Le Sol House. Photography by Lauren Allen.
Le Sol, the hospitality company and members club running out of two Kidd Springs homes, is to cease operations effective immediately following notifications of Dallas City Code violations.
The origins of Le Sol come from founder Taylor Madison’s experiences hosting at her home, including times that Leon Bridges performed on her property.
She later developed a membership-based model, which launched officially in 2023. Membership prices have been reported to start at $250 per month to allow access to the club’s wellness, travel, art and social programming.
According to emails from the Dallas City Attorney’s Office sent Thursday, March 26 to the property owners of Le Sol House and Château Le Sol, the properties were found “in violation of provisions of the Dallas City Code constituting a substantial danger of injury and/or adverse health impact to other people or property.”
“Oak Cliff is a hub for entrepreneurship and small businesses, and as a community, we pride ourselves on shopping local and supporting each other. With that being said, City Codes are in place for a reason, and the rules apply to all of us,” District 1 Council member Chad West said in a statement to the Advocate.
Both properties were found in violation of the following three provisions in Dallas City Code:
- Per Section 51A-1.103(a)(3), a person may use the property for the purposes allowed by the city as permitted. Currently, the properties are zoned for residential use.
- Per Section 51A-1.104, a person may not use or change the use of the property without obtaining a certificate of occupancy from the building official.
- Per Section 52.306.1, a building or land may not be used, occupied or changed in use, occupancy or tenant until the city issues the certificate of occupancy and the required fees have been paid.
The notification for the Château Le Sol property included an additional violation per Section 43-139(a) of Dallas City Code. The section prohibits any construction in the public right-of-way, except in emergencies, without a permit from the Director of Transportation and Public Works. It also requires a permit for work outside of the right-of-way on the property that may cut, break or otherwise damage the public right-of-way.
The commercial use of the residential properties is what raised concerns for the Kidd Springs Neighborhood Association.
Rob Shearer, who serves as vice president, said that the goal of the association is to protect the predominantly single family nature of Kidd Springs. He first heard about gatherings at Madison’s home when Bridges had done a concert.
“Then they were, at that point, they were posting on social media pretty regularly,” he said. “They had a website up with information about Le Sol. It was pretty easy to quickly see what they were doing in the houses didn’t fit the definition of the zoning that the house has had.”
It’s not that they don’t like businesses, he said, but that the association thinks there’s a great spot for that within a property that is zoned for commercial use.
“Our opposition to Le Sol is not specific to Le Sol. It is rooted in, ‘this isn’t the appropriate use for those two homes,’” Shearer said. “They’re right in the middle of the neighborhood. It’s not even on the edge of the neighborhood, like next to Davis Street or something. And so the neighborhood association has opposed this.”
He said that the association has worked with city staff and city council to provide information on Le Sol, such as pictures from their social media posts showing pool parties or pictures of emails that they were sending out advertising events. Neighborhood meetings also took place with members of Le Sol in attendance.
“So that was really the extent of it. We never filed any formal complaints as a neighborhood association,” he said. “It was more just making sure that the City was aware that this was going on and that we were hoping that they could help us remedy the situation.”
Shearer added that, to his knowledge, he does not know of any Kidd Springs neighbors who have submitted an official complaint of code violations at Le Sol.
“Due to staff’s work with Le Sol, they have suspended paid membership until they have the appropriate zoning,” West said in the statement. “This zoning process will provide neighbors a good opportunity to weigh in on the proposed land use.”
Jon Daniel, who lives across the alley from one of the properties, said that as a neighbor to Le Sol, he has only had two experiences where the music was too loud. After a quick text to Madison and staff, he said the volume was “taken care of pretty much immediately.”
“I would say that, since I’m not an attorney, that my whole feeling is that I can report what my experience has been like as a neighbor, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s that they’re really excellent neighbors,” Daniel said.
He added that he doesn’t have concerns about the code violations, but rather concerns about the process of equal application of code violations.
“What I’d like to see is for the process to sort of run its course. I do feel bad if there are any neighbors who have had situations where it hasn’t been good,” Daniel said.
Amanda Mecsey, founder of Oak Cliff Pilates and a Kidd Springs neighbor, said she appreciates that someone had come in and cleaned up the two homes.
“As a neighbor, literally down the street, I have never had a problem with her events or construction or anything that has gone on like whatsoever with her, and I’m literally down the street from both houses,” Mecsey said.
Though she has never been a member of Le Sol, she has been to the property as a guest or for events, even teaching Pilates at Le Sol in the past.
“I don’t exactly know what the code violations are. I’ve heard through the grapevine that there are some people that have gone against her and made her life very, very hard that actually don’t live down the street from her,” she said. “As far as a business owner, I believe in code work, obviously, because you have to do it the right way. But I do believe that sometimes, as a business owner, we do things to make nice things and we’re not always aware of all the codes.”
In a previous article for the Oak Cliff Advocate, Madison said she is currently going through the Specific Use Permit (SUP) application process. A SUP would provide a “means for developing certain uses in a manner in which the specific use will be compatible with adjacent property and consistent with the character of the neighborhood,” according to the City of Dallas website.
Shearer said that in his opinion the approval of a SUP for Le Sol would set a terrible precedent.
“I think it would allow anything to open anywhere in the middle of any neighborhood. And I don’t think that’s what homeowners of Dallas are looking for. I don’t think that’s what neighbors want,” he said. “It’s nice that we have great commercial areas in our neighborhood like Bishop Arts, but I don’t think we have to turn every residential neighborhood into the next Bishop Arts.”
