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[Economic Development on March 3, 2025.]
COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.SECOND. THERE'S A PROPER MOTION. AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ANY DISCUSSION ? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED SIGNIFY BY SAYING NO. THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE MOTION CARRIES. WE GOT ONE BRIEFING ITEM TODAY IS THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PROGRAM OVERVIEW.
ARTURO DEL CASTILLO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT WILL BE PRESENTING TO US.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ARTURO DEL CASTILLO. I'M AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS AFTERNOON'S BRIEFING IS TO PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PROGRAM. NEXT SLIDE AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. GREAT.
FIRSTLY, IN 1971, WEIMING LU WAS HIRED AS DEPUTY PLANNING DIRECTOR TO HEAD A NEW URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM, AN APPOINTMENT LASTING JUST EIGHT YEARS. BUT IN THAT TIME HE EXPANDED THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT DURING A CRITICAL PERIOD, INSTITUTING A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM AND ENVISIONING THE BEGINNINGS OF THE ARTS DISTRICT WE KNOW TODAY.
30 YEARS LATER THE CITY DESIGN STUDIO WAS CREATED IN 2009 WITH A $2 MILLION GRANT FROM DEEDIE AND RUSTY ROSE THROUGH THE TRINITY TRUST FOUNDATION TO AGAIN INTENTIONALLY INCLUDE URBAN DESIGN THINKING AND ACTION IN THE CITY'S DAY TO DAY WORK, WITH THE STATED PURPOSE TO, NUMBER ONE ELEVATE DESIGN, CONSCIOUSNESS AND CULTURE, BALANCE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES, AND ENHANCE LIVABILITY FOR ALL DALLAS RESIDENTS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE OVERARCHING GOALS OF THE STUDIO WERE TO FIRST INTRODUCE NEW SYSTEMS, PROGRAMS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO HELP DESIGN A BETTER DALLAS.
THE STUDIO SMALL TEAM WAS EVENTUALLY FOLDED INTO THE PLANNING AND NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY DEPARTMENT, LATER BECOMING PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN AND FINALLY THIS LAST YEAR, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2012 FOLLOWING A COUNCIL ADOPTED ACTION ITEM IN THE DOWNTOWN 360 PLAN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TO HELP ADDRESS INCONSISTENCIES IN URBAN DESIGN REVIEWS HAPPENING ACROSS A FEW OF THE TIF DISTRICT BOARDS AT THAT TIME. MODELED AFTER VANCOUVER'S URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM, IT SERVES IN AN ADVISORY NON-REGULATORY CAPACITY TO TIF DISTRICT BOARDS AND CITY COUNCIL , AUGMENTING STAFF REVIEWS WHILE INTEGRATING INTO THE CITY'S EXISTING APPROVALS PROCESS.
IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY AUTHORITY REGARDING PROJECT APPROVALS OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, AND THE FIRST PROJECTS UNDERWENT REVIEW IN JANUARY 2013, MAKING THE BEGINNINGS OF A MORE STRUCTURED AND CONSISTENT APPROACH TO URBAN DESIGN OVERSIGHT IN ALL TIF DISTRICTS.
HERE YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE MOST FAMILIAR ONES AND SOME OF THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED IN THE LAST, LET'S SAY 10 TO 15 YEARS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WITHIN TIF DISTRICTS, ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED ON THE SPECIALLY CREATED TIF URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES AND ON UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED BEST PRACTICES FOR HIGH QUALITY URBAN DESIGN.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE URBAN DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS AIMS TO PROVIDE TIMELY, CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE GUIDANCE FOR KEY PROJECTS, ENSURING ALIGNMENT WITH CITY POLICIES WHILE ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF BUILDINGS AND PUBLIC SPACES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. BY SUPPORTING CREATIVE DESIGN SOLUTIONS AND FOSTERING BROADER PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS ON URBAN DESIGN, THE PROCESS HELPS SHAPE A MORE VIBRANT, WELL-PLANNED AND AESTHETICALLY APPEALING URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND NEXT SLIDE. ONE MORE PLEASE.
THANK YOU. URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW APPLIES TO PRIVATE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN TIF DISTRICTS SEEKING NEGOTIATED INCENTIVES, AS WELL AS A CITY PROJECTS AND CURRENT OR FORMER TIF DISTRICTS OR AREA PLANS AT THE DISCRETION OF CITY MANAGEMENT.
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OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS CAN ALL DESIGNATE PROJECTS FOR REVIEW WITH CITY MANAGER APPROVAL.NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE TYPICAL TIF PROJECT DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN A DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL OR INCENTIVE APPLICATION COMES IN. STAFF SCHEDULES A PRE-DESIGNED MEETING WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THEIR DESIGN TEAM.
AFTER THAT URBAN DESIGN MEETING, STAFF CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN TEAM TO ADDRESS AND SATISFY EACH OF THE PANEL'S DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS UNTIL THE PROJECT IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE TIF BOARD, THE ECO DEV COMMITTEE, AND CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE PANEL IS MADE UP OF AT LEAST NINE MEMBERS, INCLUDING A MINIMUM OF FOUR DISTINGUISHED ARCHITECTS, TWO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, ONE PLANNER AND TWO ENGINEERS, ALL WITH DEMONSTRATED EXPERTISE IN PHYSICAL PLANNING, URBAN DESIGN, AND HIGH QUALITY BUILT ENVIRONMENTS.
MEMBERS ARE SELECTED FROM A QUALIFIED POOL OF PROFESSIONALS, ASSEMBLED BY STAFF AND APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER, AND MAY SERVE UP TO FOUR TWO-YEAR TERMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, OVER THE LAST 11 YEARS, THE PROGRAM HAS EXISTED.
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE A DIVERSE, TALENTED AND DEDICATED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS TOTALING 23 MEMBERS NOW, MOST OF WHICH HAVE ELECTED TO STAY ON FOR THAT MAXIMUM TERM.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS WHAT A TYPICAL URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW MEETING LOOKS LIKE.
THESE MEETINGS ARE HELD RIGHT BEHIND TH ESE CHAMBERS.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN TEAM THEN PROVIDE A CONCISE OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT, FOCUSING ON EACH PROPOSAL'S RELATIONSHIP TO ITS SURROUNDING CONTEXT AND BUILDING FORM, SITE DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES. WHEN THE DESIGN TEAM FINISHES THEIR PRESENTATION, THE CHAIR THEN LEADS THE PANEL IN ASKING ANY CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS BEFORE FINALLY PROVIDING THEIR DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 17.
AS A FORM OF GENERAL REFERENCE, THIS IS A THREE YEAR SNAPSHOT.
OH. NEXT SLIDE. NUMBER 17 PLEASE.
OH. JUST IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING OUT THERE IN THE CYBER WORLD, WE'RE JUST HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.
ARTURO WHAT DID YOU DO? ARTURO YOU HAVE ALL THE MAGIC.
[LAUGHTER] OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO THIS SLIDE IS REALLY JUST TRYING TO SHOW A GENERAL REFERENCE WITHIN A THREE YEAR SNAPSHOT OF PROJECTS THAT CAME THROUGH THE PANEL DURING THE YEARS OF 2013 AND 2015, HIGHLIGHTING THEIR LOCATION IN THE CITY [INAUDIBLE] WHATEVER TIF DISTRICT THEY MIGHT HAVE FALLEN IN, AND THE PROJECT TYPE AND THE APPROXIMATE TOTAL DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS IMPACTED VERSUS CITY FUNDS INVESTED.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU.
THIS SLIDE SO SINCE THIS PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2013, THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PANEL HAS REVIEWED 163 PROJECTS. THIS MAP ON THE RIGHT SHOWS WHERE EACH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE NEXT FIVE SLIDES WILL SHOW A SMALL SAMPLING OF THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, INCLUDING. THIS ONE'S KIND OF TAKEN A WHILE TO GENERATE ANOTHER.
IT'S A VERY HEAVY IMAGE. IT'LL DOWNLOAD AT SOME POINT.
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OKAY. THAT'S COOL. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO THAT.THIS FIRST ONE INCLUDES PROJECTS ON BOTH SIDES OF I-30 SPANNING THE LIST OF GROUND UP CONSTRUCTION, CONVERSION, AND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THERE IS EVEN A HISTORIC BUILDING THAT WAS SAVED AND MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN THAT WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN DOWN AND REBUILT ON NEAR FARMER'S MARKET. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. OKAY.
MANY OF THESE PROJECTS RECEIVED RECOMMENDATIONS TO BETTER ENGAGE WITH THE STREET, ENCOURAGE ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USES, INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GREEN SPACE, AND ULTIMATELY INCLUDE STRATEGIES THAT HELP MAKE STREETS MORE SAFE, USABLE, WALKABLE, AND ATTRACTIVE ASSETS FOR ALL USERS.
NEXT SLIDE. A FEW OF THE PROJECTS ON THIS SLIDE HAVE COME TO THE PANEL MORE THAN ONCE.
BISHOP ARTS STATION AND BISHOP ARTS MIXED USE PROJECTS ALSO CAME IN MORE THAN ONCE, AND SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE MADE AFTER THE FIRST REVIEW AND THEIR DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ON THIS ONE, WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO TYPES OF PROJECTS WE DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN, BUT WHICH CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON LIVABILITY AND ACTIVATION OF PUBLIC SPACE.
YOU'LL SEE AN IMAGE OF THE PROPOSED HARRY HINES RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, REIMAGINING IT AS A GREEN BOULEVARD WITH THE ADDITION OF COMPLETE STREET COMPONENTS. ALSO ON THIS SLIDE IS AN IMAGE OF HILLCREST VILLAGE THAT SELECTIVELY REMOVED LEASABLE SPACE AND PARKING, ADDING AN ACRE OF OPEN GREEN SPACE IN A FORMER UNDERPERFORMING STRIP CENTER, CONVERTING IT INTO AN ICONIC COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ON THIS LAST SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE KATY TRAIL CONNECTOR AND HARWOOD PARK PROJECTS THAT MAKE UP CRITICAL PIECES OF LARGER PLANS THAT ADVANCE A PUBLIC PARK NETWORK IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS, AND A 50-MILE LOOP TRAIL NETWORK THAT WILL CONNECT USERS TO NATURE AND RECREATION. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO FINALLY, WHAT'S NEXT? AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE THE SERVICES OF THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PANEL? FIRST OFF, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT COME BEFORE THE PANEL IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS.
NUMBER TWO, ALTHOUGH NOT USED OFTEN, THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS TO BRING IN KEY CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS SUCH AS LIBRARIES, PARKS, CRITICAL STREET PROJECTS, AND REC CENTERS, TO NAME JUST A FEW.
AND NUMBER THREE, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE, WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE THE PANEL'S EXPERTISE TO REVIEW ANY URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS OR GUIDELINES THAT CODE MIGHT CONSIDER INCLUDING.
AND LASTLY, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, ANY PROJECT CAN BE ASKED TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE REVIEW INTO FOR REVIEW BY THE CITY MANAGER, THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT OR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, ARTURO.
I'M A STRONG BELIEVER IN QUALITY URBAN DESIGN AND THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS.
AND ONE OF THE MAPS SHOWED PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF TIF DISTRICTS.
SO, DOES A PROJECT HAVE TO BE A RECIPIENT OF CITY INCENTIVES TO BE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS? NO, THEY DO NOT. THEY CAN COME IN VOLUNTARILY.
AND YEAH, THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN WAYS THAT THEY'VE COME IN BEFORE.
OKAY, BUT A PRIVATE DEVELOPER CAN'T BE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO THE REVIEW PROCESS.
CORRECT? CORRECT. NO. OKAY. AND ONCE A REVIEW PANEL ASSEMBLES AT A MEETING AND REVIEWS A PRESENTATION ON A PROJECT, HOW DOES THE PROCESS OF GENERATING RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THEIR COMMENTS OCCUR? DOES SOMEONE JUST WRITE THEM ALL DOWN AND PRESENT THEM AT THE END OF THE MEETING, OR DO THEY CONSIDER THEM FROM ONE MEETING TO THE NEXT?
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HOW DOES THAT WORK? YES. SO STAFF TAKES NOTES DURING THE MEETING, AND THEY RETURN THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE APPLICANT WITHIN A DAY OR TWO. AND THEN WE WORK BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM TO HELP SATISFY THOSE REQUIREMENTS.HOW ARE THOSE DISAGREEMENTS RESOLVED? YEAH, IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME.
IN FACT, WE HAD ONE JUST LAST, JUST LAST MONTH WHERE TWO PEOPLE FELT LIKE THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THE BENEFITS COULD BECOME OUT OF A CERTAIN DESIGN RECOMMENDATION. SO WHAT HAPPENS THERE IS STAFF WILL DO THEIR BEST TO WRITE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE'VE HEARD THEM.
AND THEN WE'LL WORK BACK AND FORTH TO REALLY DETERMINE WHETHER WHICH OF THOSE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS WORKS NOT ONLY BETTER FOR THE PROJECT ITSELF, BUT ALSO FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AS IT MIGHT BE.
DO THEY BOTH MAYBE MEET EXISTING CITY REGULATIONS? IT'S KIND OF A IT DEPENDS ACTUALLY ON WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS AND HOW IT'S BEST TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO DOES THE PANEL AT THE END OF THE REVIEW PROCESS TAKE ANY VOTES, PARTICULARLY IN A CASE WHERE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON THE PANEL, OR DO THEY JUST LEAVE IT TO STAFF TO TRY TO RECONCILE ALL OF THE COMMENTS? THE LATTER USUALLY THE LATTER. THERE WILL BE SOME BACK AND FORTH OCCASIONALLY, AND MAYBE IN THE END THERE WILL BE SOME AGREEMENT AS TO THE DIRECTION THAT THE RECOMMENDATION SHOULD MOVE FORWARD TO. BUT OCCASIONALLY WE DO GET CONFLICTING RECOMMENDATIONS.
OKAY. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY METRICS THAT WOULD INDICATE HOW OFTEN THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ACTUALLY INCORPORATED INTO THE TIF PROJECT CONDITIONS, OR HOW OFTEN THE DEVELOPERS ADOPT THEM? WE ACTUALLY DID THAT FOR WHEN WE REACHED 50 PROJECTS THAT WE REVIEWED.
BUT WE DID HAVE IT FOR THE FIRST 50, AND I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY WHAT THAT BREAKDOWN OR NUMBER WAS, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT, AND WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH YOU. WELL, I'M JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF WE CAN IN ANY WAY QUANTIFY HOW EFFECTIVE THIS PROGRAM IS. IF THIS PANEL IS SPENDING A LOT OF HOURS REVIEWING PROJECTS, MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT.
BUT IF THERE'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF CAPTURE IN TERMS OF SEEING IMPROVEMENTS ON THE GROUND FROM THEIR REVIEWS, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE'D ALL LIKE TO KNOW.
YES, WE AGREE. AND I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK THE HIGH MAJORITY OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE EVENTUALLY INCORPORATED INTO THEIR FINAL DESIGN, AND PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THEY DO COME IN FOR THAT PRE-DESIGNED MEETING WITH STAFF, AND WE'RE ABLE TO HELP PREPARE THEM FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BECOME.
SO THERE'S USUALLY NOT. NOT USUALLY. BUT THERE'S A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THOSE THAT ARE ACTUALLY MADE AND WHERE THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY MADE TO THE T, WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO MEET THE SPIRIT OF THAT RECOMMENDATION IN MOST CASES.
IF I MIGHT ADD TO THAT, COUNCIL MEMBER, ROBIN BENTLEY WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WE ASKED DEVELOPERS TO COME DO THIS REVIEW IF THEY CAN BEFORE THEY APPLY FOR INCENTIVES, BECAUSE IF THERE ARE MATERIAL CHANGES TO THE PLAN, IT MAY MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR BUDGET AND THEREFORE THEIR INCENTIVE APPLICATION.
SO FOR THE ONES THAT MAKE IT TO AN AGREEMENT, WE VIRTUALLY ALWAYS INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY COMPLY WITH THE URBAN DESIGN REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS. AND IS THAT A CONDITION TO RECEIVING THE CITY'S INCENTIVES THAT THEY COMPLY WITH THE REVIEW COMMENTS? YES. FINALLY, IS THERE A FEE THAT YOU CHARGE APPLICANTS FOR A REVIEW? NO, THERE IS NO FEE. SO IT'S FREE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO SEE IF OUR CHAIRMAN, MR. ATKINS, WANTS TO GO NEXT. NO. I'M GOOD. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIRMAN. MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE, THE COUNCILWOMAN FROM DISTRICT 4.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IS ON. THIS ONE WORKS.
SO THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. AND I READ OVER THIS WEEKEND AND KIND OF PREPPED.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO UNDERSTAND RIGHT OFF THE BAT ON THE HOW OR THE, YOU KNOW, HOW,
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HOW DO INDIVIDUALS KNOW TO REACH OUT TO YOU FOR THIS PROGRAM, THE DEVELOPERS.I CAN TAKE THAT ONE, ARTURO. SO IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE APPLICATION PACKAGE, THERE IS A BOTH A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY TALK TO OUR M/WBE FOLKS AND THAT THEY GO THROUGH THIS REVIEW PROCESS.
AND SO IT'S ONE OF THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE THIS PROCESS.
I'M ASKING, ARE THERE ANY MARKETING EFFORTS TO GET THIS PROGRAM EXPOSED MORE THAN JUST THEM COMING? ARE THEY COMING IN TO GET THIS INFORMATION? COMING IN OR ON THE WEBSITE? OKAY. SO THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE PRETTY MUCH IS THE WEBSITE.
ALL RIGHT. SO ON THE DEVELOPERS THAT YOU MEET WITH ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS, HOW ARE YOU GETTING THE WORD OUT TO THEM REGARDING THE MEETING? I'LL ASK OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
KEVIN SPATH, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE QUESTION? WELL, I'M WALKING BACKWARDS TO FIRST FIGURE OUT HOW YOU ARE GETTING THE INVOLVEMENT OR ENGAGEMENT OF DEVELOPERS, SO THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PROCESS. LIKE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER BENTLEY SAID THE DEVELOPERS, WHO ARE ALREADY PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE APPLICATION PROCESS WITH OUR OFFICE, ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THIS PEER REVIEW PROCESS.
SO ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT PROJECTS THAT MAY NOT BE IN OUR INCENTIVE APPLICATION? HOW DO YOU BRING IN NEW, NEW OPPORTUNITIES? MAYBE THERE'S A DEVELOPER OUT THERE WHO WANTS TO DEVELOP AND THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
I MEAN, HOW DO YOU HAVE A LISTSERV? HOW ARE YOU COMMUNICATING? THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PROGRAM OR THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE? DO YOU SEE THESE PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE FOR US, THAT THE PEOPLE, THAT THOSE DEVELOPERS, THE ONES IN THE PACKET THAT THE DEVELOPERS JUST COME TO US AT THE CITY LEVEL BECAUSE THEY SAW INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE? OR ARE THEY IN A NORMAL, NORMAL EMAIL GROUP THAT YOU EMAILED TO? YEAH. COUNCILWOMAN I'D SAY IT'S DIFFERENT WAYS.
SOME DEVELOPERS CONTACT THE CITY DIRECTLY AND ASK FOR HELP WITH THE PROJECT.
SOME OF THEM ATTEND VARIOUS MARKETING FUNCTIONS PUT ON BY THE DEPARTMENT.
ALL DIFFERENT WAYS THAT FOLKS GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WOULD YOU HAVE A DATABASE THAT INCLUDED MAYBE 100 DEVELOPERS WHO'VE REACHED OUT TO YOU, AND THEY ASKED YOU TO KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP, AND SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO KIND OF KEEP UP WITH CHANGES IN POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. WELL, THAT'S A VERY TIMELY QUESTION. THE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY JUST PROCURED SALESFORCE TO TRACK EXACTLY THAT KIND OF CONTACT.
I THINK IT'S ACTIVE NOW, KEVIN. RIGHT. YES, IT IS .
THE WAY I WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS ACTUALLY MOST DEPARTMENTS HAVE RUNNING LISTS OF DEVELOPERS AND THEY USE THAT LIST AND UPDATE THAT LIST IF AND WHEN THEY NEED TO ENGAGE AN MARKET THEIR PROGRAMS TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS THEIR LIST, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS THEIR LIST.
DOES THIS. OKAY. THAT WAS A GOOD POINT TO PUT IN THERE.
GOOD GOOD GOOD ANSWER. GOOD ANSWER. BUT I THINK I STILL HEAR THESE SILOS.
AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING.
AND I THINK I PINNED YOU ALL THIS WEEKEND ABOUT DISTRICT 4.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN HAVE A STRONG LINK TO INDIVIDUALS IN THIS CITY IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITIES. AND I HEAR IT'S STILL SILOED.
AND SO THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE SAYING, WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT PROGRAM. I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT ECONOMIC INCENTIVE. SO THE NEXT PIECE I WILL ASK SIMPLY IS THIS WOULD YOU HAVE INFORMATION ON DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE A PROFILE OF WANTING TO OR HAVING INTEREST IN, OR HAVE DEVELOPED IN DISTRICT 4, IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR? THAT MIGHT BE OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT I SEE ON THIS PIECE OF PAPER.
NOW I ONLY SEE ONE IN DISTRICT 4. COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD.
YES, WE HAVE THERE'S A SUBSET OF LET'S SAY OUR LIST OF DEVELOPERS IS 100 PLUS.
ALL RIGHT. BUT THEY'RE NOT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED.
THEY HAVEN'T COME THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IF THAT'S YOUR QUESTION.
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NO, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. SO I JUST SAW ONE IN 4.AND THAT WAS JUST A SMALL SAMPLING OF THE 163.
THERE'S BEEN A FEW MORE IN DISTRICT 4, AND I DON'T QUITE REMEMBER EXACTLY WHICH ONES THERE WERE, BUT THERE WAS, THERE WERE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ON EAST LANCASTER, I BELIEVE.
AND. RIGHT. AND WE STILL KIND OF STAY ON 4 LIKE THIS ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.
SO COULD YOU ALL GIVE ME A LIST. BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE HOW THE LIST HAS GROWN.
AND THAT THEN AFTER THAT, I THINK YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE.
I THINK I SENT THAT MEMO OUT TO Y'ALL THIS WEEKEND ASKING ABOUT DISTRICT 4.
SO I'M GOING TO PRETTY MUCH LEAVE IT THERE. I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNICATION CAN BE ENHANCED.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT AGGRESSIVE STEPS DO YOU ALL TAKE? ARE YOU JUST HERE PUTTING OUT EMAILS, OR YOU ALL GOING OUT AND HOLDING COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE YOU FOR THE DEVELOPERS AND IF YOU.
SO ARE THERE ANY IN DISTRICT 4 THAT I'VE MISSED? YEAH I'LL TAKE THAT ONE. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE FORMED OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, IS BECAUSE THE CITY IS VERY GOOD AT A LOT OF THINGS, AND I'M GLAD THESE FOLKS ARE HERE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PERCEPTION OF SILOED WORK.
BUT THIS IS A FABULOUS EXAMPLE OF TWO OR 3 OR 4 DEPARTMENTS COLLABORATING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BRINGING TO COUNCIL REALLY EXCELLENT DESIGN AND REALLY EXCELLENT INTERFACE WITH THE PEDESTRIAN LANDSCAPE. SO I'LL STOP THERE. ALL RIGHT.
SO THE EDC HAS BEEN IN FORMATION HOW LONG? I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL FORMED IT IN 2022, AND THE TASK THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN IS TO FOCUS ON MARKETING THE CITY, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON SOUTHERN DALLAS AND OTHER AREAS OF DISINVESTMENT.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THE EDC WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT US IN THAT WORK.
ALL RIGHT. SO PROJECTION AT THIS POINT FOR THOSE SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT YOU KNOW I SERVE, I GUESS THE QUESTION FOR US AND ARE YOU ARE THEY SENDING OUT UPDATES TO US OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE EDC? FROM THE EDC, YES.
THEY ARE NOT SENDING OUT UPDATES TO COUNCIL THAT I'M AWARE OF.
HOW DO WE HOW CAN WE REFER OR BECOME ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON NOW WITH THE EDC? THAT'S ONE. BUT BACK TO NUMBER TWO. UP UNTIL THAT POINT, WHAT WAS STAFF DOING TO GET THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THIS BOOK? DID THEY COME BECAUSE OF AGGRESSIVE OUTREACH FROM YOUR TEAM, OR DID THEY COME FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, OR DID THEY COME LIKE THEY TRADITIONALLY DO WHERE THEY JUST COME IN? SURE. THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO DO. FOR THE RECORD, I NEED TO I NEED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD SO WE CAN KNOW THAT THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE THE SAME BEHAVIOR WHERE WE'RE NOT GETTING OUT. I CALL IT THE HUSTLE.
YOU GOT TO GET OUT AND HUSTLE, BECAUSE IN SOME OF THESE AREAS THEY DON'T KNOW.
AND THE HUSTLE, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT ECONOMIC SHORTFALLS, INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SOME OF IT PROBABLY COULD BE ENHANCED WITH, I THINK, MORE AGGRESSIVE OUTREACH.
SO YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY? NO, THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK.
SO BASICALLY, MR. SPATH, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ALL THE TIME.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START ANOTHER ONE SOON.
AND LAST THING I'M GOING TO ASK YOU WOULD THE IS IT TOO LATE FOR THE FROST BANK PROJECT TO BE A PART OF THIS? BECAUSE THEY'VE NOT REALLY THEY'RE IN THAT TIF, I DON'T KNOW.
GREAT QUESTION. IN FACT, THIS PROJECT DID GO THROUGH THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PANEL.
AND GRAY HERE JUST PULLED THE STATS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
SO THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO REORGANIZE THE DEAL STRUCTURALLY AND FINANCIALLY.
THEY'RE ALSO HAVING TO MEET THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PANEL.
SO YES, THAT PROJECT ALREADY CAME THROUGH. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU ALL WITH BECAUSE OF THAT PROJECT.
THE SIGN STILL SITS THERE, THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
SO WE DON'T KEEP PROMISING THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING SERVICE THAT THEY NEED.
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THAT BANK WAS IN A POSITION AND IT STARTED REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND PROMISING SERVICES AND ACTUALLY HAD BUILT SOME FORM OF RELATIONSHIPS.AND IT'S PAST TIME FOR US TO SEE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
AND YOU ALL CAN REEVALUATE YOUR EFFORTS OF MARKETING AND OUTREACH AND MAYBE EVEN WITH THE EDC TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THESE AREAS WHERE WE CONTINUE TO SEE LACK OF REAL INVESTMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT LIKE THAT. AND A MATTER OF FACT, MR. COUNCIL MEMBER, CHAIR, MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS, I'VE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT THIS WEEKEND.
AND MR. VICE CHAIR OMAR NARVAEZ, YOU WERE ALSO IN THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I WILL BE PINNING A VERY STRONG LETTER TO YOU ALL REGARDING NEXT STEPS HERE, AND WE NEED YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WE HAVE CHAIR MS. STEWART. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. CHAIR NARVAEZ.
SO I'M GOING TO BUILD ON THAT CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT AND WE'LL SKIP TO A DIFFERENT DISTRICT.
DISTRICT 10. BUT I WILL SAY FIRST, WHEN I LOOK AT SLIDE 19, THERE'S CLEARLY A CLUSTER OF JUST A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS VERY MUCH SEEM TO BE IN THE CITY CENTER.
AND THAT MAKES SENSE. I THINK WHEN I LOOK AT THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, COME THROUGH, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I TO BUILD ON WHAT CHAIR ARNOLD IS SAYING YOU KNOW, ANY BENEFITS THAT WE CAN BRING TO THE OTHER DISTRICTS TO ENCOURAGE THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN DONE IN DISTRICT 10.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THE LAKE HIGHLANDS TOWN CENTER PROBABLY WENT THROUGH THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS.
AND IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE DO WHEN YOU MENTION THAT YOU COULD DO CITY PROJECTS, DOES THAT INCLUDE LIKE A PARK AND COMMUNITY CENTER OR LIKE I'M LOOKING AT FOREST AND AUDELIA CONSTANTLY FOR A FRESH, UPDATED LOOK? AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THAT INTERSECTION? WE DO HAVE TIF FUNDS BEING SPENT ON THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
I'M SURE PARKS WOULD JUST KIND OF LOVE THE FACT THAT I BRING UP A PEER REVIEW .
COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, IF I MAY INTERRUPT. ABSOLUTELY.
YOU CAN INTERRUPT. THE FOREST AUDELIA PROJECT DID COME THROUGH THE PEER REVIEW PANEL BECAUSE IT WAS A FUNDING APPLICATION FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO WE MADE IT GO THROUGH PEER REVIEW AND THEY ACTUALLY IMPROVED THE PROJECT DESIGN.
OKAY. CAN I SEE WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE? SOME KIND OF A REPORT? I'D LOVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED AND MAYBE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE IN THAT, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A LOT OF THOSE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. BUT I DO THINK THE MORE WE CAN GET THESE BENEFITS, THESE PROGRAMS SPREAD OUT AND, THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY BEEN A GREAT CATALYST FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY CENTER AND I AND PROBABLY IN DISTRICT 10, IF I LOOK AT THAT MAP, THERE WERE SOME DOTS THERE.
AND SO THE MAP AND THE TIF BOUNDARIES ARE GOING TO BE VERY CORRELATED.
MORE RECENTLY, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THE NEED TO EXPAND BEYOND JUST THE TIF PROJECTS AND TO OTHER PROJECTS WHERE WE THOUGHT AN URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PANEL REVIEW WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. AND SO I THINK THE PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED PROJECTS, AND MAYBE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WOULD NOT HAVE THAT SAME CORRELATION.
RIGHT. DOES THE PEER REVIEW PANEL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HANDLE MORE PROJECTS, NOT JUST TIF PROJECTS? WELL, THEY ARE PURELY.
I WOULD SAY YES. AND TO SOME EXTENT, OBVIOUSLY TIF PROJECTS TAKE PRECEDENCE, BUT THERE ARE SOME MONTHS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A PROJECT, AND THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE PANEL, WHETHER IT BE A WORKSHOP OFF OF THAT REGULAR THIRD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH SORT OF THING. I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT LAKE RIDGE IS ANOTHER PROJECT IN YOUR DISTRICT.
[00:35:03]
BUT MAYBE NOT AS VIBRANT. YES. STRIP CENTER AND MAKING SOME A FEW CHANGES TO, TO REALLY MAKE IT BECOME ALMOST A TOWN CENTER, DE FACTO TOWN CENTER FOR THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY.AND SO IF I CAN BEGIN TO PULL THOSE AND GET SOME INTEREST, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THANK YOU. MR. WEST. COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
IT'S REALLY JUST. I'VE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE WORK.
I'VE BEEN VERY THE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT 1 PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I KNOW THEM SO WELL.
I THINK THEY'VE JUST DONE WONDERFUL WORK OVER THE PAST, SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE COMPOSITION OF IT'S COMPRISED NO LESS THAN NINE MEMBERS, WITH AT LEAST FOUR ARCHITECTS, TWO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, ONE PLANNER AND TWO ENGINEERS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE JUST FOUND WHERE AT MY TIME AT THE CITY I'VE REALLY WORKED A LOT WITH PLANNERS ON MOST OF OUR PROJECTS IN NORTH OAK CLIFF, AS YOU KNOW, AND PERSONALLY. AND I WONDER HOW WE CAME UP WITH TH E MAKEUP HERE OF BEING SO ARCHITECT ENGINEER HEAVY WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE ON SLIDE 18, A MAJORITY OF THE WORK IS REALLY THE PUBLIC REALM AND THE WALKABILITY AND THE EXTERIOR STUFF THAT'S LIKE IMPACTS PEDESTRIAN. SO I'M NOT SAYING IT'S WRONG. I'M JUST CURIOUS.
YEAH. SO THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS. WE TOOK THE VANCOUVER MODEL AS AN AS REALLY OUR BLUEPRINT FOR THIS PEER REVIEW PANEL. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON THAT LIST OF POTENTIAL NEW PANEL MEMBERS, WE A LOT OF THEM, AT LEAST THE ONES THAT WE'VE SELECTED AND HAVE BEEN ON THE PANEL, HAVE ALMOST TWO HATS, SOMETIMES THREE HATS. SO PARIS RUTHERFORD, FOR INSTANCE, HE'S TRAINED AS AN ARCHITECT AND URBAN DESIGNER.
OKAY. HE KIND OF FITS BOTH PARTS OF IT. AND A LOT OF OUR PLANNERS ARE LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE NOT SINGLY FOCUSED, PERHAPS MAYBE JUST AN ENGINEER.
BUT THOSE ENGINEERS ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE PUBLIC REALM IN MIND IN THEIR WORK.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT THEM ON THAT LIST OF PREFERRED PANEL MEMBERS.
SO WE SHOULD ACCURATELY REFLECT THOSE BECAUSE THEY DOMINATE MY DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
SORRY IT'S JUST A SORE POINT AT THE MOMENT. BUT GREAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? MR. RIDLEY ROUND TWO. YEAH. JUST TO FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO, ARTURO, THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PANEL IS NOT CHARGED WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR REACHING OUT TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVELOP PARTICULAR TRACTS OF PROPERTY.
THEY'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, YES. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
FINALLY, THE KEY CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT YOU REFER TO ON SLIDE 25.
IS THERE A SIZE OR BUDGET CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHICH CITY PROJECTS CITY OWNED PROJECTS WOULD BE SUBJECT TO PANEL REVIEW. NO, IT'S REALLY ONLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY THAT EXISTS.
THERE'S NO SET BUDGET THAT WOULD TRIGGER THAT AT ALL.
AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE NOT TODAY REQUIRED TO COME IN, BUT WE CERTAINLY WELCOME THEM TO COME IN.
AND WE'VE HAD A FEW OF THEM THAT I THINK WERE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO WHERE SOMEBODY, EITHER THE CITY MANAGER OR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, HAD IT BROUGHT IN TO US. WELL, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONSIDERATION OF A REQUIREMENT THAT CITY OWNED PROJECTS UNDERGO PANEL REVIEW IF THEY EXCEED A CERTAIN SIZE OR BUDGET AMOUNT? I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THAT SUGGESTION, ALTHOUGH OUT IN THE PUBLIC THERE HAS BEEN WE RECENTLY BROUGHT THIS SIMILAR PRESENTATION TO THE AIA, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US.
ROBIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY INPUT ON THAT? DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA? I'LL JUST I'M A BIG FAN OF THE URBAN DESIGN PEER REVIEW PANEL.
THEY'RE EXPERTS WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO LOOK AT PROJECTS AND MAKE REALLY GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
[00:40:04]
AND SO I DON'T KNOW, OUTSIDE OF HOUSING AND PLANNING, HOW MUCH THIS PROCESS IS REALLY KNOWN, WHICH IS WHY WE WANTED TO COME AND TALK ABOUT IT TODAY.BUT YES, I THINK IT'S A FABULOUS IDEA TO RUN OUR OWN PROJECTS THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS.
WE REQUIRE DEVELOPERS ASKING FOR CITY FUNDING TO RUN THROUGH.
OKAY. WELL, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT SO THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL PROJECT ON AN AD HOC BASIS AND DECIDE WHICH ONES UNDERGO REVIEW AND WHICH ONES DON'T.
THAT MIGHT REDUCE SOME OF HER WORKLOAD AND GET US MORE PROJECTS THROUGH THE PANEL REVIEW PROCESS.
THANK YOU. COULD I JUST ADD, MR. CHAIR, THAT WE ADD TO THAT CRITERIA NOT JUST THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT, BUT WE COULD FIND SOME OTHER CRITERIA THAT MIGHT MAKE IT SOMETHING PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR TO FITS IN WITH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR MANY PLANS, JUST SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE IT STAND OUT.
I'LL WORK ON BEING MORE SPECIFIC. SORRY. I WILL ADD, I KNOW THAT THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE TO SORT OF SPELL OUT HOW WE DO REAL ESTATE IN THE CITY MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE COULD INCORPORATE INTO THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION. I'LL TAKE A LOOK.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THIS WRAPPING UP. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AGAIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
DID I HEAR AND IT'S NOT HERE THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS RECOMMEND PROJECTS.
DID I HEAR THAT FOR REVIEW? I THINK THAT WAS MY COMMENT THAT WE GET REFERRALS FOR APPLICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT THE DESIGN PANEL TO MY KNOWLEDGE, DOES NOT GET REFERRALS FROM COUNCIL.
ALL RIGHT. SO COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD COME TO YOU.
AND WHAT WOULD A COUNCIL MEMBER SAY TO YOU? IF YOU HAVE A PROJECT GOING THROUGH THE INCENTIVE APPLICATION PROCESS, WE WOULD ALREADY BE STEERING THEM THIS DIRECTION.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL. AND PERHAPS I WILL SHARE THIS WITH CITY MANAGER.
RETHINK ON YOUR STRATEGIES FOR EMPOWERING THE CITY STAFF SO THAT THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER SO THAT YOU CAN BETTER RESPOND TO WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THIS HORSESHOE NOW WITH THE COUNCILMEMBER SAYING, I'M MAKING THEIR SUGGESTION THAT THAT MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE CAN KEEP WAITING FOR THE EDC TO BE THE ANSWER.
SO WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THEM TO BE THE GOLDEN EGG FOR US ESPECIALLY IN THESE UNDERSERVED AREAS.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THIS TEAM BECAUSE IF THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE. I THINK IT'S JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO BE A MODEL, AND IT WILL BE PROBABLY HELPFUL FOR US TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES AND PERHAPS RECOMMEND SOME FOLKS FROM OUR DISTRICTS TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM.
BUT THIS BUSINESS OF WORKING IN SILOS AND NOT AGGRESSIVELY ATTACKING THIS AS A TEAM, IT BECOMES MORE CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO FACE MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO PLACES LIKE GLENDALE SHOPPING CENTER THAT I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FOR WITH MAYBE ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, BUT HAD I NOT HAD THIS IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW IT GETS THERE, I WON'T BE ABLE TO TALK.
PERHAPS HE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM I SEE HERE, CHAIR AND COUNCILMEMBERS AND SOME OF YOU KNOW THIS.
WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THESE SILOS BECAUSE IT'S NOT HELPFUL FOR US IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU'RE IN RIPEN, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, IN COUNCILMEMBER WESTS' DISTRICT, THAT'S GREAT.
YOU'RE UP AND POPPING, BUT WE ARE STILL RIPPING.
WE ARE ROCKING BACK AND FORTH WONDERING WHEN WE CAN BE STABILIZED IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC INVESTMENT.
[00:45:07]
INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. THE HUSTLE, BECAUSE IF YOU HUSTLE, IT'S GOING TO FLOW, BUT YOU GOT TO HUSTLE. YOU CAN'T JUST WAIT FOR FOLKS TO COME TO 1500.SO THERE I'M NOT IN A GOOD PLACE TODAY AS WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. I KEEP SAYING THE SAME THING. FOLKS WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY AND NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL FROM ONE ZIP CODE TO THE NEXT, JUST SO THEY CAN GET A DECENT OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY ENTERTAINMENT, TO ENJOY FOOD, TO ENJOY SPORTS. THAT'S PART OF ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL.
TO HAVE A FAMILY DAY. IT'S STILL WE'RE STILL ALMOST IN THE SAME SPOT.
THANK THE VOLUNTEERS ONCE AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
BUT MY MESSAGE IS WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND IT HAS TO BE ABOUT THE HUSTLE.
IF YOU HUSTLE, IT'LL FLOW. SO I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THAT.
BUT JUST KNOW I'M NOT. WE'RE NOT IN A GOOD PLACE IN DISTRICT 4.
WE'RE NOT IN A GOOD PLACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
PEER REVIEW , I LIKE IT. IT'S REALLY GOOD. I LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE GO THROUGH IT, MAKES IT, IT SEEMS TO MAKE CPC AND EVERYTHING MUCH EASIER.
AND EVEN AT COUNCIL, BECAUSE THE PROJECT'S BEEN REVIEWED.
RIGHT. SO I WISH WE COULD DO MORE OF IT, BUT I KNOW THAT PROBABLY COST A FORTUNE TO MAKE EVERYBODY GO THROUGH IT, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. IT WAS REALLY EXCELLENT.
AND I GUESS WE'LL COME BACK TO SOME OF THOSE CHANGES THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR, WHATEVER.
YOU CAN LOOK INTO IT AND SEE HOW THAT CAN WORK.
AND LET MR. ATKINS KNOW. SO THAT, CHAIRMAN, IF WE'RE STILL HERE YOU CAN BRING IT BACK THEN, BUT IF NOT, THEN THE NEXT CHAIR CAN DO IT. SO VERY GOOD.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. SO THAT'S THE END OF ITEM A, WE ARE ON BRIEFING MEMO B, UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM ACQUISITION OF APPROXIMATELY 79,933FT² OF COMMERCIALLY IMPROVED LAND, ADDRESSED AS 13305 MONTFORT DRIVE FOR FUTURE CENTRAL PARK AND VALLEY VIEW GALLERIA AREA. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN SPATH? THIS IS THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WAS FROM THE 2024 BOND FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
I THINK IT'S THE ACQUISITION OF ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE NEED TO DO THE CENTRAL PARK, AND THERE WAS 20 MILLION FOR IT. YES. MR. RIDLEY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
DO YOU STILL WANT THE FLOOR? YEAH. SO, KEVIN, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CURRENT STATUS OF THIS INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT IS. IT'S BEEN STALLED, FRANKLY, FOR YEARS WITH NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF PROGRESS. AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE WANT TO BE INVESTING UP TO $20 MILLION IN A PARK IF NOTHING'S HAPPENING AROUND IT.
I WOULD AGREE WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION THAT THE MOST PROMINENT ASSEMBLY OF VACANT LAND THAT IS OWNED BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS HAS NOT YET STARTED TO REDEVELOP.
I MEAN, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THAT THE AREA PLAN IN 2013, AND WE GOT RIGHT TO WORK WITH PUTTING IN ALL THE OTHER IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS, THE TIF DISTRICT AND TRYING TO WORK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS TO START REDEVELOPMENT.
YOU MAY RECALL THE COUNCIL APPROVED. WE SPENT THREE YEARS NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT, A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE MAJORITY OWNER OF MOST OF VALLEY VIEW MALL THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN 2016. AND THE DEVELOPER DID NOT, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP AND DID NOT PERFORM AS REQUIRED. AND SO THAT WAS TERMINATED. THE CITY HAS ALSO BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN GETTING THE MONFORT COMPLETE STREET GOING.
SO THIS WAS THIS IS PROBABLY SEVEN YEARS WORTH OF MY TIME TO TRY AND KEEP THAT THING ON THE RAILS.
IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW, SO MONFORT IS GOING FROM A SIX LANE DIVIDED ARTERIAL TO FOUR LANES WITH, YOU KNOW, VERY PEDESTRIAN AND WALKABLE REDESIGN, ALL IN PREPARATION FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA.
THE VALLEY VIEW GALLERIA AREA IS 400 ACRES. A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T RECALL THAT.
YOU KNOW, THEY THINK IT'S JUST THE FORMER VALLEY VIEW MALL SITE, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT 110,
[00:50:02]
120 ACRES. SO I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT'S BEEN DISAPPOINTING THAT THE OWNERS OF THE VALLEY VIEW MALL SITE HAVE NOT YET REDEVELOPED.I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT IT WILL START TO DEVELOP SOON.
ALL 110 ACRES IS NOW FOR SALE AND ON THE MARKET.
THAT MEANS THAT ALL THREE MAJOR OWNERS HAVE AGREED TO DISPOSE OF THE PROPERTY, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL LAND IN HANDS THAT ARE LOOKING TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
AND NOW THE OWNER IS VOLUNTARILY WILLING TO, TO SELL TO US.
SO MY OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN TRYING TO ACTIVATE AND IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S PLAN.
WELL, I WAS NOT INTENDING TO BE AT ALL CRITICAL OF YOUR DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY'S EFFORTS WITH RESPECT TO THIS, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL. WE HAVE TO DEPEND UPON THE RESOURCES AND THE EXPERTISE OF PRIVATE SECTOR OWNERS WHO OWN THIS PROPERTY, TO TAKE STEPS TO DEVELOP IT, WHETHER WITH OR WITHOUT CITY INCENTIVES.
AND MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT WHILE THE CITY MAY BE WORKING HARD ON THIS PROJECT, THE PRIVATE DEVELOPERS DON'T APPEAR TO BE, BECAUSE THIS VALLEY VIEW SITE HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, A FIRE HAZARD, AND JUST WAS RECENTLY FINALLY DEMOLISHED.
AND NOW THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE HEARD THAT THE OWNER IS WILLING TO SELL THE PROPERTY.
SO I TAKE IT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
THEY JUST WANT TO DIVEST THE PROPERTY AND BE DONE WITH IT.
SO JUST. WELL, I THINK THIS IS INSTRUMENTAL TO WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD INVEST MONEY IN THE PARK IF WE'RE NOT GETTING COOPERATION FROM PRIVATE DEVELOPERS BECAUSE THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARK. AS A PROFESSIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPER, I THINK THERE IS I THINK WE HAVE A REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC. THAT THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT AS SOON AS THE PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS.
YOU KNOW, DISD HAS ALSO INVESTED RECENTLY IN THE AREA SIGNIFICANTLY.
THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING A SCHOOL IN THE AREA TO PREPARE FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE BULK OF THIS ACQUISITION FUNDING IS COMING FROM.
BUT I CAN'T I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, YOU KNOW? AND FINALLY, THERE IS NO MONEY SET ASIDE IN THE BOND OR ANY CURRENT CITY BUDGET FOR DESIGN, OPERATION OR MAINTENANCE OF THE RESULTING PARK.
THE TIF DISTRICT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ANTICIPATED TO PROVIDE THAT ROLE.
THE PD, THE ZONING DISTRICT PD 887, ALSO HAS A PARKLAND DEDICATION FEE IN LIEU THAT CAN BE USED TO DESIGN. SO THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TO START WITH DESIGN.
WHEN THE CITY IS READY TO ACTUALLY CONVERT THESE PROPERTIES TO PARK USE.
SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE PARK IS DEVELOPED WILL THE PARK DEPARTMENT ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATING AND MAINTAINING THE PARK? I SEE RYAN O'CONNOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE PARK DEPARTMENT.
YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES IS THE ANSWER.
HOWEVER, WE WILL ALSO CLOSELY WORK WITH EXISTING PARTNERS THAT ARE IN PLACE IN THE DISTRICT.
SO THE VISION WOULD VERY, VERY BE VERY MUCH SIMILAR TO KIND OF A STANDARD PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH, ENTITIES ALL OVER TOWN. IT WOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP MODEL.
[00:55:03]
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD. KING-ARNOLD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.WAS THERE A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD FOR THIS GROUP TO DECIDE IF THEY WERE GOING TO DO THE PARK, OR JUST HOW MUCH TIME DID WE GIVE THEM CONTRACTUALLY TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON DUE DILIGENCE AND TO PERFORM? IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION THE CITY MADE ITS FIRST WRITTEN OFFER TO THE PROPERTY OWNER 11 MONTHS AGO, AND I BELIEVE THE OWNER COMMITTED TO A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD IN, WHAT, NOVEMBER 2024? SO FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THERE'S BEEN A FORMAL DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD, FIVE MONTHS.
SO IT'S A NEW YOU'RE SAYING, IS THIS A NEW OWNER OR DID I MISS THAT? NO. THE CURRENT OWNER HAS OWNED THE PROPERTY FOR ABOUT A DECADE OR MORE.
A DECADE OR MORE. SO WAS THE PLAN FOR THE PARK A PART OF THAT WHEN HE PURCHASED THE LAND? YES. I THINK HE PURCHASED IT THE SAME YEAR THAT THE CITY APPROVED.
HAD THE PLANS LAID OUT FOR THE ACTUAL DESIGN.
YES. AND THE OWNER IS AWARE OF THE CITY'S PLAN.
TO DO THE PARK? YES, MA'AM. HE DIDN'T HAVE. HE DIDN'T HAVE IT.
YOU DIDN'T? WE DIDN'T GIVE HIM A DEADLINE FOR [INAUDIBLE]. NO, MA'AM.
THIS IS COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY ON THE OWNER'S PART.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS WHAT I THINK. I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT THE $20 MILLION.
AND THIS IS WHAT BOTHERS ME WITH MOST OF THESE PROJECTS.
BY THE TIMELINE, WHEN YOU HAVE THE VOTERS TO VOTE ON FUNDING AND THEN YOU TALK ABOUT SELLING THE BONDS, WELL, BY THE TIME WE GET TO ACTUALLY DEVELOPING THE PROJECT, THAT 20 IS THAT $20 MILLION STILL WORTH $20 MILLION DOLLARS? SO THAT MEANS THEN YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY BRING IN MORE.
WELL, MAYBE I'M WRONG. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE $20 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT IF YOU TALKING IS THAT GOING STRAIGHT FOR THE PARK ONLY? NO, MA'AM. THE THE ANTICIPATED USE OF THE $20 MILLION IS FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
SO THE LAND ACQUISITION. AND THEN SO FOR THE OTHER AMENITIES AS IT RELATES TO THE PARK, DO YOU.
SO THE OWNER IS GOING TO HAVE TO, TO EITHER PUT OUT MORE MONEY OR COME TO THE CITY OR GET PARTNERSHIPS TO GET THE PARK DEVELOPED? YEAH. WE I'M JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT.
SO THE CITY WOULD THE CITY WOULD OWN THIS PARCEL ASSUMING COUNCIL APPROVES THE ACQUISITION, AND WE CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THAT BUILDING WILL BE DEMOLISHED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN A PARK WILL BE DEVELOPED ON THE SITE.
ALL RIGHT. SO ALL WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS THE ONE YEAR DUE DILIGENCE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FROM 2024, WE GIVE THEM ONE YEAR.
THEY RESPONDED POSITIVELY. AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND THAT HAS GOTTEN US TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WHICH IS IN A POSITION TO HAVE THE COUNCIL CONSIDER THE ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY.
ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU STARTED IN 2024.
YES, MA'AM. WITH A FORMAL LETTER TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
YES, MA'AM. AND THEN YOU COME TO THE COUNCIL AT SOME POINT.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? IT'S SCHEDULED FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ON MARCH 26TH.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN AFTER THAT POINT, WHAT HAPPENS? PARDON ME. WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? WELL, SO AFTER ASSUMING THE COUNCIL AGREES TO APPROVE THE ACQUISITION, THE PROPERTY WOULD GO THROUGH A CLOSING PROCEDURE.
AND AT THAT POINT, THE CITY WOULD OWN THE PROPERTY.
ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S NO. SO WE JUST HAVE A BIG QUESTION MARK ON THE PARK IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
THAT'S A GREAT POLITICAL ANSWER. THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT LIKE THAT FOR TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR. WEST YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
COUNCILMEMBER WEST. SORRY. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION, THOUGH. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IF IT'D BE APPROPRIATE TO.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ACTION. I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ACTION ITEM, BUT IF IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO JUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. LET ME CHECK. JUST LET ME. GETTING A NOD FROM THIS IS LISA MARES WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE ITEM IS NOT POSTED IN THAT MANNER.
[01:00:01]
VERY GOOD. OKAY. WELL, THEN I'M SORRY. SORRY.I WOULD JUST SAY PUBLICLY, THOUGH, THAT I DO SUPPORT IT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND OUR, PARK FOOTPRINT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS. LOOKING OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE TO SEE THEM.
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF WORDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID, AND I SHOULD JUST STAY QUIET.
I DO SUPPORT PARKS IN GENERAL. OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG ROAD TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO. BUT IT'S A VALUABLE PROJECT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THAT DISTRICT, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO AS WE MAY NEED TO TAKE A FEW REST STOPS ALONG THE WAY.
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. I DO BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL.
THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. AND COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY [INAUDIBLE].
JUST TO FOLLOW UP ABOUT DUE DILIGENCE, HAS THE CITY PERFORMED PHASE ONE AND TWO ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY? THE PHASE ONE ESA IS IN PROGRESS. I HAVE NOT SEEN THE RESULT YET, BUT I SHOULD HAVE THAT VERY SOON.
SO HAVE YOU ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE OWNERS YET CONDITIONED UPON CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL, OR WILL THAT FOLLOW APPROVAL? YEAH. NO, THERE'S NO FORMAL CONTRACT.
OH, OKAY. NO. WE CAN'T ENTER INTO A FORMAL CONTRACT UNTIL COUNCIL AUTHORIZES THE ACQUISITION.
WELL, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE PROTECT THE CITY FROM ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION THAT EXISTS SUCH THAT WE'RE NOT LEFT HOLDING THE BAG TO CLEAN IT UP. WE'RE FOLLOWING THE SAME PROCESS WE DO ON ANY ACQUISITION WHICH INVOLVES AN ESA PHASE 1 OR 2.
IF TWO IS WARRANTED. SO WILL THE INSPECTION BE COMPLETED BEFORE YOU ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT, OR WILL THE CONTRACT BE CONDITIONED UPON SATISFACTORY RESULTS? NO. THE ESA PHASE ONE WILL BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO ANY SORT OF CONTRACT THAT IS ENTERED INTO.
GOOD. EXCELLENT. VERY GOOD QUESTIONS FROM EVERYBODY.
I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THIS PARK. THE VOTERS VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO PASS THAT PROPOSITION.
THAT INCLUDES $20 MILLION FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
AND IT'S VERY WELL KNOWN THAT WE HEAR OUR CHAIRMAN FOR THIS COMMITTEE TYPICALLY WILL SAY A TALE OF TWO CITIES, THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH. AND THEN I ALWAYS ADD, THERE'S A THIRD TALE, WHICH IS THE WEST.
AND SO I SAID TO HIM BUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IS THIS IS ONE OF THE INEQUALITIES THAT NORTH DALLAS HAS OVER WEST DALLAS AND SOUTH DALLAS THAT WE HAVE ABOVE NORTH DALLAS, WHICH IS THERE'S VERY MINIMAL PARKLAND UP THERE.
SO MY COLLEAGUE MR. WEST SAID IT ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
WE GOT TO GRAB THIS LAND NOW WHILE WE CAN AND WE CAN GET IT AT IF YOU WANT TO CALL, YOU KNOW, NINE, TEN, 11, 12, $20 MILLION AFFORDABLE, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT MUCH CHEAPER THAN THAT IN NORTH DALLAS OR FAR NORTH DALLAS.
SO BECAUSE THE CHANCES OF GETTING EMPTY LAND I GUESS IT'S A PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW, BUT IS NEAR NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE IN NORTH DALLAS. AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CHANCES WE HAVE TO GRAB IT WHILE WE CAN.
AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE PLAN TO HAVE THIS HERE.
WHAT GOES AROUND IT MIGHT CHANGE AND BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT IF WE'VE SEEN THE EXCITEMENT AROUND KLYDE WARREN PARK AND I'M STARTING TO SEE IT NOW WITH THE HAROLD SIMMONS PARK, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BARELY STARTED ANY GROUNDBREAKING THERE.
AND YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT. AND I'M SURE WE WILL SEE IT WITH THE DECK PARK, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THINGS HAPPENING. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE GROWTH THAT CAN HAPPEN AROUND A PARK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND AS PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND IT'S PART OF OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND IT'S A PART OF A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE THINGS.
AND I THINK GOODNESS FOR PARKS IS WHAT I SAY, BECAUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC, THAT WAS THE ONE PLACE WE ALL COULD GO AND STILL BE SAFE AND STILL BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED AND NOT PUT OURSELVES INTO HARM'S WAY.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL AT PARKS DEPARTMENT KNOW, BECAUSE YOU ALL HAD TO BECOME VERY CREATIVE ON HOW TO MAKE SURE THOSE PARKS REMAINED OPEN AND DIDN'T GET FENCED OFF AND DIDN'T HAVE PROBLEMS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE.
SO WHEN THEY COME UP, I MEAN, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME WE BOUGHT SOME PARK LAND? LIKE IT'S PRETTY RARE THAT WE GET TO BUY ANY PARK LAND, RIGHT? IT'S MORE GIFTED TO US OR DONE IN A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
SO THIS IS REALLY EXCITING THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND I HOPE THAT WE DON'T PASS IT UP.
AND WHEN WE GET TO COUNCIL. CHAIRMAN, I SEE YOU'RE ON THE VIDEO.
[01:05:01]
IF YOU WANT THE FLOOR, YOU HAVE IT. YES. I JUST WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. THE ONE THING WE SAID ABOUT PARKS, ESPECIALLY IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, IS, NUMBER ONE, THAT THAT'S IN THE [INAUDIBLE] THAT HELPED REDBIRD MALL, BUT THAT'S ALSO AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BRING QUALITY OF LIFE THERE, BRING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THERE.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD GET 100% BEHIND IT, BECAUSE I LOVE PARKS.
I GOT MANY PARKS IN DISTRICT 8. BUT PARKS IS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT WE NEED.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE DONE WITH THIS ITEM.
WHERE DID I. HERE IT IS. I MOVED THE AGENDA. ITEM C, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM C? IT'S AN UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM FOR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
YES. MR. WEST YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.
[LAUGHTER]. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. THIS IS FOR THE ROSEMONT SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT, WHICH HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE 2014 AND REALLY IS JUST COMING TO FRUITION IN LARGE PART THANKS TO OUR STAFF THAT'S HERE THAT WAS ABLE TO GET US THE FUNDING WE NEEDED THROUGH THE TIF.
SO I WON'T GO INTO DETAILS BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN UP HERE A FEW TIMES.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN IN 2025.
SO THIS IS TO HIRE THE CONTRACTOR THAT IS GOING TO FOLLOW THE PREVIOUSLY DESIGNED PLANS, RIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I'M GOING TO CALL CAMERON UP HERE. HE IS HELPING ME WITH THIS STUFF.
CAMERON ANDERSON, HE'S THE ENGINEERING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, ALSO MANAGES THE INTERAGENCY SERVICES FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
SO IF YOU'VE READ HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE MEMO, IT MENTIONS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, TWO DIFFERENT SCOPES, THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL SCOPE OF WORK.
OKAY. AND THAT'S THE PART OF THE PROJECT THAT'S FEDERALIZED AND WAS ON A DIFFERENT TIME SCHEDULE.
AND IT WAS BID, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY BID. IF YOU LOOK TOWARDS THE END OF THE MEMO, WE DO MENTION ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENTAL SCOPE OF WORK, WHICH IS THE EXTRA STUFF THAT WAS ADDED IN 2023, 2024 OR AROUND THE CAMPUSES THAT WILL BE THROUGH AN EXISTING.
AND THAT ITEM WILL COME TO COUNCIL ON APRIL 23RD.
BUT AT SOME POINT I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN ANSWER.
AND I'M ONLY WAS TRIGGERED TO ASK THIS BECAUSE WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE KEVIN SLOAN PARK CONSTRUCTION, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS TO GET PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE PARK.
SO WE HAD TO SCRAMBLE AT THE LAST MINUTE TO DO THAT.
SO AS WE'RE THIS IS ALL BEAUTIFUL WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON EXHIBIT A, BUT MY CONCERNS WOULD BE FOR THE CROSSINGS AT CANTY AND TYLER AND THE CROSSING AT MONTCLAIR AND JEFFERSON.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF KIDS ACROSS THOSE BUSY STREETS TO GET THEM INTO THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS ROUTES WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE CROSSINGS AT THOSE TWO INTERSECTIONS ARE SAFE. SO IF THAT'S NOT IN THE SCOPE YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE BOND MONEY FOR JEFFERSON.
SO THAT COULD BE FIGURED INTO THAT. WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT FOR TYLER AND CANTY, BUT LET'S JUST NOT MISS THAT. OKAY, GOOD. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER? CHAIRMAN RIDLEY YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO, KEVIN, I AM CURIOUS WHY THERE ARE GOING TO BE TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS THAT RAISES A QUESTION WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH ESTRADA CONCRETE COMPANY TO DELIVER THE SUPPLEMENTAL SCOPE WILL AVOID CONFLICTS WITH A FEDERALIZED PORTION? IS THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE IN SEPARATE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS, OR WILL THERE BE SOME OVERLAP SUCH THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO COORDINATE THEIR TIMING AND
[01:10:10]
SCHEDULES AND EFFORTS? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.I'M GOING TO DEFER THAT QUESTION TO CAMERON. SO COUNCIL MEMBER, THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK WAS ALREADY ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARED, AND WE BROUGHT THE REQUEST BEFORE THE TIF BOARD, AND THEY REQUESTED THE ADDITIONAL PORTION OF STEVENS FOREST AND MARY CLIFF, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM ADDING THAT. BUT IF WE ADDED THAT AND INCORPORATED IT INTO THAT, THE ORIGINAL SITE FOR THE SCHOOL, WE WOULD HAVE TO START THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, WHICH WOULD CAUSE DELAYS AND TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS HAVE A THREE YEAR FUNDING LIMIT. SO WE HAVE TO MEET OUR THREE YEAR FUNDING DEADLINE.
SO DID MECA BID THE SUPPLEMENTAL WORK AS WELL, BUT JUST WASN'T THE LOWEST BIDDER? NO. WE OPTED TO BID THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL AS PART OF THE FEDERAL CONTRACT AS IT'S REQUIRED, AND TO PROVIDE THAT TO ONE OF OUR STREET RESURFACING ON CALL.
OKAY. RIGHT. YOU MENTIONED THIS WILL BE A CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE TO THE EXISTING ESTRADA CONTRACT.
SO IT WASN'T COMPETITIVELY BID. CORRECT. AND THAT CONTRACT ALLOWS THEM IT'S PRETTY OPEN ENDED AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ADDRESS A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS. SO WILL THERE BE ANY CONSTRUCTION SITE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE TWO PROJECTS OR ARE THEY DIVIDED? NO, THEY'RE VERY CLOSE. THE END OF THE ORIGINAL SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT IS THE START OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL SCOPE. AND WILL THEY BE GOING ON CONCURRENTLY OR SEQUENTIALLY? THAT'S TBD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY ELSE? ANYBODY? GOING ONCE.
TWICE. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS THE END OF THE AGENDA, AND WE ARE DONE.
SO THE TIME IS NOW 2:14 P.M., AND I NOW CALL TO CLOSE THE MARCH 3,
2025, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS. STAY SAFE EVERYONE. HAVE A GOOD ONE. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.