This townhome development in the 2500 block of West Davis has alarmed neighbors that displacement is coming for them.
The West Oak Cliff Area Plan draft says safety, from crime and for pedestrians, along with the possibility of displacement, are neighbors’ biggest concerns along the West Davis corridor, from Hampton Road to Gilpin Avenue.
From the draft:
Throughout community engagement, residents expressed … concerns related to high vehicular travel speeds, poor lighting at critical pedestrian intersections such as at Hampton and Westmoreland, and concerns about vagrancy and other perceptions of lack of safety at various businesses and areas.
The most common comment, however, throughout engagement in the areas was the concern about future displacement. As noted earlier, new townhomes have recently been completed [with] far higher prices than surrounding … homes. This new development is increasing the visibility and desirability of the area and will continue to put development and market pressure on surrounding neighborhoods moving into the future.
The townhomes, Echelon at Reverchon Bluffs, rent for about $3,200 for a two-bedroom and up to $4,400 for a four-bedroom, according to online marketing materials.
An apartment building on West Davis.
The draft recommends allowing accessory dwelling units, or rear apartments, for homes near Jefferson Boulevard’s high-frequency DART bus line.
And it recommends prohibiting future car-centric businesses like drive-thru restaurants and gas stations.
Current zoning rules, “permit certain uses that are not desired by the surrounding neighborhoods,” the draft states. “These include car washes, drive-thru restaurants and other drive-thru uses, and gas stations. Amending some of the existing PD 631 Subdistricts to prohibit these uses will bring the zoning more in line with the community’s vision.”
Many of the pedestrian safety problems will be addressed in the existing plan to reconfigure that portion of West Davis with a center median, new sidewalks and bike lanes. That project has already been funded from the City of Dallas’ 2017 bond and Dallas County.
The draft makes these recommendations for transportation:
- Explore opportunities to install a traffic signal or hawk signal along West Davis between Westmoreland and Plymouth to provide safe crossing for pedestrians.
- Leverage the aforementioned traffic calming measures stated in Transportation and Infrastructure section to slow traffic speeds and increase pedestrian safety at key pedestrian and commercial areas along West Davis.
It makes these suggestions for future land use:
- In areas within 1⁄4 mile of high-frequency bus (Jefferson Boulevard), create a zoning overlay to permit accessory dwelling units. Development will be required to follow existing city codes related to ADUs, parking requirements, setbacks, and massing standards.
- Consider future amendments to PD 631 (LCO Tract 3, LCO Tract 4, and MCO Tract 2) to not permit car washes, drive-thru restaurants, or gas stations due to their proximity to single-family.
- Consider future amendment to PD 631 to allow for shared parking strategies, remote parking uses, and potential park reduction for existing legacy commercial structures.
A vintage commercial building on West Davis.
The City of Dallas Office of Planning and Urban Design emphasizes that this is a draft, and staff is continuing to meet with neighborhood groups over the next six weeks or so to work out details of the next draft. None of this has been decided. The deadline for neighbors to comment on the plan is May 10.
Also explore our tours of the draft regarding Tyler/Vernon, North Cliff, Downtown Elmwood and Hampton/Clarendon.
