gc
11 September 2003, 09:09 PM
Single-family backers win in Love Field-area zoning dispute
Opponents decry change that prevents building of town houses
11:01 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 10, 2003
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/091103dnmetzoningvote.a74b3.html
Two neighborhoods east of Dallas Love Field were officially stamped "single-family" Wednesday – but not before passionate crossfire between opposing sides.
For 2 ½ hours, residents of the communities at Lovers Lane and Lemmon Avenue hashed out the pros and cons of single-family vs. multifamily zoning before the Dallas City Council.
Though the area is dotted with one-story frame homes, the zoning label has allowed for the possibility of apartments, town houses and duplexes for 40 years.
Seeking to correct the mismatch, the council member for the area, Veletta Forsythe Lill, recommended approval of zoning changes for both areas.
The council approved the northern parcel with two dissenting votes and the southern piece with one no vote.
Janet Maddox left the council chambers with tears of relief.
"I feel like I've lost 100 pounds off my shoulders," said Ms. Maddox, who lives on Midway Road. "I'm elated. I'm ecstatic. I'm overjoyed."
The council called on opponents of the zoning change to work with supporters and develop a plan for town houses on the cul-de-sac of Culcourt Street.
But Casey Blank, one of the opponents, called the decision a loss and said he doubted such a plan would ever be approved.
"We had 100 percent of Culcourt with us," he said. "What do we need? 150 percent of Culcourt now?"
Consultants for opponents said neighbors would come back within a year with a development that everyone could agree on.
Throughout the debate, residents traded emotional speeches and harsh rebukes, extending a nearly yearlong dispute that has split the neighborhoods.
The conflict began when a developer approached some homeowners late last year.
Ms. Maddox characterized it as "circling [her] lot like an animal looking for its prey."
"He threatened to build three-story apartments all around me if I didn't sell and told me, quote, 'We've already got the zoning, so there's nothing you can do about it,' " she said.
Worried about an apartment complex, some residents called city officials for help.
The city noticed that the zoning did not match what was in the neighborhood and sought to change it.
On Wednesday, opponents accused the council of trouncing over their land rights with a speedy set of hearings.
"The property owners feel like defendants of an alleged crime – the crime being purchasing property in good faith, relying on the city's zoning," said Ronald Weisfeld, who owns four properties in the neighborhoods. "This will reflect on the entire city of Dallas that current zoning is meaningless."
Those arguments seemed to sway council members Bill Blaydes and Ed Oakley, who voted against the zoning change for the northern section.
Mr. Blaydes, who also voted against a change for the south, said he wanted a more comprehensive land study.
Mr. Oakley said zoning cases need more time because the public is unfamiliar with the process.
For their part, proponents urged the council to protect their neighborhoods from potential development.
Residents spoke of a friendly neighborhood where they hope to raise their children.
"In many ways, our neighborhood is like the neighborhoods in the TV shows from the '50s and '60s," said Grace Niemeyer of Midway Road.
E-mail mgrabell@dallasnews.com
Opponents decry change that prevents building of town houses
11:01 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 10, 2003
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/091103dnmetzoningvote.a74b3.html
Two neighborhoods east of Dallas Love Field were officially stamped "single-family" Wednesday – but not before passionate crossfire between opposing sides.
For 2 ½ hours, residents of the communities at Lovers Lane and Lemmon Avenue hashed out the pros and cons of single-family vs. multifamily zoning before the Dallas City Council.
Though the area is dotted with one-story frame homes, the zoning label has allowed for the possibility of apartments, town houses and duplexes for 40 years.
Seeking to correct the mismatch, the council member for the area, Veletta Forsythe Lill, recommended approval of zoning changes for both areas.
The council approved the northern parcel with two dissenting votes and the southern piece with one no vote.
Janet Maddox left the council chambers with tears of relief.
"I feel like I've lost 100 pounds off my shoulders," said Ms. Maddox, who lives on Midway Road. "I'm elated. I'm ecstatic. I'm overjoyed."
The council called on opponents of the zoning change to work with supporters and develop a plan for town houses on the cul-de-sac of Culcourt Street.
But Casey Blank, one of the opponents, called the decision a loss and said he doubted such a plan would ever be approved.
"We had 100 percent of Culcourt with us," he said. "What do we need? 150 percent of Culcourt now?"
Consultants for opponents said neighbors would come back within a year with a development that everyone could agree on.
Throughout the debate, residents traded emotional speeches and harsh rebukes, extending a nearly yearlong dispute that has split the neighborhoods.
The conflict began when a developer approached some homeowners late last year.
Ms. Maddox characterized it as "circling [her] lot like an animal looking for its prey."
"He threatened to build three-story apartments all around me if I didn't sell and told me, quote, 'We've already got the zoning, so there's nothing you can do about it,' " she said.
Worried about an apartment complex, some residents called city officials for help.
The city noticed that the zoning did not match what was in the neighborhood and sought to change it.
On Wednesday, opponents accused the council of trouncing over their land rights with a speedy set of hearings.
"The property owners feel like defendants of an alleged crime – the crime being purchasing property in good faith, relying on the city's zoning," said Ronald Weisfeld, who owns four properties in the neighborhoods. "This will reflect on the entire city of Dallas that current zoning is meaningless."
Those arguments seemed to sway council members Bill Blaydes and Ed Oakley, who voted against the zoning change for the northern section.
Mr. Blaydes, who also voted against a change for the south, said he wanted a more comprehensive land study.
Mr. Oakley said zoning cases need more time because the public is unfamiliar with the process.
For their part, proponents urged the council to protect their neighborhoods from potential development.
Residents spoke of a friendly neighborhood where they hope to raise their children.
"In many ways, our neighborhood is like the neighborhoods in the TV shows from the '50s and '60s," said Grace Niemeyer of Midway Road.
E-mail mgrabell@dallasnews.com