Screenshot from aerial map in Case Report Z-25-000069.
The Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to approve the rezoning of 3.5 acres of undeveloped land by Coombs Creek.
The property, owned by former city plan commissioner Christian Chernock, lies between Plymouth Road and North Boulevard Terrace. In a 9-5 vote from the council, the site went from single-family to multifamily zoning despite community members’ concerns on both the environmental and neighborhood impacts.
“We have begged the developer to consider a planned development of multiple single-family units more sensitive to the neighborhood and preventing further erosion of Coombs Creek,” Brett Shipp said. “We’ve asked the developer to reimagine his project to limit the destruction of trees, to limit runoff and to limit traffic and noise. But for the past 10 years, there has been no commitment. There has been no compromise and very little transparency.”
Chernock has sought a rezoning of the land for over a decade. The most recent proposed development includes about 80 units for a two-building apartment complex.
At the meeting, Chernock said that the presented zoning had been adapted after years of outreach and collaboration with the community.
“The deed restrictions I’ve offered were shaped specifically to address those concerns, and are binding protections that will run with the land, but only if this zoning is approved,” he said.
Those approved deed restrictions include limiting lot coverage to 30% rather than the standard 60% of the multifamily zoning, restrictions to short-term rentals, a minimum of one parking space per unit, a pedestrian trail for residents and guests of the multifamily development, and an environmental setback of 20 feet along the east line of the Coombs Creek flood plain.
“I know change can be imposing and even upsetting for neighbors, and I’ve always taken this to heart, and I have found that when I’ve had the opportunity to sit down and walk through the actual details and the facts, the protections, the limitations and the alternatives, many people have come away seeing this as a very reasonable and balanced approach to developing this site,” Chernock said.
Additionally, city staff has determined that Senate Bill 15 would apply to the case. This would allow the site to otherwise be subdivided into lots as small as 3,000 square feet with 70% lot coverage.
District 1 Council member Chad West said he struggles to support SB15 as it seems it would make tree canopy runoff worse. However, he said a denial of this rezoning would offer fewer protections to the neighborhood’s character and no protections for short-term rentals.
“While neighborhood associations are split like they are in this case, I’m weighing resident concerns alongside staff’s and CPC’s professional assessment,” West said. “Like any compromise, no one’s going to feel perfect about this, but many can live with it.”
