We’ve Got the Memo Outlining Dallas Councilman’s Compromises on ForwardDallas 2.0

Seven long days have passed without in-depth reporting on the much-debated ForwardDallas 2.0 land use plan, but don’t worry. We’ll say it again for those in the back — Dallas City Councilman Paul Ridley helped reach some important compromises with single-family home advocates last week, and now it’s headed to Council.

CandysDirt.com was the first to report last week that ForwardDallas 2.0 made it out of the Dallas City Council’s Economic Development Committee and will be briefed at a public hearing before the full council on Sept. 25. 

At the Sept. 3 Eco Dev Committee meeting, Ridley introduced into the record many compromises that would ensure the protection of single-family neighborhoods.

Some spectators said Ridley “saved” ForwardDallas through his efforts to quell resident fears without entirely removing pieces of the land use plan that address housing.

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Last week we outlined line item compromises suggested by city staff, but we didn’t have Ridley’s specific proposals to change the plan until now.

The councilman’s office provided a copy of his remarks to CandysDirt.com, which also includes revisions added by other council members. Those were incorporated into the proposal that will go before the full council later this month. Read the updated latest draft of ForwardDallas 2.0, released Sept. 11, here.

“These changes, adopted by the committee, were made with the intent to preserve and protect existing neighborhoods, support neighborhoods in need of rehabilitation, increase housing options, and establish new walkable neighborhoods,” Ridley said in his Sept. 10 newsletter to constituents in Downtown, Uptown, and portions of East Dallas.

The changes are rather technical, so we’ll let you read them for yourself rather than attempt to summarize or interpret them.

The revisions received unanimous support from the seven-member committee which is chaired by Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins and includes Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam Bazaldua and council members Ridley, Omar Narvaez, Carolyn King Arnold, Kathy Stewart, and Chad West. 

Councilman Ridley said his revisions clarify the intent of ForwardDallas 2.0 and create a “compromise document” that represents the input reserved from the broad spectrum of stakeholders and their varying interests.

“Consistently we have heard our residents’ pleas for more housing options and also for protection of their existing neighborhoods and single-family zoning,” Ridley said in last week’s meeting.

“Through the input of so many stakeholders, it has become clear to me that those objectives are not incompatible in the context of ForwardDallas 2.0. While it is true that ForwardDallas will not rezone existing single-family lots and states that it does not recommend existing neighborhoods be rezoned, there is language left in the document that puts the burden of adding density on our existing single-family neighborhoods,” he said.

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Councilman Chad West, who represents North Oak Cliff, said he was probably “one of the biggest YIMBYs up here at the horseshoe,” referencing the movement for more housing options known as “Yes in My Backyard.”

“I do understand the flip side to being super aggressive on development,” he said. “I hope this compromise gets us there.”