Dallas, TX

A good sign from the Dallas permitting office

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2024

A good sign from the Dallas permitting office

There was some good news from the long-troubled Dallas permitting office recently. Every step of improvement there is worth noting, and just as we criticized the failures, we are ready to celebrate signs of success.

A city memo from Nov. 1 said the Planning and Development Department has cut the time it takes to issue commercial construction permits in half. It used to take more than 300 days. In October, it was down to 122.

The department has also resolved half of the 9,800-case backlog of stale or inactive permits.

We’ve heard from too many developers over the last few years that it’s too hard to build in Dallas. Suburbs are attracting homes and businesses away from the core city, partly because permitting is easier there.

Interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has pushed resources toward the problem. This summer, she combined two departments with responsibilities related to planning and development in an effort to streamline operations. She also launched a public dashboard to track commercial permitting metrics and make that information easily accessible to the public. Now, she has commissioned Assistant City Manager Robin Bentley to pull together a team of representatives from various city departments, working with a contractor, to shorten wait times.

“The goal of this work is to reduce the number of days it takes to issue commercial permits, improve process efficiency, and enhance the customer experience,” Bentley wrote in the memo.

Two days before, Tolbert said, “As a city, we needed to learn how to be more customer-centric.”

That’s the right message, and this seems like the right way to get there.

It’s too early to declare victory, though. The Nov. 1 report dealt only with October’s data. The trendline over the past few months has been erratic, not steadily improving as we’d like to see. The average wait time for commercial permits issued in September was a whopping 827 days.

It remains to be seen if this is a fluke or the beginning of real change, but this is a positive move. Builders will be glad to see progress, as will the people who some day live, work or shop in the places they build. Dallas was once a “can-do” city resolved to keep the dirt flying. We won’t get back to that growth without a similar “can-do” attitude on Marilla Street.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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Dallas, TX

Insider Reveals Dallas Cowboys’ Upcoming Plans With Anthony Hill Jr.

Published

11 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Insider Reveals Dallas Cowboys’ Upcoming Plans With Anthony Hill Jr.

The Dallas Cowboys may not have met formally with Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. at the NFL Combine, but their interest in the Longhorns’ defender is still worth watching.

Earlier this week, it was revealed by Dallas Cowboys’ beat writer Clarence Hill Jr. that Dallas has intentions to schedule a private dinner with Hill Jr. ahead of Texas’ pro day.

Currently, the Texas linebacker is rated the No. 5 linebacker and the No. 34 prospect in this year’s draft class.

Texas LB Anthony Hills Jr did not have a formal meeting with the Cowboys at the combine but a private dinner is planned before the Texas pro day, per source
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) February 25, 2026

The Cowboys have made it abundantly clear that they are keeping their eyes on the elite prospects coming from the state of Texas.

Not only did the organization meet with Longhorns’ linebacker Trey Moore earlier this week, but it has also spent time with multiple Texas A&M prospects during the pre-draft process.

Why Anthony Hill Jr. Makes Sense for Dallas

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. celebrates during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Hill Jr. makes plenty of sense for Dallas because of the kind of speed, range, and physicality he brings to the second level of a defense. Across three years at Texas, the linebacker totaled just under 250 tackles, 31.5 tackles for a loss, and 17.0 sacks. He also forced eight fumbles, deflected seven passes, and caught three interceptions during his time in Austin as well.

With that kind of résumé at the collegiate level, it’s no wonder why the Cowboys have shown great interest in Hill Jr. While they may not have formally met with him before the NFL Combine, the organization’s willingness to schedule a dinner the Texas linebacker says plenty about the level of respect it has for his game.

There are many mock drafts that have Hill Jr. going in the first round of this year’s draft. He’s projected an early second-round pick, but his versatility and well-rounded physical traits set him apart from most defensive prospects.

He also set himself apart from the other linebackers in this draft cycle by running a 4.51-second 40-time at the NFL Combine earlier this week. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles both ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, while TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr recorded an impressive time of 4.47 seconds.

The private dinner gives the Cowboys a chance to learn more about Hill Jr. away from the football field. While the Texas linebacker has the tangibles to be an instant playmaker for any NFL franchise, it seems that Dallas is looking to learn more about his personality before the Texas Longhorns’ pro day.

Last year, Texas’ Pro Day took place on March 25, giving NFL teams one final chance to watch the Longhorns’ draft prospects go through drills and interviews in Austin.

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Dallas, TX

Letters to the Editor – Three Cheers for a Plano fire station, Dallas Parks & Rec, voting

Published

23 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Letters to the Editor – Three Cheers for a Plano fire station, Dallas Parks & Rec, voting

1 Plano No. 5 fire station paramedics — I thank God for the paramedics at Plano No. 5 fire station. On Sunday after services, my wife of 46 years had a severe heart attack. The 911 call brought six great men who quickly got my wife to the excellent Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital and saved her life.

I am so grateful to not only live here in Plano, but that the Lord is not done with Donna yet.

Anton Skell, Plano

2 Dallas Park and Recreation teams — On behalf of all the bikers, joggers and walkers along the White Rock Creek trail, a special thanks to the Dallas Park and Recreation teams that clean all the goo and muck off the trail after a heavy rain.

This is particularly an issue at the White Rock Creek and Cottonwood Creek low water crossing as mud several inches thick accumulates along about a foot-long swath of the trial, making it incredibly slippery and unsafe.

However, like clockwork, we can count on a team from Park and Rec with their front-end loader, shovels and squeegees to clear the path within 24 hours or so. Appreciate all the work!

Ron Carey, North Dallas

3 DMN voting recommendations — Thank you for the time and energy that you spend vetting the candidates and making your recommendations. I take your thoughts seriously and am grateful for the information you provide.

I hope you continue to provide this valuable service. It’s needed and appreciated.

Alice Gant Coder, Dallas

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here.

If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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Dallas, TX

Downtown Dallas Inc. backs relocating aging City Hall, redevelopment of site

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Downtown Dallas Inc. backs relocating aging City Hall, redevelopment of site

Downtown Dallas Inc. announced Friday that it backs the potential relocation of City Hall and redevelopment of that site, adding support to a high-stakes decision about the city’s urban core.

“DDI believes this is a generational opportunity to modernize and elevate how Dallas delivers public services,” said its president and CEO, Jennifer Scripps. “But we must be equally clear: Any future City Hall belongs within the highway loop in downtown.”

She said the current building “is no longer serving its intended purpose,” adding that key government functions are “inefficient — truly stymied in that space.”

Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., delivers opening comments... — Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., delivers opening comments during the group’s annual meeting at the Fairmont Dallas on Feb. 27, 2026.
Steve Hamm

DDI, a nonprofit, promotes downtown Dallas, and its board voted unanimously this week to back the course outlined by the City Council’s Finance Committee, Scripps said at the group’s annual meeting at the Fairmont Dallas.

That committee this week asked city staff to shift 311, 911 and emergency operations to a new government center as soon as possible, explore moving all other functions and pursue redevelopment options for the current site at 1500 Marilla St.

Downtown business interests favor redevelopment of the property for mixed-use projects and other ideas, while preservationists have called for protecting the I.M. Pei-designed building.

Last year, City Council members directed City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to assess the building’s condition. She engaged the nonprofit Dallas Economic Development Corp. to lead the review.

The EDC’s report, released last week, found that fully repairing and modernizing City Hall could cost taxpayers more than $1 billion over 20 years.

DDI also is urging city leaders to pursue a redevelopment strategy for the existing site that builds on major public investments already underway downtown, including: