Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn

Budget season is in full swing! Many thanks to all the residents who joined the two virtual budget town halls and attended the in-person budget town hall. I've appreciated your thoughtful questions and heard your priorities and concerns about how the city spends your tax dollars.

We've got one more town hall scheduled, and it is a tele-town hall, a first for District 12! You may have received a text message this weekend inviting you to it, or you may get a phone call Monday at 7 pm to join in. The Caller ID says "Political Call." If you don't get the call to join in but wish to participate, you can dial in at 888-400-1932. The purpose of the town halls is to share with you information about the budget, answer any questions you have, and get your input. You can find the City Manager's draft budget at: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/budget/financialtransparency/AnnualBudget/2122_00_Proposed-Budget.pdf

There are many important issues facing our district and city, and I strongly encourage you to speak up and get involved. From poker rooms, Cotton Belt/Silver Line, short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units, to public safety and the overall tax rate, you can make your voice heard in a couple of ways. One is to email the District 12 office, another is to email all city councilmembers, the mayor, and relevant city staff, and a third way is to give public comment at a city council meeting.

If you are experiencing any service-related problems (trash pick-up, traffic signs, code compliance, etc...) your first step is to call 311 or report your issue on the OurDallas app (available in the App Store). If you don't get the level of service you expect or need, constituent services are primarily handled by Madison and Luis. If they get stuck, they ask me to help address the situation. We're working from home part-time and city hall part-time, so please email:

Luis.Delgado@dallascityhall.com Madison.Johnson@dallascityhall.com

Cara.Mendelsohn@dallascityhall.com.

Stay safe, Cara

PS- as COVID-19 cases rise again, you can find testing and vaccination sites, virus data, legal orders, business assistance, and more on the city website at: https://dallascityhall.com/Pages/Corona-Virus.aspx

Yum - have you tried the latest store to open? Haute Sweets is amazing!

Q: What is happening in the parking lot of the old Albertson's?

A: L.A. Fitness is doing utility work to prepare for their build out. Expected opening is Fall 2022.

Q: Why are there 18-wheeler trucks in the parking lot of the old Albertson's?

A: For years this has been happening, but the out of town owner has to address it. Code compliance has issued a notice of violation and is working with the owner to come into compliance. They will reinspect at the end of the month. Please report overnight 18-wheelers to 311.

Q: What can be done to help Don Pepe's, Cane Rosso, Brass Tap, and Starwood Cafe get permits so they can open up soon?

A: If any business or homeowner needs help at this location or anywhere in Dallas, please reach out to us. The permit office is undergoing a lot of changes to improve now (thankfully), but if a homeowner or business applies for a permit and is not getting the responsiveness expected, please reach out to us.

Q: What other businesses are going to be at Hillcrest Village?

A: Texas Health Resources has signed a lease for the old Chase building. Most spaces have been leased or about to be leased. You can see the whole map at https://shopcompanies.com/sites/default/files/Hillcrest%20Village%20Presentation.compressed.pdf?v=1628095571.

The work to stop poker rooms from opening in District 12, especially adjacent to single family homes, continues nearly every day.

If it is determined they can legally operate in any fashion, a land use should be put in place by the City of Dallas to require a Special Use Permit that allows for city council notification, neighborhood input, and a council vote. When the rumor of the poker room at the former YouFit property surfaced in late January, I worked with the City Attorney's office to initiate this process. It takes a long time, and the item should finally be on the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee (ZOAC) agenda in late September. Your public comment will be encouraged. I will keep you notified so you can express your opinion.

While our District 12 office works on the poker room issue almost every day, so do many others. Please know the City Manager, Police Chief, City Attorney, Assistant City Manager of Economic Development, Directors of Building Inspections, Transportation, Planning, Code Compliance and many of their staff have taken the time to research the law, practices in other cities, consult with experts, and consider all aspects of this issue. As shared in a previous enews, no new Certificates of Occupancy are being granted right now.

Additionally, city partners have been very helpful, including the District Attorneys' offices in Collin, Denton, and Dallas, State Rep Matt Shaheen, as well as other elected Collin County officials.

More information on this situation is expected this week. A special enews will be sent out.

Dallas Animal Services is kicking off Clear the Shelters! NBC is the media partner and they will be showcasing lots of dogs. All pets will be FREE to adopt 8/23-9/19 and there are hundreds to choose from. If you're ready for a new companion, you can see the available pets at www.bedallas90.org/pets.

Are you interested in shaping the future of the convention center? There are ideas and plans being considered that span the range of a remodel to better suit the needs of large groups to tearing it down and rebuilding it. The convention center is city-owned and still has a large amount of debt. To hear the concepts and reasoning behind the ideas and provide input by polling, please join the virtual public meeting on August 25 at 6pm. The link to register is: http://bit.ly/public-meeting-0825 or view more information on the master plan at: https://www.dallasccmasterplan.com/.

Dallas County Health and Human Services will be administering first and second doses of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine at Fair Park every Saturday through September 18.

Appointments encouraged – click here to schedule!

Pharmacies and clinics across Dallas County are administering the COVID-19 vaccine. To find a vaccine location near you, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/. 

If you received your first dose (Moderna or Pfizer) at Fair Park or another location and need a second dose, click here for more information – Second Dose Vaccine Locations.

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are sometimes called Granny Flats, tiny houses, servant's quarters, or she-sheds. Basically, they are are a second structure on the property zoned single family, although a single family house could also be divided to provide the ADU.

There are benefits to ADUs, like increasing the amount of housing stock in a city, providing income for the property owner to rent out the ADU to help pay for the main home and expenses, and to allow a family member to remain independently housed but still on-site, and more.

There are also drawbacks to ADUs, like additional parking on the street, overcrowding of schools, loss of privacy for neighbors, problems with the tenants, renting the ADU as a short-term rental through AirBnB with a constant rotation of strangers in the neighborhood and possible parties, etc...

Some parts of Dallas have unpermitted ADUs and seek to increase the number of ADUs in the area. When the city council passed the ADU ordinance in 2018, they required a whole neighborhood to opt in (none have) or for individuals who want an ADU to go to the board of adjustment (BOA). The BOA will then notify the neighbors and make sure it is not detrimental to the neighbors. Very few applications have been filed.

For those that are pushing ADUs, especially as a way to densify the city and generate additional income on properties, they seek to flip how the ADUs are allowed. Instead of allowing them as an exception, they seek to have them as a right. They also would only allow neighborhoods to opt out, instead of requiring them to opt in. Here is a link to the presentation that will be given at the Housing and Homelessness Committee on Monday. http://cityofdallas.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=781ca31b-d732-4e43-8547-68036a58c8a5.pptx

If you have strong feelings about this, your comments to the full council are welcome. Thank you!

Take some time to learn more and give your input that will affect the future of Dallas! Link to register - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fowarddallas-neighborhood-summit-tickets-164371524655

The city will soon embark on discussions about regulating short-term rentals. Throughout Texas, different cities have taken very different approaches, from outright banning them, to limiting them to certain areas, limiting them to only homes where the owner is on-site, limiting the number of people allowed in a short-term rental and even when they are allowed outside, to allowing them anywhere with no regulation. What do you think? I'd love to get your input on short-term rentals here: https://forms.gle/oZSrTeuuUP82er2z6

Campbell Green Recreation Center is more than ready for a remodel and expansion. We've been looking at three scenarios - tell us what you think!

Scenario one - add a new entry, bigger meeting space with technology and a kitchenette, expand the exercise room, remodel and expand the men's and women's locker rooms/restrooms.

Scenario two - same as above plus classroom spaces so afterschool and summer programming can be expanded and more senior daytime programming can be offered.

Scenario three - all of the above plus an indoor pool. The pool would need to be constructed as a second phase and funding would come from a future bond package, but would be planned and designed in conjunction with scenario two.

Email cara.mendelsohn@dallascityhall.com and lane.conner@dallascityhall.com so we can get your input! We'll have some drawings of possible layouts in the next enews.

I was honored to help kick-off the Rainbow Days back to school bash. This event is hosted by generous sponsors and is full of games & activities, backpacks, school supplies & new clothing for students in homeless families. These donors are making sure they start the year off in style, with the supplies they need to achieve! Welcome to a year of learning, friendship, and new experiences. Learn more about this fabulous organization at: www.rainbowdays.org

Need help, got a question, or want to give input?

Email: Cara.Mendelsohn@DallasCityHall.com

Office phone: (214) 670-4067

Text phone: (214) 490-1036