Phew, Dallas evaded a tornado; look for rainbow photos all over Facebook today. Meanwhile, voters say no to the toll road, and early voting has arrived.
Onward to the top city of Dallas news for the week:
Toll poll says no
Proponents of the Trinity toll road keep saying that Dallas citizens want it, because they did officially vote for it twice. And yet there has seemed to be a groundswell, what some might call an avalanche, of opposition. Which is it?
The Dallas Morning News commissioned a poll that found the majority don't want it. "Of Dallas residents who have formed an opinion on the road," writes Brandon Formby, "40 percent oppose it and 23 percent favor it. The News' poll found opposition even higher among registered voters, with 65 percent against it."
Not even the new fantasy version proposed by the Dream Team would make a difference. "Most aren't swayed by plans to initially start the toll road with fewer lanes and interchanges than what could eventually be built decades in the future," Formby says.
Oak Cliff Gateway is a go
The Dallas City Council approved a rezoning of the Oak Cliff Gateway area that will allow for development projects, including 20-story buildings. The district is bordered by I-30 on the north, the Trinity River Corridor and I-35 on the east, and Eighth Street on the south. (Here's a map from 2012.)
The zoning will break up the area into 10 districts, allowing for development, which will bring more people and more density. The project has been in the works since 2005.
City Hall park
The cavernous area in front of City Hall has become a new darling. Developer Mike Sarimsakci, whose downtown Dallas projects include the "Alto 211" building, is conversing with the city on a private-public proposal to redesign the plaza with amenities that could possibly include food trucks, retail and a swimming pool.
Simultaneously, there is the Dallas City Hall Median Project, which will replace the existing landscape with "a more efficient water-wise landscape palette and irrigation system." The project is being sponsored by the Dallas Water Utilities Water Conservation City Leadership Grant Program.
Early voting begins
Early voting for the May 9 election begins on Monday, April 27, and runs until Tuesday, May 5. Dallas County registered voters may vote at any early voting location. The full list of locations can be found here.
Voters can present a valid Texas driver license, Election Identification Certificate, personal identification card, concealed handgun license, military identification card, citizenship or naturalization certificate or passport. For more information visit Dallas City Hall/Elections May 2015.
Earth Day recs
You already missed celebrity speaker Karenna Gore, but if you're looking for picks on the remainder of Earth Day Texas weekend, consult this list from Phillip Shinoda, project manager for GreenSource DFW, Dallas Fort Worth's environmental news site.
The Oak Farms complex is part of the area encompassed by the Oak Cliff Gateway.
