Dallas City Hall: Photo by Danny Fulgencio

Dallas City Hall: Photo by Danny Fulgencio

Almost everywhere we look, Preston Hollow is receiving pressure from new development, and with it a reputation for saying “no.” District 13 Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates says she has seen more zoning issues arise during her first year in office than her predecessor, Ann Margolin, did in her entire term. The real estate market is booming again — good for the Dallas tax base, not so good for neighbors who feel they must compromise their quality life for big development.

The black-and-white yard signs that pepper the lawns and medians as far north as Walnut Hill read “Not in Preston Hollow” with a red slash over the word, “re-zoning.” It refers to the battle brewing at the northeast corner of Preston and Northwest Highway, where Transwestern wants to build a six-story luxury apartment community. The project would replace the existing three-story, 24-unit apartment complex and the 12 townhomes behind it with 220 units.

Those in opposition had hoped to squash the proposal before it reached City Hall but, after months of discussion, the developers forged ahead and filed the zoning application April 24. Still, neighbors in Preston Hollow East and South have vowed to fight it.

“It affects the character of the neighborhood as well as our property values,” they wrote in an open letter. “We’ve let them know we’d support a development that was within current zoning. ‘It’s not economically feasible’ was their answer.”

District 11 Councilman Lee Kleinman is representing District 13 on the issue. Gates recused herself from the process because her husband’s company, Jones Lang LaSalle, brokered the sale of the property from Townhouse Row to Transwestern. Kleinman says it’s always difficult to balance the city’s interest with the neighborhoods’.

“Clearly a change-out of the housing stock on that corner would be an improvement not only in the look and feel but an improvement in the taxable values,” he told neighbors during a rally in February, “which means we could provide more services to the city.”

To the casual observer, the NIMBY yard signs could just as easily apply to another zoning conflict — one that had been resting beneath the surface a year before most people noticed the plan to construct Preston Center’s tallest building.

At 8215 Westchester, Crosland Group wants to replace a three-story medical office building with Highland House — a luxury residential tower with up to 29 stories and 260 units. That’s not sitting well with neighbors concerned about increased traffic, the potential impact on Highland Park ISD’s record-high enrollment, and the sheer size of the building.

[quote align=”right” color=”#000000″]“Let’s put our money where our mouth is, and let’s make a change. We’re not going to be successful if we just say ‘no.’ ”[/quote]

“I’m very pro-development. What scares everyone is the height,” said Paul Lee of Devonshire at a recent town-hall meeting. “I would encourage you all to come to a compromise on the height.”

By the time you read this, the proposal already will have gone before the City Plan Commission May 22 (Update: Highland House vote delayed over neighbor notification issues).

Not everyone opposes Highland House and the dramatic change it would bring to the neighborhood. Claire Stanard, a block captain who lives south of Northwest Highway “behind the pink wall,” is fighting the Transwestern proposal. But the effort to bring more upscale housing to Preston Center is a good thing.

“As much as I’m against the Transwestern project, I’m for this project,” Stanard says. “These are two entirely different projects. One is in a residential area, and one is in a commercial area.”

Terry Haines of Windsor Park points out that traffic has been a problem in Preston Center for 20 years. He suggested that neighbors proactively organize to help fund infrastructure improvements rather than simply opposing every high-density development that comes along.

“Let’s put our money where our mouth is, and let’s make a change,” Haines says. “We’re not going to be successful if we just say ‘no.’ ”

Gates is keeping an open mind about Highland House.

“Saying ‘no’ would have never gotten us here,” she says.

More notes from City Hall:
Discreet pump station to become enormous new facility
Dallas Water Utilities wants to build a 9,625-square-foot pump station and reservoir at the northeast corner of Hillcrest and Walnut Hill, replacing the small 60-year-old facility designed to look like a residential home. DWU says that, to comply with Texas Commission Environmental Quality, the existing pumps need mandatory improvements that warrant a larger and more energy-efficient structure. The plan requires a change to the single-family zoning, since the new building would comprise more than 25 percent of the lot. The City Plan Commission will discuss the issue this month.

What will become of the empty lots at Preston and Walnut Hill?
In April, demolition crews tore down four homes on the south side of Walnut Hill just east of Preston. According to the Dallas County Appraisal District, Romeo and Gayla Guerra of Plano own the properties but “aren’t ready to release information” about their plans. The lots are zoned single-family, which also allows a handicapped group dwelling unit. In compliance with the Fair Housing Act, up to eight handicapped people who are not related can live in a single-family home. However, only one of those lots would qualify because such houses must be at least 1,000 feet away from each other. Any other use would require a zoning change and public hearing. The city also requires a special-use permit for single-family homes to operate as halfway or sober-living houses — so no facility of that type could be built without input from neighbors and approval at City Hall.