North Dallas neighbors unite against proposed development projects, threaten to recall council member
A new neighborhood coalition has formed in North Dallas to unify and strengthen opposition to several controversial development proposals.
One of the developments is multi-story residential and hotel towers at Preston and Royal that could be approved by the Dallas Plan Commission later this week. Neighborhoods are putting pressure on their city council member to delay the projects or face political consequences.
Among those who packed a North Dallas church Tuesday, were Richard and Mary Jane Cox, who have been upset for months at the thought of new hotel and apartment towers near the home they've lived in for 47 years.
"The hotel will be overlooking our house," said Mary Jane Cox.
"And it's not compatible with the neighborhood," said Richard Cox.
The Cox's attended the first meeting of D13 Together.
It's a coalition of North Dallas neighborhoods in District 13 that are calling on their councilmember, Gay Donnell Willis, to oppose a number of controversial developments that the city will vote on soon.
"When you have a meeting with her, you leave feeling dismissed and marginalized," said Doug Hazelbaker, a D13 Together coalition member. "So, this group is going to start changing that right now."
Not only is the group opposed to a 19-story hotel and an 18-story apartment tower that would replace a deserted strip mall at Preston and Royal, but also opposed to dozens of 3-story patio homes at Walnut Hill and Marsh, and to relocating Dallas City Hall.
This new coalition of neighborhoods has given their council member an ultimatum: delay votes on these controversial zoning and development issues or face a recall petition.
"If she does not agree to these three conditions, we will initiate a recall and we will replace her," said Dallas resident Katherine Seale. "If we have to go on that road, we're funded and ready to go to do it."
In a statement to CBS News Texas, the developer of the $800 million Preston and Royal apartment hotel project says:
"We have hosted numerous neighborhood meetings with hundreds of residents participating. As a result of listening to extensive neighborhood input, we have significantly reduced the height of our proposed development. We appreciate the many supporters who shared their enthusiasm for this quality development and we look forward to presenting our case to the Dallas Plan Commission on Thursday."
"Across these two cases there have been over 22 meetings and calls and hundreds of emails exchanged, and all of those requests have shaped the projects into what they are today," Willis said in a statement to CBS News Texas.
Meanwhile, D13 Together says more than 4,000 constituents have already signed a petition against the proposed developments, which is nearly half the number of registered voters needed to force a recall election.
