Neighbors Fight To Keep Upscale Restaurant Away From Katy Trail

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DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) — A group of Dallas neighbors are fighting to keep a proposed upscale restaurant and bar away from the Katy Trail and away their homes.

The Royal 38 restaurant is expected to open in the spring at the corner of North Fitzhugh Avenue and Buena Vista Street. The patio of the restaurant would back up to the Katy Trail.

The restaurant's owner, Michael Backlund, said the concerns have been "overblown."

His plan is to convert the old medical building into upscale restaurant with an extensive wine list, sommelier and a menu full of shareable small-plate choices.

"It will be the type of restaurant you would take a date on," Backlund said. "We are not trying to create a nightclub atmosphere."

However neighbors have started a petition hoping the TABC will deny Royal 38's application for a late-night liquor license.

"What we envision is loud noise and loud music on the patio," said Frank Miller, whose home is less than 100 feet from the proposed restaurant.

Other neighbors have expressed concerns about additional late night street parking in their neighborhood.

Neighbor Eric Bing said his main concern is crime.

"We already have a large cluster of bars here," he said. "This would be the forth bar here, and we know bar clusters are associated with crime."

Backlund said neighbors shouldn't be concerned. He said there will be no live music and has hired a sound consultant to ensure the noise will be kept at minimum.

Also, Backlund said all parking will be valet.

As for the concern about his restaurant bringing in crime, Backlund said that won't happen either.

"I think that their fears are way overblown," he said. "I believe we are actually going to move the neighborhood upwards."

Neighbors, however, remain skeptical.

"This is a bar that opens at 6 p.m. and closes at 2 a.m," Bing said. "You can call it what you want, but that's what it is going to be."

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