The Dallas City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved Ojala Holdings’ Standard Shoreline, a once-contentious Garland Road rezoning request, allowing for the construction of a 300-unit, four-story apartment complex adjacent to the Lochwood neighborhood.
The rezoning request approved at the Wednesday Dallas City Council meeting was initiated by Ojala Holdings and involved the purchase of a seven-acre lot at Garland and Centerville roads from Shoreline City Church for the Standard Shoreline development. After dozens of community meetings, the project evolved and now includes townhomes, an art park, and buffering to protect the privacy of surrounding neighborhoods.
District 9 council representative Paula Blackmon, who represents much of the White Rock Lake area, acknowledged the concerns of some neighbors, including the 60-foot height, traffic, and drainage. Ultimately, however, the city’s need for affordable housing prevailed.
“After hearing that the traffic will not filter into the neighborhood and could be improved on Garland Road, the stormwater will be contained on the property, and everything has been done to protect the privacy of those on Yorkmont [Circle] and close by, I feel there is no reason to deny this zoning case,” Blackmon said. “In addition, a good-neighbor agreement is in place to protect the quality of life.”
The rezoning also was unanimously approved in September by the council-appointed City Plan Commission.
For And Against Standard Shoreline
Four residents spoke against the proposed development, including Lochwood Neighborhood Association communication chair Thomas Buck. Buck was not permitted to address the project financing, which involves the infrequently-used Public Facility Corporation structure.
Through the PFC model, the city leases tax-exempt land to a developer for 75 years in exchange for at least 50 percent of the units being offered to tenants earning less than 80 percent of the area’s median income. The Shoreline project proposes that 51 percent of its units will meet the affordable criteria.
However, District 9 resident Davina Rhine took issue with a case report stating only 5 percent of the units would be for tenants earning less than 80 percent of the AMI. City officials did not respond to her statement, as is the policy with speakers in a public hearing.
Buck said after the meeting he wasn’t surprised that the rezoning was approved.
“What’s disappointing is the city is making decisions based on what the developer cannot do instead of what they can do,” he said. “The developer claims it is not ‘economically viable’ for them to build a two- or three-story complex, while it will cost them about $60 million to build a four-story one. They are not required to verify this claim. We are told to accept it as fact, which is unrealistic and arguably irresponsible.”
Eight residents spoke in favor of the project, including affordable housing advocate Mark Melton of the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center and District 9 resident Mike Nurre.
“My request today is that you simply reaffirm the recommendation of each of your planning commissioners,” Nurre said. “This seven-acre site is already surrounded by multi-family and commercial. It is a unicorn. There is possibly one other site between Buckner [Boulevard] and Northwest Highway that’s this big. We need to take advantage of this. The Shoreline Church is moving. They’re going to sell to this developer or someone else. If not this developer, then who? It’s a given fact that we desperately need affordable housing.”
Affordable Housing Hangs in The Balance
District 1 Councilman Chad West said it’s a testament to the work of city staff, developers, and residents that less than 20 people attended Wednesday’s public hearing.
“The city is in dire need of workforce housing,” he said. “In decades past, we didn’t plan for it very well. We have single-family neighborhoods throughout the whole city with our workforce being scattered farther and farther away from the city. In my neighborhood, I hear a lot about people being worried about a little bit more density because of their property values and traffic. If property values are a concern to folks, go back and look at when Highland Park was planned.”
When the Highland Park community was planned in the 1920s, city leaders thought ahead about the need for missing-middle housing, West said.
“We as Dallas have to catch up and do that now,” he said. “This has good setbacks and height protections and a good-neighbor agreement. I think this could be welcome in the community.”
Diversity in housing and uses actually enhances property values, said District 11 Councilwoman Jaynie Schultz. She welcomed the Ojala developers to build in her district.
“It’s clear that you listened and you responded to the neighborhood,” she said. “That is a huge aspect of good partnership with the city. I think in the end this will be something that everyone is joyful about.”
