South Winnetka Heights Becomes Dallas’ First New Conservation District in 13 Years
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South Winnetka Heights just became the first Dallas conservation district to be approved in more than 13 years.
South Winnetka Heights resident Michael Evans, along with several of his neighbors, spent about three years working with city staff on the proposal that will protect their historic neighborhood from McMansions and incompatible architecture.
The newly minted South Winnetka Heights Conservation District is bounded by 12th Street to the north, Edgefield Avenue to the west, Brooklyn Avenue to the south, and the alley between Block 48/3303 and Blocks 186/3245 and 2/3244, east of Willomet Avenue and a portion of Polk Street to the east.
All but five homes in the area were built before 1939.
The architectural standards implemented through a conservation district ensure that any new construction will be built in the two prominent South Winnetka Heights styles: Craftsman and traditional Bungalow, District 1 Councilman Chad West said at an April 24 City Council meeting.
The 16-acre conservation district ensures that the neighborhood character is preserved, Evans told the Dallas City Council.
“Basically, we’re just trying to save what we have,” Evans said. “We were really worried about the new development that’s coming into the city, into Oak Cliff. We look to protect the houses that we have. We like the architecture, the style, and just the general vibe of our neighborhood. We’re worried about McMansions.”
A ‘Very Close-Knit Neighborhood’
South Winnetka Heights is four blocks south of the Winnetka Heights Historic District, Evans said.
“We do believe this is good for the city, especially District 1,” he said. “We love to live in Oak Cliff. We like our houses. We like our neighborhood. We just want to save it.”
Joleen Bagwell added that she and her neighbors on Clinton Avenue love their “porch community.”
“We love and want to preserve our almost 100-year-old homes,” she said. “We are living in that community a little bit like I like to envision they lived 100 years ago, when communities were safe, the beauty of age and preservation was important, when neighbors got together and knew other neighbors. We want to preserve that. We are a very close-knit neighborhood.”
Chief Planner Trevor Brown was credited with carrying the process from neighborhood petition to draft ordinance, which was approved by the City Plan Commission prior to the April 24 council vote.
A Neighborhood-Driven Conservation District
Unlike other contentious conservation districts, South Winnetka Heights has moved forward in one accord, Councilman West said.
“We all have in our districts zoning matters where we really have to hand-hold the neighborhood through it,” West said. “This was not one of those. The neighbors knew what they wanted. They took the reins and they drove it all the way to the finish line, despite COVID, despite ransomware attacks, despite staff changes. They made it through all of it and what a success this is today.”
Councilwoman Jaynie Schultz and other elected officials proudly supported the new conservation district.
“With all of the conversation about ForwardDallas [comprehensive land use plan] and false narrative about the assault on single-family homes, tools like conservation districts are exactly what neighborhoods can do to make sure the culture, the style, and the integrity of their neighborhood is preserved,” Schultz said. “Anyone who is listening, I strongly encourage you to take a look at what was done here and see about doing it for your own neighborhood. There is no better way to protect a single-family neighborhood than for the neighborhood itself to say, ‘This is what we want it to be and we are going to codify that.’ I recommend it, and I congratulate you.”
