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Connecting You With City Information, News, and Resources
Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn

Council appointments:
*Chairman, Government Performance and Financial Management Committee
*Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on General Investigations and Ethics
*Vice Chairman, Public Safety Committee
*Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee
*Transportation Committee
*Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19
*Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs
*Regional Transportation Council Member
*North Central Texas Council of Governments Executive Committee

Other city-related appointments/elected positions:
*National League of Cities Youth, Education, and Families Council
*Board of Directors, National League of Cities Women in Municipal Government
DART, City Policies & Initiatives

This enews has been great for sharing upcoming events and resources and I also love being able to share things happening at city hall that you may not otherwise hear about but may affect your life.

To be honest, things with the DART Cotton Belt/Silver Line are not going well lately. There are a number of issues, but the biggest are some new players who are not interested in protecting the safety and quality of life of our Far North Dallas residents. I have worked tirelessly to help our area get through this difficult time of change. When the construction begins and the train becomes operable, there will be enormous changes in our community. Many efforts over the last 2.5 years have been shared with the community at town hall meetings in person and online, as well as many smaller group and one on one conversations. Now it is time for a change. You need to make sure you know what is happening and speak up. Neighbors should consider joining the community group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/345535752800481. More DART info is coming in the next enews. Two meetings about the Cotton Belt/Silver Line project are below - one focused on Coit, the other on Hillcrest. If you live near these streets or travel on these streets regularly, this is your chance to give input on the proposed DART design to city staff.

Are you ready to do in-person town halls again? We're going to try do host one of each for the next few months and see how it goes with attendance and feedback. The first one is TOMORROW night. Hope to see you in person or virtually soon!

Take care, Cara

Council Liaison: Madison.Johnson@dallascityhall.com
Council Assistant:
Luis.Delgado@dallascityhall.com
Road Construction - Please Drive Carefully!
Major street construction:

  • Hillcrest regular street repair/Dallas Water Utilities work continues
  • Campbell regular street repair continues
  • Coit - one lane may be closed for utility work in preparation for Cotton Belt/Silver Line
  • Preston Road street repair begins from LBJ to McCallum. This work will continue through 2022 by TXDOT, not City of Dallas. A request from the City of Dallas was sent to DART asking for them to start work at McCallum and head south to LBJ. Hopefully construction will not happen at the same time as major street work by DART.
  • Frankford Road reconstruction from Preston to Coit has been approved and funded. Engineering design work is happening now and construction will begin early 2023.
  • Dallas Water Utilities is installing larger water pipes along the McKamy Branch. Currently they are installing pipes in the Collin County section.
BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Come give your input BEFORE the budget is developed. Two meetings are scheduled for you to share your priorities and suggestions for improvement. This is your change to comment on the tax rate, street maintenance budget, allocation for homeless encampment clean ups, etc... An assistant city manager will lead the presentation and be available to answer questions.

March 28, 7 pm, Renner Frankford Library
March 31, 7 pm, Renner Frankford Library
D12 Town Hall Meeting Schedule
All meetings at Renner Frankford Library at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!

Monday, February 28
Thursday, March 17
Thursday, April 28
Thursday, May 19
DART Silver Line - Virtual Biannual Community Meeting
In case you missed DART's biannual meeting last week, you can watch the meeting by going to the DART website through this link:

Here are most of the questions that were asked and summary of DART answers:

Q. When did this project begin? This train has been in planning since the 1983 service plan. It was included in 2030 transit plan. Became funded in August 2016. (Note from Cara: Dallas City Council passed the needed resolution to move forward before I was elected.)

Q. Why will it be a diesel train instead of electric vehicle? DART gave a long answer, but the gist of it is that they will be using diesel trains in other parts of the line for freight. If it was electric, it would not be compatible for freight.

Q. Does DART have a field office? Yes in Carrollton. You can meet with them there by appointment or they will come meet with you individually if requested.

Q. What is the DART construction hotline? 972-833-2856

Q. When will DART line start running? 4th Quarter 2024.

Q. Where is construction happening? Construction is phased, not linear, so it is happening in most parts of the line including Richardson, Addison, Carrollton, etc..

Q. Will freight run on Silverline Tracks? Freight operations are discussed in the FEIS. Yes, in most portions. Surface Transportation Board approved freight abandonment for the area between Knoll Trail to Richardson.

Q. Will there be horns blown at the intersections? Horns will blow at all crossings unless there is a Quiet Zone. It will blow at a Quiet Zone if there is an emergency. They will blow the horn during the testing phase everywhere. All North Dallas crossings are required to be Quiet Zones/no horns every time they cross.

Q. Who will maintain the area around the tracks? DART will maintain the ROW. The trail will be maintained by the cities.

Q. Was it always planned that DART would replace the existing rails? Yes, because now it will be double tracked instead of single.

Q. What does it mean to allow design changes by putting a note in the file? DART will prepare a memo to National Transportation Administration. Minor changes are allowed to be addressed this way.

Q. Will there be bike racks or lockers at DART stations? Yes.

Q. Proposed 60-90 trains per day - how safe is crossing the Preston Ridge trail? 2009 license agreement between DART and City of Dallas, allows at-grade crossing in the corridor. All federal/state/municipal safety procedures will be followed and special signage, ped gates, adequate lighting will be installed.

Q. Question asked about the vehicles - they will be different for passengers and freight. No freight in Dallas.

Q Can DART ask for extension of project to better address Preston Ridge Trail area. DART, DOT, FRA, and City of Dallas have worked together to address the Preston Ridge Trail area. (Note from Cara: I have not seen a design that has been accepted for this area from DART)
City Council Redistricting Meeting
The last redistricting public input meeting was held Saturday, February 12th, and there was a good turnout of residents from North Dallas. A commissioner mentioned as she was leaving that it was the best attendance they've had at any meeting. The chairman mentioned in the meeting how helpful it was to hear from residents about the challenges of living in Denton and Collin County and being a resident of the City of Dallas. Residents explained that the connecting factor is the city, since there are different school districts, county officials, state representatives, state senators, and congressmen that don't represent any other part of Dallas.

The most important thing you can do is tell the commission what constitutes your "community of interest." That could mean your HOA or neighborhood association, your school attendance boundary, your county, an area where there is a minority concentration, or any other factor that you think makes keeping your area and another area together in being represented. You can tell them these things by email. A list of all the emails of commissioners is listed at the bottom of this article.

For additional information or to submit a map, please go to 
www.DallasRedistricting.com or call 214-671-6197.

If you wish to send an email to the commissioners, you can cut and paste these email addresses: jesse.oliver@dallascityhall.com,

Crime in Dallas & District 12
Violent crime is going down across the city, including District 12. We have seen a tiny crime increase in a few areas, but overall, there have been just 13 more crimes this year than last year. In District 12, the crime category with the biggest increase in incidents is UUMV (unauthorized use of a motor vehicle/car theft) and theft from vehicle. I've been alerted a couple of times in the last month to people observing teens or young adults in the alley trying to open car doors, checking if fence gates are unlocked, and entering backyards.

PLEASE HELP BY:
  1. LOCK YOUR CAR DOOR, FENCE GATE, AND DOORS TO YOUR HOME.
  2. DO NOT LEAVE ANY VALUABLES VISIBLE IN YOUR CAR, INCLUDING YOUR PURSE, COMPUTER, SCHOOL BACKPACK, OR GYM BAG. BRING THEM WITH YOU OR PUT THEM IN YOUR TRUNK.
  3. CALL 911 IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS. YES, 911. 911 IS NOT JUST FOR LIFESAVING EMERGENCIES. BY REPORTING YOUR OBSERVATION OR ITEMS MISSING FROM YOUR VEHICLE, YOU MAY BE HELPING THE DETECTIVES BREAK UP THEFT RINGS!
Code Compliance, Keep Texas Beautiful and other State of Texas affiliates are partnering in the fight against litter. Will you please assist Code Compliance Services by completing this short Litter Index survey? Your responses are greatly appreciated.
Family Gateway North Update
Learn more about the latest happenings at our Family Gateway North family homeless shelter. They are doing great work we can all be proud of. Learn how to get involved, see how many people they are serving, or provide feedback to Family Gateway. http://familygateway.org/north/
Cotton Belt/Silver Line Meetings
Come hear what DART is proposing for Coit and Hillcrest along the Cotton Belt/Silver Line. This meeting is a City of Dallas meeting where you can hear from staff about DART's proposed plans and give input before they are approved. You'll hear about the design elements and construction plan.

These are the two most major segments of the line in District 12, are the streets that will be impacted first, and will have significant consequences for delays and construction activities.

COIT ROAD - MARCH 10, 6:30 PM, PTAA (HILLCREST AT ARAPAHO)

HILLCREST ROAD - APRIL 4, 6:30 PM, PTAA (HILLCREST AT ARAPAHO)
City of Dallas 50/50 Sidewalk Program
Park Improvements Happening!
It has been so fun to watch the Pickleball courts being built at Campbell Green Park! This has been the most requested amenity for our area.

The new dog park at Parkhill will add 4 benches, fencing to keep the dogs out of the creek, trash cans, stations with bags for dog poop, repaired front gate with dual entrance so dogs don't slip out, a side gate for mowers, new grass, a "fake" fire hydrant dog meet up spot, a dog tube, and we're working on getting a water fountain for people and pets. It's simple and low-cost, but should make a better experience for pets and neighbors.
What Needs to Be Addressed?? NOW is the time to speak up!
Do you think there should be improvements for pedestrians or cyclists in Dallas? How about roadway issues that are unsafe or in poor condition or designed poorly? Problems with transit? Now is the time to submit your comments.

I hear from people often on these issues, but NOW IS THE TIME to submit your comments and suggestions officially to the The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTOG). This will actually get attention if you fill it out. There have been approximately 300 comments so far, mostly from Plano. Take a minute and speak up for what your neighborhood needs or what you see needs improvement on your daily commute.

*Protected bike lanes needed? (connections to safely get to White Rock Lake, Richardson, Plano, daily activities)
*Pedestrian safety issues sidewalks, signal timing, road striping, road speed, etc... (near school zones on Arapaho, Coit at LaManga, Campbell, Frankford, Preston, Rosemeade, Vail, Trinity Mills)
*Roadway issues (vehicles drive too fast, high number of accidents on street, racing on the street, street is not designed properly, road is in poor condition, especially tollway @ Frankford, Midway, Coit, Marsh @ Frankford)
*Transit issues (buses not available, no bus route where needed, bus doesn't run the hours needed, need bus shelter, need sidewalk leading to bus stop, and all things Cotton Belt/Silver Line)

Interactive Public Input: Map Your Experience:
BeDallas90.org
If you are thinking of adopting a dog or cat, now is a great time. Dogs are free and the shelter is full. Petsmart at Coit and Campbell is a Dallas Animal Services site. They are usually open 4 days a week. Check out the website www.BeDallas90.org to see the pets currently available.
Oncor Pruning - District 12
We have strong winds coming with the winter weather. The wind, moving tree branches more than we expect, is the main culprit for power outages in our area. PLEASE see below for Oncor tree pruning. If your area is on the list, they will notify you with a door hanger before they cut your trees if it is needed to protect the electric lines. They use an arborist, safety protocols, and they have the legal right to cut branches that are near electrical wires, even those on your property. Thank you for your cooperation.
Trees on Coit in Front of Adventure Landing
The big, mature trees in front of Adventure Landing are being removed because they sit on top of utilities that have to be moved with the DART Cotton Belt/Silver Line construction. Two weeks ago, the City Council approved DART's payment into a special mitigation fund to restore trees along the Cotton Belt/Silver Line as close to the place they were removed as possible.
 DART Bus Routes
You may have noticed there are "hoods" over the bus stop signs around town. DART is revamping the bus routes, and some routes will end soon and some will expand service. If you ride the bus, please make sure you are checking the DART website to stay in the loop about the changes. Their goal is to reduce routes with very low ridership and expand frequency (how often the bus comes) for higher ridership routes.

As a member of the transportation committee, Regional Transportation Council, and board member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, I am hoping we will see greater coordination and service levels for Dallas residents in ways that provide meaningful transportation alternatives for our residents. With the $1.9 billion dollar Silver Line/Cotton Belt as the major expansion effort for DART, we are sadly locked in a project that will not provide ridership, improve air quality, or set DART on a course for stability or growth.
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