Sunday, June 11, 2023

Dear

:

Good evening. This week will be another flurry of activity at City Hall, as we count down the days to the July City Council recess.

Wednesday is the final regular City Council meeting for outgoing Council members Casey Thomas (District 3, southwest Dallas) and Adam McGough (District 10, Lake Highlands and Hamilton Park), both of whom have served for the maximum eight consecutive years. We wish them the best and thank them for their sacrifice and service to our city.

Town hall meetings are being held all over the city to share information and gather input on the 2024 Bond Program, expected to top $1 billion.

Check out the schedule here

.

Among the items to be discussed and/or voted on this week:

• The allocation of $90 million in Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) excess sales tax revenues for City of Dallas projects.

• The first step toward issuing $223 million in bonds for the Downtown convention center redo and Fair Park venue improvements.

• Whether to regulate or ban Airbnb in single-family neighborhoods.

• The City's 68-step (!) RFP process.

Read on for all that and much more.

 City of Dallas

📝 First, a few City Hall memos of interest

• Beginning July 3, the Dallas Police Department will require online or phone reporting for more than a dozen "non-emergency" crimes instead of sending uniformed officers to make reports. Informational meetings on this plan will be held at Jack Evans Police Headquarters this week on Thursday, June 15. Read more here and sign up for one of the meetings here. A chart of the offenses that are subject to the new policy is included below.

• Here's an interesting breakdown of how more than $100 million in "excess" taxpayer funds have been allocated in recent years.

• Check out all the weekly City Manager Memos here.

Monday, June 12

🎭 City Council Quality of Life, Arts, and Culture Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• Briefings continue in preparation for the planned 2024 Bond Program, expected to total more than $1 billion.

  • The Office of Arts and Culture's preliminary needs inventory totals more than $49 million for capital work at cultural facilities. The majority of those needs are for facilities located in Downtown. Read the briefing here. Review the inventory below.

  • The Library needs inventory totals nearly $84 million. That includes $6.6 million in needs for Downtown's J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. Read the briefing here.

🏛 Ad Hoc Legislative Affairs Committee, 11 a.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• A recap of the good and the bad from the 88th Texas Legislative Session includes the below breakdown of state budget appropriations. DDI advocated for funding the Regional Police Training Facility, which would include a new Dallas Police Academy. Read the full briefing.

🚅 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 12:40 p.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• A briefing on digital billboards includes a glimpse into what future “beautification” (?) concepts could look like. See below.

• This Strategic Mobility Plan (SMP) progress report notes DDI's ongoing work on a citywide curb management plan, as well as parking meter rates and dynamic pricing.

Tuesday, June 13

🏡 Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• More than 2,100 people experiencing homelessness have been re-housed under the Dallas R.E.A.L. Time Rapid Rehousing Initiative, according to this Homeless Response System Quarterly Report. Of those, 99% did not return to homelessness.

💹

Government Performance and Financial Management Committee, 1 p.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• The City's current RFP process includes 68 distinct steps, as illustrated in the image below. Do not stare at it for too long. City officials are working on improvements, according to this briefing.

🚌

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board, 12:30 p.m., Board Room, 1401 Pacific Ave.

• The board will be briefed on DART rider feedback channels and planned future enhancements. Read the briefing here.

Wednesday, June 14

🏛 City Council Meeting, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• Item 7 authorizes the City to prepare to issue $223 million in bonds for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center redevelopment and Fair Park venue renovations, as approved by voters last year. City officials have said this is the first tranche of bonds, with the second tranche expected to be issued some time next year. Read more.

• Item 12, which is related, allows for eligible City expenditures that occur prior to receipt of the bond proceeds to be reimbursed once the funds are received.

• Item 33 includes changes to a loan agreement tied to development of the Lorenzo Hotel in the Cedars just south of Downtown. Read more.

• Item 37 authorizes a $2 million two-year consulting contract with Chicago-based urban planning firm Camiros, Ltd. to "develop a modern, updated and user-friendly development code that is streamlined, consistent, clear, and aligned with all City plans and policies."

• Item 60 codifies how $80 million in DART excess sales tax revenues. Another $10 million will be funneled through the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). Read more on the plan and how it came to be.

• Item 68 includes changes to the City's Code of Ethics. Amendments include creating a criminal offense (Class C misdemeanor) for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. Read more.

• Item 70, Item 71, and Public Hearing 2 are all tied the City Council's decision to regulate short-term rentals (Airbnb) through a registration process or ban them in single-family neighborhoods, as the City Plan Commission recommended.D Magazine's Matt Goodman explains it better than I ever could.

• Public Hearing 1 is a Development Code change to address the two-year waiting period required between a final decision of either approval or denial of a zoning change or specific use permit (SUP) and any subsequent application for a zoning change or SUP on the same property. City staff is recommending a Development Code change to eliminate approvals from that waiting period. Read more.

Thursday, June 15

🗺

City Plan Commission, Briefing @ 9 a.m., Public Hearing @ 12:30 p.m., Council Chambers, Dallas City Hall

• No Downtown cases on this week's agenda.

🏞 Dallas Park and Recreation Board, 10 a.m., 6FN Conference Room, Dallas City Hall

• The agenda includes briefings on 2024 Bond Program match funding requests for the Dallas Arboretum, Water Commons, Fair Park, and Klyde Warren Park.

• A Park Safety and Security Strategic Plan briefing is also on the agenda.

• The Park Board will also continue work on prioritizing potential 2024 bond projects.

Downtown Dallas Quote of the Week

Downtown Dallas, Inc., Security Lt. Bryan Cruz:

"There's been tremendous change Downtown the past few years, new restaurants, parks, attractions. All along the way, DDI has been a constant force to make sure we put our best foot forward for visitors, residents and workers."

Read the full story

Did we miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to say hi?

Let me know

.

Have an awesome week in Downtown Dallas.

Best,

Scott GoldsteinChief of External Affairs& Government RelationsDowntown Dallas, Inc.

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