, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE AUSTIN, THOSE AUSTIN BILLIONAIRES.
IN RECENT MEETINGS, YOU HAVE CLAIMED YOU WOULD CHANGE THE FOCUS FROM INFILL TO PLACING DENSITY ALONG MAJOR CORRIDORS.
BUT THE DOCUMENT IN THE NEW MAP UPDATE DON'T SHOW THAT.
IT STILL SHOWS THE INFILL MULTIFAMILY UNITS PROMOTED IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
YES, PROVIDE MORE HOUSING, BUILD IT, BUILD THAT GENTLE DENSITY IN THE 3,500 EMPTY ACRES.
AND IN THOSE TOD AREAS, BUILD D ADUS AS ALLOWED.
NOW REDEVELOP TIRED RETAIL AREAS IN THE DILAPIDATED WAREHOUSE AREAS.
IMPLEMENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CHAPTER.
NOW WHY WAIT FOR THAT? BUT SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IS A VIABLE, DESIRABLE HOUSING CHOICE.
YOU HAVE CLAIMED THAT THIS IS ABOUT HOUSING CHOICES.
IT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED, NOT DESTROYED.
GIVE US SINGLE FAMILY PLAY TYPE WITHOUT MULTIFAMILY.
KEEP YOUR INFILL OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'M NORMA MENNA, 62 19 PROSPECT AVENUE.
UH, MY FAMILY'S BEEN IN DALLAS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS NOW.
AND I CAN SEE, LOOK AT THIS PLAN.
IT IS A TOTAL REDEVELOPMENT PLAN OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY.
THE MINUTE THIS PASSES, ENTIRE BLOCKS OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE BOUGHT UP BY DEVELOPERS BECAUSE THEY CAN BUILD TWO OR MORE UNITS ON ONE BLOCK.
AND THESE PEOPLE HERE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD THIS.
THEY WILL BE BIG, THEY WILL COVER THE WHOLE LOT, AND IT'S JUST NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS AND, AND, UH, READJUST THE PLANS.
UM, I ALREADY PUT MY THING IN THERE.
I OWN A HOME IN LOCKWOOD, A SMALL TWO TWO.
UM, THOUGH MY FAMILY WAS ABLE TO BUY IN 2019, I LIVED THERE WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER AND, UH, WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO GET IN BEFORE THERE WAS A HUGE, UH, SPIKE IN COVID.
AND WHILE ON ONE HAND THAT FEELS GREAT, AS OUR HOUSING VALUE WENT UP A LOT, WE'RE NOW FEEL AS IF WE'RE ABSOLUTELY LOCKED INTO WHERE WE ARE.
WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO BUY OUR HOUSE CURRENTLY, MUCH LESS LOOKED TO EXPAND OUR FAMILY.
[01:25:01]
SOMEWHERE WHERE I CAN HAVE LIKE A OFFICE AS I WORK REMOTELY IN THE HOUSE, HAVE SOMEWHERE WHERE MY WIFE'S, UH, GRAND OR PARENTS, UH, MY DAUGHTER'S GRANDPARENTS CAN COME STAY AND VISIT US TO ADD AN EXTRA ROOM TO OUR HOUSE, ESSENTIALLY.UM, IT'S A THREE, TWO IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO CONSIDER MOVING UP TO.
AND THIS IS WHAT THE DILEMMA THAT MYSELF AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE MY AGE HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN.
WHEREAS EVEN IF YOU DID GET IN, UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE A LOT OF STUFF SPIKED UP.
WELL WHAT IS, WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS NOW? THE OPTIONS ARE YOU ADD ON TO YOUR HOUSE, THEREBY TAKING A SMALLER, MORE AFFORDABLE HOME, ESSENTIALLY OFF THE MARKET BY ADDING ANOTHER ROOM TO IT.
OR YOU MOVE TO THE SUBURBS, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, LOSING, UM, TAX BASE AND HAVING FAMILIES GO OUT MORE TO THE SUBURBS.
SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS WITH FAMILIES HAVE DONE THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO CAST MY FULL, UM, SUPPORT OF FORWARD DALLAS.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT IT ADDRESSES SO MANY OF THESE ISSUES.
AND JUST BRIEFLY TOUCHING ON THE AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP.
I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WORD TO USE FOR IT, BUT LIKE IT'S BEEN, THESE POLICIES HAVE BEEN, PARTS OF THESE POLICIES HAVE BEEN ENACTED ELSEWHERE AND THEY HAVE LITERALLY SHOWN TO MAKE HOUSES MORE AFFORDABLE.
THIS ISN'T PURELY THEORETICAL, THIS IS PRACTICAL THAT THESE HAVE BEEN ENACTED IN MINNEAPOLIS, IN AUSTIN, HOUSTON HAS HAD A LOT OF THESE.
UM, I KNOW THIS ISN'T ZONING, BUT IT'S HAD A LOT OF THIS GUIDANCE IN TERMS OF MISSING MIDDLE.
UM, AND THEIR HOUSING IS MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE THAN OUR HOUSING YET.
SO THIS IS AREAS IN OUR STATE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND ELSEWHERE THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, UH, A LOT OF THIS ADVICE.
AND IT HAS MADE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE BY STABILIZING THE HOUSING MARKET.
UH, EVEN IF IT'S NOT DIRECTLY, YOU KNOW, DECREASING IT, IT IS STABILIZING IT.
WHEREAS WHERE INCOME CONTINUES TO INCREASE, SO EVENTUALLY PEOPLE BE, WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOUSES EVEN IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY.
AND THAT IS WHY I LOVE THIS PLAN.
'CAUSE IT IS A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, A QUICK FIX.
THIS IS LOOKING AT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
AND I WAS THINKING HOW EVERY SINGLE I'VE GROWN UP IN DALLAS MY WHOLE LIFE.
EVERY INARI DALLAS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS MOVED IN.
THEIR PARENTS MOVED INTO THE CITY.
AND I WAS THINKING AS I WAS COMING HERE, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE STOPPING FROM MOVING INTO THIS CITY? WHO ARE THE FAMILIES THAT WE'RE, UH, CAUSING TO MOVE OUT TO THE SUBURBS BY THIS AFFORDABILITY CRISIS? AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK FOR DALLAS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL GREATLY HELP WITH THAT.
IT IS, UH, 7:55 PM UH, BRUCE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THE, THE LADY HAS REQUESTED, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE, THE LADY RA.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THIS LADY AND THEN WE'LL COME TO YOU, SIR.
WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL TIME HER AND THEN STOP TIMING THE TRANSLATION.
UM, MY NAME IS JO, UH, JOSEFINA.
I WENT TO A MEETING YESTERDAY, UM, AND MY DAUGHTER FOUND OUT ABOUT IT FOR ME.
AND I'M COMING HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, I WOULD REALLY LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD SEND OUT NOTIFICATION BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE ONLY, THE AREA THAT I LIVE IN IS LARGELY, UM, HISPANIC.
AND I WAS ONE OF THE ONLY HISPANIC THAT ATTENDED.
IT'S JUST ONE COMMENT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME JUST TO HAVE AN INVITATION.
UM, HISPANICS, UM, THERE ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, ALSO AMERICANS, UM, AND WE SHOULD TRY TO BE UNITED.
SO THIS IS JUST A COMMENT THAT SHE WANTED TO MAKE.
AND I LIVE HERE IN DALLAS AND I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO BE A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE BEAUTIFUL, A LITTLE BIT
[01:30:01]
CLEANER.UM, OH, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE MORE COMMUNICATION AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SHE'D LIKE SPANISH TRANSLATION.
YES, SIR, WE'RE READY FOR YOU.
UM, I'VE BEEN LABELED A NIMBY WHO KNEW.
UM, WE HAVE 300 APARTMENTS AND ABOUT 203 OF WHAT YOU WOULD CALL MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING UNITS WITHIN THE BOUNDARY OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
MY FINGERPRINTS ARE ON PROBABLY TWO THIRDS OF THOSE BEING ZONING AGREEMENTS THAT WE BROUGHT TO THIS BODY.
AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY UNDER THE, UH, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED THEORY, UM, THOSE QUADRAPLEXES ARE GOING FOR ABOUT 500 GRAND RIGHT NOW.
DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, WE HAD THREE MORE ACRES PLUS OF MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'M SO SORRY THAT MY FRIEND TIP ISN'T HERE BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO, UH, NEEDLE HIM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS VOTE TO CONVERT THAT TO, UH, RETAIL USE THAT WE NEED, LIKE A HOLE IN THE HEAD ON LEWIS GREENVILLE.
SO MY CONCERN IS THERE ARE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE WHO HAVE DONE THEIR PART AND DONE MORE THAN THEIR PART.
AND CURRENTLY MY SINGLE FAMILY STREET SITS IN MIXED USE, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT HANDLED.
I FEEL LIKE THAT'S JUST AN OVERSIGHT AND I THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.
BUT MY CONCERN IS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FACILE IN LAND USE AND PLANNING AND WHO ARE NOT INSIDERS LIKE ME, I'VE, I'VE SERVED, I'VE DONE MY EIGHT YEARS AS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN CAN'T, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO, I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOUNG NEW FRIENDS PARTICIPATING IN A ZONING PROCESS.
UM, BUT THE, THE COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE TONIGHT, I'LL WRITE MORE, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO CH EXCUSE ME, TO CHALLENGE US ALL TO THINK ABOUT, I FEAR WE HAVE A LOT OF EGGS IN THE INFILL BASKET, AND I FEAR THAT WE DON'T HAVE A BIG, BOLD IDEA.
AND I'M KIND OF YEARNING FOR A BIG, BOLD IDEA.
AND I WISH I HAD PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THIS.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, I GET ASKED TO DO SOME THINGS.
I DON'T GET ASKED TO DO OTHER THINGS.
BUT, UH, THE POINT BEING, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT WE NEED TO DEVELOP SOME UNDEVELOPED DIRT.
IT SEEMS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT WE NEED TO REPURPOSE SOME LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
THAT, THAT, UM, THANK YOU, MR. UM, MY APOLOGIES.
I HAD SO MANY GOOD IDEAS TO GO.
UM, FOR THE TIME THAT I'VE LIVED IN DALLAS, I HAVE LIVED IN DISTRICT 14 AND THEN LIKE MANY OF THE DISTRICT 14 PEOPLE, I MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
[01:35:01]
UM, THOSE DISTRICT 14 REPRESENTATIVES THAT ARE HERE TODAY.BUT ONE THING I DO AGREE WITH THEM IS THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP.
UH, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE RIGHT THAT WE NEED TO KEEP.
AND I THINK THAT THING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IS THE CURRENT ITERATION OF FORWARD DOUBTS.
WHAT I DISAGREE ON IS THAT THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT, OH, WE NEED TO PRESERVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS AREN'T ACTING AS NEIGHBORS.
THEY'RE NOT ACTING NEIGHBORLY.
AND I THINK THEY'RE MISREPRESENTING INTENTIONALLY.
THE SPECIFICS, UH, BOTH THE FINANCIAL SPECIFICS AND THE CULTURAL SPECIFICS OF WHAT AN INJECTION OF MIDDLE, MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING CAN DO FOR THIS CITY, FOR DALLAS, IS A LAND USE PLAN, NOT A ZONING DOCTRINE.
MAINTAINING FORWARD DALLAS IN ITS CURRENT ITERATION, RUNNING WITH FORWARD DALLAS AS IS LEADS WITH THE IDEA OF FORWARD LOOKING AT WHAT DALLAS CAN BE AND EMBRACING WHAT IT IS, DOING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, MAKING SURE THAT EVERY CURRENT AND FUTURE DALLAS RESIDENT HAS A PLACE TO LIVE, HAS A PLACE TO EXIST AND HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME.
COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? OH, MY NAME IS AMIT BANERJEE, 28 20 MCKINNON STREET.
MY NAME IS ROCK BARRERA AND I RESIDE AT 40 24 BOCA BAY DRIVE.
I'M A FOURTH GENERATION DALLAS SITE AND I DID TAKE THE DART TO BE HERE TODAY.
I AM HERE TO, TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR FORWARD DALLAS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE ADUS MIDDLE HOUSING IN MORE DENSITY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MORE PEOPLE TO MY AREA TO CONNECT WITH AND FIND COMMUNITY WITH.
MY NAME IS TED PALLE, 7 4 0 7 FAR OAKS, DALLAS, TEXAS.
AND I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO JUST GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FORD DALLAS GROUP FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY ON A MASTERFUL AND HUGE PROJECT THAT THIS FORD DALLAS IS, UH, I REPRESENT PROPERTY OWNERS IN VICKERY, WHICH IS AN AREA IN NORTHEAST DALLAS IN THE MIDTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THE FORWARD DALLAS GOING ON TWO YEARS, UH, IN GROUP MEETINGS AND IN PERSONAL MEETINGS TO GO OVER THE MAPS.
VERY, VERY MINUTELY SPECIFICALLY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT ANDREA AND PATRICK, WHO HAVE WORKED WITH US MOST CLOSELY, HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.
AND THIS IS A BIG, BIG UNDERTAKING THAT THEY HAVE, UH, FOR THE CPC THAT'S OVER HERE, ENLISTING.
UH, THE, THE GROUP THAT I REPRESENT, WHICH IS PROBABLY 80% OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A, AN AUTHORIZED HEARING ZONE THAT WAS PURPORTEDLY PUT TOGETHER BY US, WHICH WE DID NOT DO.
UM, I'VE PETITIONED WITH 80% OF THE OWNERSHIP IN THAT ZONE NOT TO ALLOW FOR THE AUTHORIZED HEARING TO BE CONTINUED.
IN FACT, WE'VE ADVOCATED IT AND HAVE SUPPORT FOR YOU GUYS TO TERMINATE IT.
WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH FORWARD DALLAS.
WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A MASTERFUL ECONOMIC AND FISCAL FORECAST AND PLAN FOR OUR AREA, AND HAVE WORKED WITH THE CITY OF THE DALLAS, HAND IN HAND IN THEIR TRANSPORTATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENTS, AND ARE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN DESIGN ELEMENTS OF THE FUTURE OF THIS MIDTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN OUR RENEWAL, WE'RE YEAR ONE IN, AND WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF OURSELVES, THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN OUR DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF DALLAS WORKING WITH US.
WHAT WE DO FEEL THAT WE NEED IS FREEDOM IN THE AREA OF ZONING FORWARD.
DALLAS IS NOT A ZONING OVERLAY, IT IS A LAND USE PLAN, AND WE HOPE THAT WE MAINTAIN IT AS THAT.
AND YOU GUYS WILL TAKE UP YOUR PENS AND PENCILS AND LISTEN TO THE SURVEY STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR DISTRICT TO TERMINATE THIS
[01:40:02]
CLOUD TO OUR TITLE CALLED A AUTHORIZED HEARING, SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN OUR PURSUIT OF THE SAME DREAMS THAT FORWARD DALLAS HAS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.UH, FIRST, UH, MY NAME'S DAVID SHIN.
I LIVE AT 61 57 RICHMOND AVENUE.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU FOLKS HAVE PUT IN.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, THE BRUTAL TIME THAT THEY'VE PUT IN, BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE GROUP THAT WE HAVE BEHIND US THIS EVENING.
ALL THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE FOUND THE TIME OR HAVE MADE THE TIME TO BECOME INVOLVED AND TO BECOME EDUCATED.
UM, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT FORWARD DALLAS.
UM, I FIND IT NOT TO BE A PERFECT DOCUMENT, BUT I DO FIND IT TO BE UNNECESSARY DOCUMENTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN STRIKING TO ME THIS EVENING, SITTING HERE WATCHING ALL THE SPEAKERS, IS THE GENERATIONAL DIVIDE BETWEEN THE SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE A YOUNG, WE HAVE A GROUP OF OLDER ESTABLISHED SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE SIMPLY LOOKING TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES.
AND WE HAVE A GROUP OF YOUNGER FOLKS WHO ARE SIMPLY LOOKING FOR HOPE AND A WAY TO LIVE IN OUR CITY.
I ASK YOU ALL WHAT'S FORWARD DALLAS, ABOUT, ARE WE LOOKING TOWARDS THE PAST OR ARE WE LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE? PLEASE THINK ABOUT THAT.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS LAKEWOOD HEIGHTS.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS 1100 HOMES.
NOW, FULL DISCLOSURE, I LIVE IN A DUPLEX IN AN R SEVEN FIVE ZONED AREA.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BUILT AS A MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND TODAY IT'S AMAZING TO THINK THAT THAT MIXED USE OF DUPLEX, TRIPLEX, QUADS, 8, 9, 10 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDINGS, WE ALL LIVE HARMONIOUSLY HEALTHY, A THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT HASN'T BEEN DESTROYED, IT HASN'T DIED.
IT'S A MIXED USE NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY BIGGEST FEAR, OH, OH, ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO BACK FOR A SECOND, A GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE EARLIER WHO WAS FROM VICTORY PLACE, AND I DON'T KNOW HIS NAME, I WISH I HAD SPOKEN BEHIND HIM BECAUSE I, IF I HAD, I SIMPLY WOULD'VE SAID WHAT HE SAID BECAUSE I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT HE SAID WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT HOW YOU CAN LIVE WITH MULTI SIZED STRUCTURES, DENSITY.
DIVERSITY I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, WHEN WE, WHEN I LOOK AT THESE, THESE YOUNG FOLKS, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE, TO SAY THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SCREW 'EM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BUY A HOUSE IN OUR CITY.
I FIND THAT TO BE FRIGHTENING, QUITE HONESTLY.
IT SCARES ME WHEN I HEAR THAT SET BEING SAID.
UM, MY BIGGEST FEAR IN ALL OF THIS IS THAT CPC OR COUNCIL IS SIMPLY GONNA GUT THIS THIS DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT AND MAKE IT INEFFECTIVE.
THAT'S MY BIGGEST FEAR BECAUSE IT'S TOO IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS BEFORE DALLAS TO MOVE FORWARD AND BE IMPLEMENTED.
I UNDERSTAND POLITICS, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S, BUT I, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A TIME FOR TOP POLITICS AND THERE'S A TIME FOR GOOD POLICY PASS FORWARD.
MY NAME IS CYNTHIA SALINA DOOLEY.
I LIVE AT 7 26 SOUTH CLINTON AVENUE IN DISTRICT ONE IN OAK CLIFF.
AND I WAS AT THE SAME MEETING THAT, UH, MRS.
AND I ALSO, UM, SHE'S VERY KIND AND VERY POLITE.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FRANK.
UH, FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THERE WAS NO OFFER OF TRANSLATION AS THERE HAD BEEN AT THE, UH, UH, DISTRICT ONE TOWN HALL AT MARTIN WEISS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ALWAYS AN OFFER OF TRANSLATION AT CITY MEETINGS.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF PUZZLING THAT, UH, THERE WAS NOT AT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING.
AND THEN I LOOKED AROUND AND I SAID, WELL, THERE ARE NO LATINOS HERE.
I MEAN, I'M A LATINA AND MS. ESME AND HER DAUGHTER, BUT AS FAR AS I COULD SEE, WE WERE THE ONLY ONES, UH, THAT WERE THERE.
[01:45:01]
SO THERE'S, I SEE THAT AS, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT.IT'S THE CHALLENGE OF FORWARD DALLAS AND THE CITY OF DALLAS IS TO BRING ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER WHEN WE'RE ON THIS SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT AS FORWARD DALLAS TO LEAVE OUT A HUGE CHUNK.
AND I, YES, I KNOW THAT THE PLAN HAS BEEN TRANSLATED, BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT FORWARD DALLAS IS, TO ME, THAT THAT IS A, A CHALLENGE TO YOU ALL AND TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND, UM, THE, I'M AS A RESIDENT OF OAK CLIFF, MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY BLOCK, UH, IS I WANNA OVER 90% LATINO AND MANY OF WHOM DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.
AND WE JUST NOW CREATED A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, CATO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO EDUCATE AND GET THE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
I'M SORRY THAT WE WAITED UNTIL 2024 TO DO THIS.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPENED, BUT WE'VE SEEN TOO MUCH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, JOHN REAGAN ELEMENTARY BEING DISMANTLED BECAUSE THE FAMILIES WERE PUSHED OUT.
THAT'S WHERE ALL THAT'S THE CENTER OF ALL THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
WE'VE SEEN SHABBY NEW STRUCTURES THAT WITH FIRST HUGE WIND, SOME OF THE SIDING GETS BLOWN OFF ON NINTH STREET.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN, WE'VE SEEN, UH, AND WE JUST DO NOT WANT TO SEE, UH, WE WANT TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS PROTECTED, OUR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS PROTECTED.
AND LIKE THAT LADY SAID, BUILD HOUSES.
DO EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE HOME.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, MA'AM.
BUILDING IN PLACES WHERE THERE'S LAND.
NOT IN SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBOR.
COMMISSIONERS, I AM SHANITA CLEVELAND.
I'M A RESIDENT PROUD RESIDENT OF QUEEN CITY, 26 41 BURGER AVENUE.
I THINK THAT I FOUND THE HEART OF DALLAS QUEEN CITY.
IT'S THE LONGEST BLACK OPERATING COMMUNITY IN SOUTH DALLAS.
SO, SO VERY PROUD, PROUD TO BE THERE.
SO WHAT I'VE HEARD IS STOP FOR DALLAS.
COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS A ONE IN A DECADE LONG CHANCE FOR US TO CHANGE THE RACIST PO POLICIES, ZONING POLICIES.
I BELIEVE THERE'S A PART OF THE PLAN THAT THERE'S MAYBE A CONSENSUS.
I'M SAYING IF THERE'S A CONSENSUS AND YOU'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T STOPPED, BECAUSE IT'S VAGUE, I'VE NOTICED THAT IT'S VAGUE.
PEOPLE DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT FOR DALLAS IS OR WHAT'S THE PROBABILITY OF THEIR RECOMMENDATION BECOMING LAW.
HOW, HOW, HOW MUCH DO YOU LISTEN TO THEM, UM, OVER THE PEOPLE? BECAUSE I HEAR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES YESTERDAY IN THE PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW WHAT I SAW? PEOPLE COULDN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TRIPLEX OR A MULTIPLEX OR A DUPLEX AND A SINGLE FAMILY.
WHY? BECAUSE IT WASN'T THAT FAR FROM ONE ANOTHER.
YOU'VE ALSO HEARD PUSH IT TO THE OUTSIDE BECAUSE WE HAVE A COMMUNITY OF CHILDREN AND ANIMALS AND PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO RUN AND WALK IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT BE SMOGGED OUT BY INDUSTRY.
OR YOU DON'T WANNA LOOK LIKE HOUSTON WHERE YOU HAVE A WAREHOUSE, YOU HAVE NINE UNITS, THEN YOU HAVE THREE LITTLE HOUSES, AND THEN YOU HAVE A HUGE TAJ MAHAL.
I KNOW YOU GOTTA BUILD IN URBAN AREAS.
WE KNOW YOU GOTTA EXPAND FOR 300,000.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY THERE? WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT THEIR HOMES?
[01:50:01]
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE OTHER SINGLE FAMILY HOMES COME UP, PEOPLE THAT CAN AFFORD A PLACE TO LIVE.MY LANDLORD WENT FROM 9, 9 5 TO 1425.
I WAS LIKE, MAN, IS THAT LEGAL IN TEXAS? MY LORD.
I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, MAN, MY TAXES ARE $3,000.
I SAYS, 'CAUSE OF ALL THE BUILDING.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO DIFFERENT? ARE YOU GONNA LISTEN OR ARE YOU GONNA CONTINUE WITH ALMOST THE FIRST PRAYING? COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR COMMISSIONERS.
ARE YOU GONNA LISTEN? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PUSH TO TALK OR SOMEBODY LEFT THEIR PHONE.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.
UM, I LIVE AT 26 47 GLADIOLAS LANE IN DALLAS.
I AM IN LEADERSHIP BOARD ON MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, I ATTENDED THE MEETING LAST NIGHT.
I STILL SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSPAPER.
I'VE LIVED IN OAK CLIFF FOR A LONG TIME.
I'VE LEARNED TO BE PROTECTIVE LIKE THESE LADIES SPOKE ABOUT BECAUSE I'VE SEEN ALL THE S**T ROLLED DOWNHILL, SORRY FOR THE CUSS WORD INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THE 40 YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED THERE.
AND I COME TO THE MEETINGS BECAUSE I DO SPEAK ENGLISH.
THEY BRING ME THEIR LETTERS AND THEIR THINGS ABOUT WHAT THE CITY IS DOING.
THEY BRING ME THEIR TAX BILLS, THEY ASK ME HOW TO PROTEST.
AND I HELPED THEM BECAUSE I DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
AND A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS DON'T.
AND I AGREE WITH WHAT THIS LADY SAID.
A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THIS.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.
I'VE BEEN TO THE END OF THE RED LINE IN PLANO AND I'VE BEEN TO THE CARROLLTON SWITCHYARDS.
THOSE ARE SOME REALLY NICE DEVELOPMENT IDEAS ALONG THE DART RAIL LINE.
THAT'S A REALLY SMART IDEA FOR DENSE DEVELOPMENT.
BUT PUTTING MULTI-FAMILY HOMES AND APARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT OWNED BY THESE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA OF DENSE DEVELOPMENT.
WHO'S GONNA MITIGATE RUNOFF WATER RUNOFF? WHO'S GONNA MITIGATE THE EFFECTS TO PEOPLE'S EXISTING FOUNDATIONS? I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH NO SIDEWALKS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE DENSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA WALK.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CAUSAL EFFECTS THAT I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY ADDRESSING.
I HEAR, OH, WE'RE GONNA GET DENSE DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S GONNA LOWER THE COST OF LIVING.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'LL LOWER THE COST OF LIVING FOR ANYBODY.
SO SOMEBODY WILL GET RICH FROM IT.
BUT IT WON'T BE THESE PEOPLE LIVING IN NINE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, NINE, NINE UNIT APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
IT'S NOT GONNA HELP THEM TO AFFORD A HOUSE IN DALLAS.
AND TO THE YOUNG MAN WHO LIVES IN WHEREVER.
DALLAS, I FORGET WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD HE SAID HE LIVED IN.
I'M 30 YEARS OLDER THAN HE IS, AND I'M AS STUCK IN MY HOME AS HE IS.
I'M STUCK TOO BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY AND BECAUSE OF INTEREST RATES.
I COULDN'T LEAVE TODAY IF I WANTED TO.
ANYONE ELSE WANNA BE HEARD? ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? PARDON ME?
OH, DID WE HAVE OUR ONLINE SPEAKERS? PARDON ME? NO.
IS UH, MS. BALLARD ONLINE? NOT ONLINE.
HOW ABOUT, UH, MS. CLEVELAND? SHE WAS HERE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR REGISTERING.
HOW ABOUT, UH, BRANDON BAYES? NO.
[01:55:03]
DID HE SPEAK BEFORE? HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN HERE.PLEASE MAKE SURE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERA SO WE CAN SEE YOU.
HEAR WHAT SHE SAID? SHE DID NOT.
CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR CAMERA? I DON'T THINK SHE WANTS TO SPEAK.
IS UH, MR. WILSON ONLINE? HE IS ON MR. WILSON.
UH, FORTUNATELY I DO A LITTLE TRAVELING, SO I'M IN MY CAR.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? MR. PARDON ME? MR. WILSON, WE, YOU, YOU MUST HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON, SIR.
STATE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW US TO HEAR FROM YOU UNLESS WE CAN SEE YOU.
I'M, CAN YOU SEE ME NOW? YES, SIR.
I'M IN 79 42 JUIN DRIVE, DALLAS, TEXAS.
UH, I JUST WANT TO ECHO, UH, THE SENTIMENT OF EBY EARLIER SPEAKER, THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, PROVIDING TEETH AND STRUCTURE TO THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO CAUTION, UH, COMMISSIONER AS A FORMER PLAN COMMISSIONER WHO HELPED TO ADOPT THE ORIGINAL $4 PLAN, THAT WE DON'T DO THINGS A DOLLAR WAY, WHICH I MEAN BY THAT, THAT CAN CREATE SHINY NEW THINGS, DEFEND THEM, BUT NOT PUT TOGETHER THE STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THEM ONCE THEY'RE ENACTED.
AS YOU CAN LOOK AT OUR TOD DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THAT, UH, ZONED AND, AND LAND USE IS NOT BEING USED TO THE FULL EXTENT, AND AS WELL AS WE'RE USING OUR INDUSTRIAL NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL AND NOT CONSIDERING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHICH LEADS ME TO, UH, WHAT WILL COME TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE, UH, CRITICAL ISSUE THAT AFFECTS THE VERY HEART OF OUR CITY.
THE PROPOSAL, THE PROPOSAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES.
AS STEWARDS OF OUR CITY'S FUTURE, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH A DECISION AND STRIVE FOR A PATH THAT ALIGNS WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR VISION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
LET'S START BY ADDRESSING THE PROPOSAL FOR FLEX COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WHILE PROPONENTS ARGUE THAT THIS ALLOWS FOR WAREHOUSING AND OTHER LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THIS APPROACH COMES WITH A SIGNIFICANT COST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SELECT COMMERCIAL MAY SEEM LIKE A COMPROMISE, BUT IT STILL OPENS THE DOOR TO ENVIRONMENTAL RUIN, INCREASED POLLUTION AND HEALTH RISK FOR OUR RESIDENTS IF THIS TRULY THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO TAKE.
FURTHERMORE, THIS PROPO PROPOSAL DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS THE VISION WE'VE COLLECTIVELY CRAFTED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ENVISION NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE VIBRANT, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE.
WE ENVISION SPACES WHERE FAMILIES CAN THRIVE, BUSINESSES CAN PROSPER, AND GREEN AREAS ARE CHERISHED.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SIMPLY DOES NOT FIT INTO THAT VISION.
IT DISRUPTS THE HARMONY THAT WE WORK SO HARD TO ACHIEVE AND UNDERMINES THE VALUES THAT WE HOLD SO TRUE.
BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY FOR POSITIVE ADVOCATE FOR A SHIFT FROM FLEX COMMERCIAL ZONING COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY MIXED USE ALONG SOUTH CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY COMMUNITY, MIXED USE ZONING, A DIVERSE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, RECREATIONAL, FOSTERING A VIBRANT AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY.
IMAGINE ALONG, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL, UH, EXPRESSWAY, HUSTLING LOCAL BUSINESSES, GREEN SPACES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS.
THIS IS THE FUTURE WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR THE FUTURE THAT PRIORITIZE WELLBEING FOR OUR RESIDENTS, FOSTERING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOR GENERATIONS TO COME BY ADVOCATING FOR COMMUNITY MIXED YOUTH ZONING, WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING NO TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE SAYING YES TO THE VISION OF DALLAS THAT REFLECTS OUR VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS.
IT'S A VISION OF EQUALITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL.
AND IN CLOSING, I URGE COMMISSION TO STAND WITH COMMUNITY, NO INDUSTRIAL
[02:00:01]
DEVELOPMENT IN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.PROTECTS OUR PRESIDENT AND ENSURE THANK YOU, MR. WILSON.
IS, UH, GER MURTHY ONLINE? NOT ONLINE.
UH, HOW ABOUT MS. HUA? SHE, SHE SPOKE, UH, QUIN.
PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CAMERA'S ON AND WORKING.
MY NAME IS LAURA QUINTERO, THREE 30 LINGWOOD.
SO I'M ON THE BOARD OF RISK AND I SUPER FORWARD DALLAS.
THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AS IT CREATES A WAY TO RACIAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
FOR DECADES IN WEST DALLAS, AND JOBS HAVE BEEN HARMED BY RACIST ZONING PRACTICES ALLOWED TOXIC INDUSTRIES NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
THIS PLAN IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS OF WEST DALLAS AND IN JPE TO RECEIVE RACIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE TO SEE DALLAS ACTS SORE TOWARDS STOPPING THIS PLAN.
THIS PLAN WILL NOT HARM THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS CLEAN.
THESE NAMES ARE NOT ADJACENT TO TOXIC POLLUTERS LIKE GAFF AND KO DALLAS PUSHED TOWARDS A MORE RACIALLY AND ENVIRON POLICIES AND PLACES.
IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN PLACE A RACIAL ECHO THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE, UH, COUPLE YEARS AGO.
GIVE WEST DALLAS AND JOB BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BREATHE CLEANER AIR AND TO LIVE HEALTHIER LIFE IN THE CITY OF.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE CHAMPION.
I LIVE AT 1842 MCBROOM STREET, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 1 2.
I ALSO SERVE AS THE CHIEF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY OFFICER FOR BUILDERS OF HOPE, CDC.
WE'RE A WEST DALLAS BASED NONPROFIT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GREATER WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY.
WE ARE LEADING OUT THE WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY VISION PLAN, A COMPREHENSIVE VISION OF COMMUNITY ED PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR ALL OF WEST DALLAS.
OUR VISION INCLUDES FOUR PILLARS AND NINE DISCRETE GOALS, EXCUSE ME, MANY OF WHICH RELATE TO PLANNING AND LAND USE, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION AND PRESERVATION, HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
OUR LAND USE GOALS INCLUDE THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS, OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHOICES THAT PROMOTE GENTLE DENSITY WHILE MAINTAINING NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER AND DESIGN, AND REMOVING AND REZONING EXISTING INCOMPATIBLE INDUSTRIAL USES ADJACENT TO RESIDENCES, SCHOOLS, AND CHURCHES.
OUR VISION PLAN TASK FORCE MADE UP OF WEST DALLAS RESIDENTS HAS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN THE FORWARD DALLAS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO SAY THAT THE LATEST DRAFT AND MAPS HAVE TAKEN MUCH OF OUR FEEDBACK INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE FULLY SUPPORT THE HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GOALS AND ACCOMPANYING ACTION STEPS SET FORTH IN THIS CURRENT PLAN.
AND WHILE WE, UM, WE STILL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT INTRUSIVE AND INCOMPATIBLE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT FORWARD DOUBT THAT THE FORWARD DALLAS TEAM IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON SOLUTIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH WEST DALLAS RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS.
THIS DRAFT PLAN IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT IT IS VERY, IT IS A VERY LARGE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP GOING.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.
MS. SANDERS, I, MS. SANDERS, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, WE'RE READY FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
[02:05:01]
GO TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER.IS MS. TAFT ONLINE NOW, UH, THE LOURDES SE
AND MR. NORTHROP, HE'S ON MR. NORTHROP.
MY NAME IS MIKE NORTHROP, ADDRESS, 9 0 1 MAIN STREET ONE.
ONE OF MY AREAS OF PRACTICE IS MUNICIPAL LAW.
OVER THE YEARS, I'VE ADVISED A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES, INCLUDING THE TOWN OF MADISON, AND YES, EVEN THE CITY OF DALLAS, ALTHOUGH IT'S BEEN PROBABLY 35 YEARS SINCE I HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE I HAVE ATTENDED A NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, WHERE CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN PRESENT.
AND I HAVE WITNESSED, UH, REPRESENTATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THAT I THINK ARE A PROBLEM FOR THE PLAN.
AND IT THREATENS EVERY FUTURE ZONING CASE AS THINGS STAND NOW, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PLAN, THE STATEMENT HAS BEEN REPEATED THAT THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS NOT A ZONING CHANGE.
WHILE THAT IS TRUE ON ITS FACE, THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THAT REPRESENTATION ALONE.
AND, AND LET ME POINT, LET ME POINT YOU TO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION TWO 11.004, WHICH PROVIDES FOR ZONING CHANGES.
THE VERY FIRST ELEMENT FOR FORGETTING A ZONING CHANGE IS COMPLIANCE WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THAT'S THE PART THAT'S LEFT OUT OF THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION, IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE COMPLIANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND NOW, LET ME POINT YOU TO ONE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IN THIS REGARD, AND THAT'S A LAWSUIT THAT OCCURRED OVER A DOZEN YEARS AGO.
SOME OF YOU PROBABLY, WELL, I DOUBT ANY OF YOU WERE ON THIS PLAN COMMISSION WHEN THIS WENT THROUGH, BUT IT INVOLVED, UH, THE, A NEIGHBORHOOD AND, AND THE, THE LAWSUIT I KNOW IS E THE EAST VILLAGE LAWSUIT.
THERE WAS A NOTICE THAT WENT OUT THAT THE, THE PROPERTY WAS GONNA BE UP ZONE TO RETAIL.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE WASN'T A NOTIFICATION THAT A BIG BOX STORE MIGHT GO IN PLACE.
THAT CASE REVERSED THE ORDINANCE THAT GOT PASSED.
AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE, THE WHAT WAS IN THE NOTICE.
IT WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS NOT IN THE NOTICE.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT IS, IS WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE MESSAGE THAT CONTINUES TO GET REPEATED, THAT THIS IS NOT A ZONING DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE OTHER PART OF THAT.
UM, AND, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT SOME KIND OF CORRECTION, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS TO CORRECT IT, THEN IT THREATENS FUTURE ZONING CASES THAT GET PASSED EVERY TIME SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL, IT COMPLIED WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
COMPLIANCE WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER NOTICE UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WHICH IS WHAT THE EAST VILLAGE CASE WAS ABOUT, UM, IS NOT, IS NOT COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS LAW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS ONLINE? YES, MS. MS. SANDERS.
MS. SANDERS, GOOD EVENING, YOUR MIC.
PLEASE TOGGLE YOUR MIC ON, MA'AM.
YOU MIGHT TURN YOUR MIC ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES, SEE IF IT WORKS.
[02:10:21]
A COUPLE MORE SECONDS.DID WE LOSE HER? SHE STILL ON? OH, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU HAVE YOU TRIED THE, THE LITTLE MIC ON THE SCREEN? MAYBE CLICKING ON THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ONLINE THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM? OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT'D LIKE TO BE HEARD BEFORE WE ADJOURN? OKAY, THEN, UH, IT IS 8 38 COMMISSIONERS.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOLKS FOR STAYING WITH US.
PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES.
UH, THERE ARE SOME ADJUSTMENTS COMING.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING JUST LIKE THIS ONE SCHEDULED FOR MAY 9TH, ALSO FROM SIX TO NINE.
I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO COME BACK OUT.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF STAFF, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, MS. ROGERS, WHEREVER SHE IS.