In the fight against a big-box corporate behemoth in an area several urban planners, along with the city of Dallas’ own “Forward! Dallas” plan, say is better suited for pedestrian oriented development, the little guy won a huge battle this week.
The East Village Association, the neighborhood group that has spearheaded the fight against a Trammell Crow’s Sam’s Club-anchored development planned for the former ACS campus at Cityplace, won a significant ruling against the developer. The judge in the case sided with the East Village Association, recognizing their right to sue the developer on behalf of neighbors.
“As an immigrant who successfully traveled the long legal road to citizenship, I learned the power of perseverance and was sustained by the dream of being part of the greatest democracy on earth; ‘of, for, and by the people,’ ” said Jonas Park, leader of the “No MegaStore Uptown” group.
“From the first step of our East Village journey, we knew this would be a long expensive battle fighting the ‘establishment’ (The Trammell Crow company and the city of Dallas that seems to rig the game for them, against the citizens they purportedly represent),” Park said in an email. “However, the overwhelming support of the people of Dallas, energizes the East Village Association to keep plowing through until we stop the megastore Sam’s Club from being built and show the world that our democracy works and our voices will be heard by our justice system.”
The organizers behind No Megastore Uptown and the East Village Association are planning a rally to build awareness ahead of a January hearing. The rally is scheduled for Nov. 13 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. on the North Central Expressway service road. Residents have filed a Motion for Summary Judgment, in which neighbors will attempt to halt the development altogether. While that hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2015, there is no trial date yet. If the case proceeds to trial, Park said they could be in the courtroom sometime in July 2015.
You can keep track of the lawsuit on the No MegaStore Uptown website.
