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How can Dallas protect single-family homes while adding density?

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How can Dallas protect single-family homes while adding density?


One of the major challenges of addressing Dallas’ housing shortage is developing new supply and adding density while protecting the single-family neighborhoods residents have worked so hard to be a part of.

Last month, the City Plan Commission approved a rezoning request for West Oak Cliff’s little Jimtown neighborhood that strikes a nice balance of both. How? It prevents multifamily development while offering a unique option: “granny flats.”

Roughly five years in the making, all that’s left is for Dallas City Council members to approve the rezoning. We urge them to do so.

The area up for rezoning is actually only a portion of the broader Jimtown area. It’s situated just southwest of Clarendon Drive and Hampton Road and includes 50 properties. The areas surrounding it are mostly zoned for single-family residential, but this one section is currently zoned for multifamily uses.

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Residents started the formal rezoning process in 2019. Before that, they had attended a meeting in which they found out their homes were zoned for multifamily use, said neighborhood association president Mary Lou Paras. Most had assumed they were zoned for single-family use.

Once they found out, fear of redevelopment drove the community to come together and ask the city to act, Paras said.

Paras described the neighborhood’s many community meetings and said the desire to change the zoning was pretty much unanimous.

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While barring multifamily uses in most of the neighborhood, the rezoning allows, by right, what are called accessory dwelling units, known commonly as granny flats.

These units are located on the same property as a house, either as a smaller detached unit or are an attached portion, according to the American Planning Association. Residents who jump through the municipal hurdles such as permitting can rent these spaces out.

That creates an opportunity for adding density and affordable housing. Plus, it offers residents an avenue for supplementing their income.

Victor Romo, 69, a Jimtown resident who spoke before the Plan Commission last month, told officials that he and his wife, Linda, have lived in their home since 1988 and are lifelong residents of Oak Cliff.

The residents of his area want security in knowing that a developer isn’t going to come in and “build three two-story condos on one lot,” Romo said.

Often, when an area is redeveloped, existing residents are priced out.

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Romo told planners that he continues to work in landscaping because his Social Security benefits aren’t enough. “It’s ridiculous that we’re living in the times that we are,” he said. “I don’t even know where we can afford to live if we can’t pay the taxes.”

Zoning is about more than documents, meetings and motions, it’s about real people who have made their lives in our city.

This process took entirely too long. A lot can change in five years. But in the end, Dallas got it right with Jimtown, tailoring the area’s zoning to the community’s needs. That’s how it should work.

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

Abbott is ramping up protection across Texas after Iran airstrikes

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Abbott is ramping up protection across Texas after Iran airstrikes


Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to increase protection at key state sites following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

Abbott issued a statement Saturday supporting the military action, writing “Texas stands with President Trump in sending a clear message to Iran: its aggression toward American and the West will no longer be tolerated.”

The governor said he directed DPS and the Texas National Guard to ramp up surveillance and patrols at energy facilities, ports and southern border.

“Texas is working closely with our federal partners to protect Texans and our critical assets from potential threats of retaliation,” Abbott said.

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In a post on X, the Texas National Guard announced its activation of service members.

Iran has retaliated by firing attacks toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

Across the U.S., law enforcement has stepped up patrols at sensitive areas, including houses of worship and diplomatic sites.

Security expert Eric Jackson, who retired as Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI field office, said law enforcement would be analyzing intelligence closely for potential threats at home.

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“These types of matters bring out the best in the [FBI],” said Jackson. “Everybody’s working hard and everybody’s focused on protecting the homeland.”





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

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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.

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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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



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