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- Meetings of Interest 2: January 15, 2024
Meetings of Interest 2: January 15, 2024
Meetings of Interest: 🙌🏽 "Special" Meeting
Monday, January 15, 2024
Good evening:
With the City of Dallas closed today in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we've got a shortened week of meetings beginning tomorrow.
Read on for more on:
New questions about the proposed Downtown high-speed rail station and what one key regional transportation leader says it could mean for other Dallas projects.
The latest on the planned 2024 Bond Program, including potential for the $1.1 billion package to grow yet again.
Downtown convention center revenues.
A rare Friday afternoon special-called City Council meeting.
⚡ Highlights From Last Week's Meetings of Interest:
-- The City's Economic Development Corporation could have its first permanent CEO in place by the end of this quarter, officials said at last week's meeting of the nonprofit's board.
-- Public engagement continues on proposed new fees for residential and commercial development. City Council may vote next week (Jan. 24) on the fees, including 40 new ones.
. Watch the Jan. 9 Economic Development Committee meeting video
.
-- Council member Paul Ridley, whose district includes Downtown and Uptown, said he is against legalizing casino gambling, "because I think it results in a tax on the poor." Ridley made the comments during the Economic Development Committee's discussion of potential state legislative priorities.
-- The "Reimagining Downtown Dallas" transportation grant (noted in
) is thought to be for planning major transportation projects around the Central Business District, including redesign of Interstates 345 and 30 and high-speed rail. Economic Development Committee members and DDI would like to know more about the grant from our friend Transportation Director Dr. Gus Khankarli.
-- The Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) committee on Tuesday voted unanimously to move its draft update of the
ForwardDallas
land use plan on to the City Plan Commission. DDI President & CEO Jennifer Scripps was a member of the committee. It is not too late to weigh in, as there are two scheduled virtual roundtables next week if you would like to give the planning team your thoughts. Details can be found
.
-- City Council members wisely approved renewal of a Specific Use Permit for another 5-year term for Adair's Saloon in Deep Ellum, one of the best dive bars in Dallas.
-- The Dallas Park & Recreation Board approved abandonment of two easements at Downtown's Pegasus Park to allow for a major redevelopment of the Magnolia Hotel,
. DDI's economic development and planning team has been advising on this project. Watch the Jan. 11 meeting video
.
-- The Charter Review Commission moved nine proposed amendments forward, most of which were technical changes to align with state law or calendar challenges. The public has until this Friday, Jan. 19, to submit proposed Charter amendments. Learn more and submit your suggestions
. Watch the Jan. 11 meeting video
. (Thanks to Commissioners Angela Hunt and David de la Fuente and City of Dallas Manager of Government Affairs Jake Anderson for visiting with the DDI Public Policy Task Force last week about the Charter Review process.)
-- New uncertainty about
could threaten progress on other major Dallas transportation projects, North Central Texas Council of Governments Director of Transportation Michael Morris told the Regional Transportation Council last week. "I can't have selective regionalism," Morris said. "I can't have, 'I'm regional on these issues, and not regional on these issues.'" Among potential projects that could be delayed, Morris said, is a proposal for his agency to assist in making Downtown's Thanksgiving Square more pedestrian-friendly. Watch the full Regional Transportation Council meeting video
.
-- The Ad Hoc Committee on Pensions got
on the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System and the Employees' Retirement Fund. Both systems face funding challenges that must be addressed soon.
Thanks to DDI's Nikia Summerlin, Urban Planning Manager, for monitoring hours of meetings every week to help compile the above summaries.Questions? Nikia can be reached at [email protected].
📝 Memos of Interest:
-- The 2024 Bond Program capacity could grow again by another $150 million, from $1.1 billion to $1.25 billion,
Based on the current estimated $1.1 billion proposal, City Manager T.C. Broadnax has also revised his funding recommendations, including boosts for parks, libraries, and arts, with cuts to streets and homeless facilities. The above chart notes the staff recommendation and volunteer Community Bond Task Force (CBTF) recommendations presented last month, the average of feedback received from six City Council members since that time, and the new staff recommendations.
-- The City last year installed 200 signs reading "Say No To Street Charity - Be The Solution," at 51 reported hotspots for illegal solicitation across Dallas. None of the initial locations were in Downtown,
. City staff is seeking funding for additional signage in other known hotspots. It is unclear where those are.
-- Event-related Downtown convention center revenues exceeded expectations last year,
. Hotel Occupancy Taxes (HOT) and alcohol/beverage taxes also were above budget, "reflecting Dallas' strong recovery and growing tourism economy," the memo said.
-- Check out all the latest City Hall memos
and
.
Meetings of Interest: January 16 - 19, 2024
Tuesday, January 16
🚇
City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 1 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
-- DDI will be closely watching
on major Downtown transportation projects, including the vision for high-speed rail from Downtown Dallas to Fort Worth and Houston. There is certain to be more discussion about the possibility of an underground high-speed rail station, which is a change from current plans. Much of the work referenced in the briefing is guided in part by DDI's strategic
for Downtown, unanimously endorsed by the City Council in 2017.
-- The committee will also receive an update on the planned Dallas Water Commons project just southwest of Downtown.
.
-- We may know in the coming weeks what 2026 FIFA World Cup games will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. More on that and other World Cup planning can be found
.
Wednesday, January 17
-- Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson canceled this week's City Council briefing meeting, as noted in last week's newsletter. The mayor is participating in and speaking at the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week.
. A separate meeting is scheduled for Friday (see below).
Thursday, January 18
🗺
City Plan Commission, 9 a.m. briefing, 12:30 p.m. public hearing, Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
-- CPC will hear the latest on the
ForwardDallas
land use plan update, approved last week by a volunteer committee after many months of work.
🏘
City Council Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee, 6 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
-- This special-called meeting is to discuss and take public comment on a report issued last year by the Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness, Organizations, Policies, and Encampments (HOPE). DDI's Chief of Public Safety and Field Operations Larry Gordon served on the task force.
.
Friday, January 19
🏞
Trinity River Corridor Local Government Corporation Board Meeting, 10 a.m., City Council Briefing Rom, 6ES, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
-- This agenda includes an update on the Harold Simmons Park West Overlook design and marketing campaign.
.
⁉
City Council Briefing, 2 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
-- The meeting is expected to include discussion on the 2024 Bond Program and potential changes to the Employees' Retirement Fund. No agenda or background materials are posted online yet. Three Dallas City Council members used an obscure City Charter-established power to
(because Friday afternoon is the perfect time to deliberate how to spend $1 billion-plus in public funds and potential changes to the $3 billion employee pension fund.) Anyone wishing to speak at this meeting may
until Thursday at 5 p.m.
Downtown Groundbreaker: Robert W. Decherd
DDI last week announced the selection of
, recognizing a lifetime of achievement advancing and improving Downtown Dallas.
Decherd, the Chairman of the nonprofit Downtown Dallas Parks Conservancy (DDPC), previously known as Parks for Downtown Dallas, is the driving force behind an unprecedented Downtown parks renaissance that includes more than 20 acres of greenspace added to the Central Business District in less than 20 years, a feat unmatched by any other American city. He will be recognized at DDI's Annual Meeting on March 1.
With the opening of four signature Downtown parks over the past four years, DDI felt it was a perfect time to celebrate Decherd for a lifetime of achievements making Downtown a better place. DDI's newly formed Emeritus Board was unanimous in selecting Decherd.
Sponsorship opportunities remain for our 2024 Annual Meeting at the Omni Dallas Hotel on Friday, March 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Did we miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to talk about meetings?
.
Were you forwarded this newsletter?
.
Have a great week.
Best,
Scott GoldsteinChief of External Affairs& Government Relations
Downtown Dallas, Inc.
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