Homes along Lakewood Boulevard in the existing CD No. 2. Photo by Renee Umsted
Some neighbors are working to expand the Lakewood Conservation District.
Over the past few months, a committee of 10 homeowners in our neighborhood has been meeting and working with the City of Dallas. They just formally submitted the request for a determination of eligibility and finalized the language for a petition.
The City has 65 days to make a determination of eligibility and notify the neighborhood committee. However, Summer Loveland, who is part of the neighborhood committee, says the City has already reviewed the documents and expects to approve the determination of eligibility within two weeks.
Loveland says she and the other residents are trying to help preserve the architectural styles and features that define the neighborhood. As homes are being torn down, their concern is that the rebuilds will not match the existing homes.
The expansion area includes 275 homes on Lakewood, Lakeshore, Avalon, Tokalon and Westlake. It borders the existing Lakewood Conservation District, CD No. 2, which is highlighted in the map below.
Lakewood Conservation District map
Formed in 1988, the Lakewood Conservation District was the second conservation district in the City of Dallas and followed the boundaries of the Country Club Estates development.
Homes in the proposed expansion area date back to 1924.
If the City approves the eligibility, the neighborhood committee will immediately request petitions, Loveland says. The City will have 14 days to provide the petitions to the neighborhood committee, which will have 60 days to get signatures representing 58% of the proposed land area or 58% of the lots. In signing the petitions, neighbors signal their willingness for the process to continue. Also within that 60-day timeframe, the City will hold a public meeting for neighbors.
Though this expansion would be classified as a subarea of CD No. 2, it would not need to adopt the same ordinance as CD No. 2. Neighbors will be able to write their own ordinance with their own set of development and architectural standards.
As evidenced by the Belmont Addition Conservation District, changing ordinances is a lengthy process. We’ll continue to provide updates as they come.
