A case study of Dallas development and planning politics.
Sharon Grigsby, columnist for the Dallas Morning News, reports on the plans for Bonton Village, a 12-acre development in the Lake Highlands neighborhoods of Dallas that will "include a 4-acre urban farm and farmer’s market alongside 120 tiny homes for some of District 10′s most vulnerable homeless neighbors. Also on the site will be a café, coffee shop, co-working space and workforce training center."
According to Grigsby, the plans for the site have been the source of controversy in recent months. A previous plan to develop a homeless housing project on the site met opposition from local residents and local Councilmember Adam McGough. Those opponents were called NIMBYs, according to Grigsby, who argues that McGough had a better plan all along.
"Earlier this month, the City Council’s Economic Development Committee greenlighted a key next step for McGough’s transformative project, Bonton Village @ Lake Highlands. The proposal for 12000 Greenville not only provides housing for the homeless, but jobs, commercial opportunities and neighborhood assets -- everything the original plan lacked," according to Grigsby. The proposal also allows a chance for Benton Farms, currently located in South Dallas as showcased in the video above, to expand its model for urban farming to the Lake Highlands neighborhood as a launching pad for national attention.
The source article includes more details of the remaining obstacles for the project to reach approval.
FULL STORY: Critics cried NIMBY when Lake Highlands rejected homeless housing, but Bonton Village plan looks like a win
Adaptive Reuse Successes in Dallas
The rise in office vacancies is fueling a boom in adaptive reuse projects.
Largest TOD in North Texas Breaks Ground Near Dallas
The mixed-use complex features over 400 housing units, offices, retail, and park space.
Dallas Ahead of the Game in Adaptive Reuse
Thanks in part to a state tax credit created in the early 2000s, downtown Dallas is set to create roughly 1,500 new housing units by converting office buildings to residential uses.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.
Trump: Federal Government Won’t Pay for California HSR
The President has targeted federal funding for the California bullet train project since his first administration.
San Francisco Enhances Urban Planning Initiatives with Green Infrastructure
San Francisco incorporates green infrastructure in its city development initiatives, elevating the importance of sustainability in urban planning.
Chicago Approves Green Affordable Housing Plan
The Mayor’s plan calls for creating a nonprofit housing corporation tasked with building affordable housing that meets Green Building standards.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions