Although work has begun on the East Dallas neighborhood traffic management study, much work remains.
Because of the complexity of the traffic situation in the Lower Greenville, Vickery Place and Greenland Hills neighborhoods, the City Council was expected to vote last month to extend the moratorium, which already is in place on street or alley closings or abandonments in the study area, from Jan. 31 to March 31.
Along these same lines, a workshop and meeting about traffic issues was held Jan. 30 by the three neighborhoods to discuss the long-awaited sound wall planned for the east side of Central Expressway.
The sound wall, which has been under discussion for months, is intended to screen the adjoining neighborhoods, primarily Greenland Hills, from freeway noise. But residents of streets in and near Greenland Hills are concerned about where traffic will flow if only some of the side streets are blocked off from the service road.
The sound wall project also has been beset by doubt about funding from the state Department of Transportation, which would probably be necessary to build it. At least one area council member, however, has expressed hope that the wall will be built.
Dr Pepper Update
The Lower Greenville Neighborhood Association reports in its most recent newsletter that the Dr Pepper building redevelopment is undergoing minor adjustments.
The 1970s glass block addition will be demolished and replaced with reconstructed glass block while the middle of the interior will be modified somewhat to accommodate smaller retail businesses. The anchor tenants will occupy the wings.
The association’s March 19 meeting (7 p.m. at Greenland Hills United Methodist Church, 5835 Penrose) will discuss the progress of the Dr Pepper adaptive re-use project.
New Homes Planned at Matilda and Greenville
The City Council has approved the Stonegate Homes development on the north side of Prospect between Matilda and Greenville, which entailed a change in zoning from retail to residential.
While some people in the area are concerned about the development’s configuration as a walled and gated community, others believe a high-quality residential project benefits the neighborhood more than commercial development.
Trees vs. Housing
Many of you will be interested to know that the City’s Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee, acting on instructions from the City Plan Commission, is taking another look at the new tree preservation ordinance less than two years after its adoption.
The ordinance, which was the result of compromise between environmental and business groups, may be watered down in the interest of “keeping the dirt flying”.
The advisory committee was expected to consider a proposal to eliminate tree replacement requirements when trees are located within the “building footprint” in residential subdivisions.
While reducing development costs for housing, this change could also result in the loss of more mature trees in Dallas.
For information, call D.J. Young at 528-5779 or the Dallas Historic Tree Coalition at 739-5886.
Henderson Study Progresses
Finally, it appears real progress is being made on the Henderson Avenue Design and Land Use Study.
Scheduled for completion this August, the study will propose ways to enhance the mix of land uses and appearance of Henderson from Central to Ross.
The study is sorely needed because of impending redevelopment activity along Henderson. In fact, construction of the Fiesta shopping center and the Fannin/Bonham relief elementary at the intersection of Henderson and Ross are underway, with more activity sure to follow.
The group is meeting under the leadership of City Plan Commission chairman Hector Garcia, who has a long history of neighborhood involvement.
