Paul Ridley

Dallas City Council Wants Commercial Building Permits to Start at ‘Yes’ to Avoid Third-Party Review

By April Towery / September 19, 2023 /

In the wake of new legislation that allows builders to hire their own third-party reviewer if permits aren’t issued within 45 days, the Dallas City Council’s Economic Development Committee told the Development Services Department last week to continue prioritizing faster service, particularly for commercial permits.  In a Sept. 6 committee meeting, District 1 Councilman Chad…

Dallas Is Now Operating Under Ethics Code That Makes It Easier to Investigate City Officials 

By April Towery / July 6, 2023 /

A change in Dallas’ Code of Ethics that will make it easier to investigate and prosecute city officials and board members was approved last month, over the objections of a couple of council members.  The measure, which was ultimately unanimously approved, is an opportunity to get in line with other U.S. municipalities which require “a…

Crime Rate Hasn’t Changed in D14, But Residents Won’t Stop Talking About Short-Term Rentals 

By April Towery / June 12, 2023 /

The District 14 crime rate changed less than 1 percent year-to-date from 2022, but residents in East Dallas and downtown neighborhoods are divided on a public safety and housing matter that could at long last come to a head this week: short-term rentals.  District 14 has, by far, the most registered STRs, according to data…

Dallas Inspector General Wants Lower Burden of Proof When Filing Charges Against City Officials

By April Towery / June 8, 2023 /

The Dallas Inspector General wants to make it easier to file charges against city officials, and some council members don’t like it. The Dallas City Council was briefed on several amendments to the Dallas Code of Ethics on Wednesday. The updates included changes in language and definitions governing things like conflicts of interest, campaign activities,…

Will a Zoning Change Solve Short-Term Rental Problems? Dallas Council Vote Set June 14

By April Towery / June 7, 2023 /

New information on short-term rentals was presented to the Dallas City Council on Wednesday, with some city leaders asserting that a zoning change would not solve the problem of nuisance and crime-ridden properties.  Planning and Urban Design Director Julia Ryan recommended regulating short-term rentals by building into the registration ordinance things like density caps “so…