[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6383523,"mediaKeyId","2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb","parentId",2124093,"title","Votes at a glance: Dallas City Council approves minutes and several board appointments","audioSeconds",66,"startMs",1168545,"endMs",1234880,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb&start=1168&end=1234","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb/thumbnail_1168545.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6383523/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Dallas-City-Council-approves-minutes-and-several-board-appointments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383523-8633b2299fd5dd97ff77f0b2cdb3379d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156967&Signature=HowY5XHtVFWI9m5IWknRU-LpozirNwYdGwZL4W8~1ki5QMxj0l50M8Z3ENGWtj9XEA6Utu8nyDa0~zRV27SgwAqp6y3i-egs3-YyLcq5U~VeoYePLFKcw9WLd~uMego95yXIOFfoclSA7GMefJBFI~F2LapFAJgmq3Zh-4IxSgp8XerVZ4mkgxE-oJQllHnCWkvkuj783kArF~mdc5jRgwz97FvYtmscUUhk8CuBk~MIVmcz8nZaLvAl7ZVbVuD0UueF5dMxrkhdz3a5TPMHuFj~es9NDArAnr26Y0KwkbZ08-BVWBHYDUIYZz3xHRPHxqAyQQeyPd1NEIcrpTkMAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Dallas TX ","date","2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Dallas City Council on Jan. 15 approved the minutes of its Dec. 4, 2024 meeting and confirmed individual nominees to several city boards and commissions.

The council voted to approve the minutes of the Dec. 4, 2024 City Council meeting without discussion.

On appointments, the council approved individual nominations to boards and commissions presented at the meeting. Nominees announced and approved were:
- Timothy Jackson to the Community Police Oversight Board (nominated by Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Basel Dua);
- Christian Diaz to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Board (nominated by Council Member Resendiz);
- Carsten Francis to the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Board (nominated by Council Member Ridley);
- Fredia Thomas to the Permit and License Appeal Board (nominated by Council Member Resendiz);
- Sienna Encarnaciones to the South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Board (nominated by Council Member Resendiz).

Council recorded motions and seconds and adopted both items by voice vote; the minutes and nominees were approved with the ayes prevailing. The meeting transcript records a motion and a second for each item but does not record individual roll-call tallies or names of movers and seconders in the audio record provided.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Briefing\tJan 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved the Dec. 4, 2024 minutes and confirmed individual appointments to multiple boards and commissions during the Jan. 15 meeting.","taxTitle","Dallas, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",2781,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383529,"Thanksgiving Foundation seeks Dallas endorsement for expanded ‘Thanksgiving District’ downtown plan",779,5707534,6486730,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb&start=5707&end=6486","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb/thumbnail_5707534.jpg","/articles/6383529/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Thanksgiving-Foundation-seeks-Dallas-endorsement-for-expanded-Thanksgiving-District-downtown-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383529-7ce3652e2eacc8a234db3ed069969764/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156967&Signature=Ep8OEOfXNXcLG7as0WpmVnMzk0C~t0AovNW4jEYz7PPNKmcs4MKjUWMBU5SzqfQ~vGVhu9t3HasYN8zY8njwGmZiPeNDqi9yJZY~9MeqZnqZgZkK3AbduXAE9hCc1SwNO2NoSfP0rAgLLycRWN5tax1PYcgSuZm2YJ2fWvnpAcSYwhTCgR4ToHuKZsSBRFqCSxq96yN1hVWX1E5Ue51KSjrF4sK-9928yA4PVihWkHw6Gnx67ujfLDi3y3d2Db58CY-ujG8T4Ab2NN21rMKPYO200ad12Gj-FKTV~K5KQQvwO2dTd35OPB8EjNvoMCHKwbSblsZsTXXL2UNHRCnJEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Thanksgiving Foundation on Wednesday presented a concept for an expanded “Thanksgiving District” around Thanksgiving Square and asked the Dallas City Council for a public endorsement to support fundraising.

Kyle Ogden, president and CEO of the Thanksgiving Foundation, described designs by Gensler that would open the square’s walls, add a pedestrian-first “stoa” and pop-up vendor areas, lower portions of the wall to create overlooks to the Philip Johnson Chapel, add an ADA-compliant ramp and an amphitheater, and include a new restaurant and event venue on the property’s western edge. “Your endorsement will be invaluable to us as we go to the community to raise funds,” Ogden said.

Ogden told council staff and members the project would improve downtown walkability and connection to nearby destinations including DART’s central downtown station, Clyde Warren Park and the convention center. He said the region’s transportation committee (North Central Texas Council of Governments’ regional transportation committee) approved $10 million in project funding contingent on a 2-for-1 philanthropic and other match and that the committee agreed to advance $500,000 for engineering work.

The foundation framed the project as a quality-of-life and economic catalyst that could increase property and sales taxes and hotel occupancy revenue downtown, and highlighted existing high visitation numbers to Thanksgiving Square (staff cited roughly 205,000 visits between fall 2023 and fall 2024). The foundation requested a visible, “loud, enthusiastic, and public endorsement” from council to aid fundraising and implementation.

Councilors said questions could be compiled and returned in writing or addressed in a subsequent committee briefing given the meeting’s packed schedule. No formal vote or commitment of city funds was taken at the briefing.","The Thanksgiving Foundation presented a plan to expand Thanksgiving Square into a larger district with new public spaces, art, a restaurant/event venue and improved accessibility, and sought a public endorsement as it pursues regional and philanthropic funding.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383530,"Dallas planning and permitting overhaul credited with shorter permit times and new digital tools",500,2342545,2842925,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb&start=2342&end=2842","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb/thumbnail_2342545.jpg","/articles/6383530/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Dallas-planning-and-permitting-overhaul-credited-with-shorter-permit-times-and-new-digital-tools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383530-a57c47422cf7f609b80c5bacb47b78df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156967&Signature=OBgoC71OWXLLrivNUvjeM-JTz7dv7EpelO5mPrEeVVH19YxbXpwCR3w72fjGleDY5gx8627TQxo2AosmVofRsGzSs0XCqAUBP-zr1VYxDMMdp3Nxp2-DqPRwuA0YUj~70mLvrCUvh5LTwJhKTQ1cuZzkZJzVz3gpYQyXgwTPNYF601nkeBSU3rowqtuHcxB1YxXwvYTNhXD1lLm7P0hNUqQLYA0lU710sbDCrEFYvIE4i-evJ5dEIE3Aq88ijyk8pVjQtEi5rWXgdYA92OLtq0P6nWH59OFMm0zx89sz0m65Lwx7Nc1nT~Wg5ZKaBsQDEG2OqjdqPmwW6kzLPjg-kQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dallas planning leaders on Wednesday credited a recent merger of planning and development services and a series of process changes with sharply reducing permit issuance times and improving customer service, while warning that staffing shortages — especially plumbing inspectors — remain a constraint.

Emily Liu, director of planning and development, said the merged department is focusing on three priorities this year: development-code reform, process innovation and customer-service culture. “Together, we're planning and building a better Dallas for all,” Liu said as she introduced a report of 2024 accomplishments.

Deputy director and chief building official Sam Eskander detailed specific performance improvements tied to process changes such as a Lean Six Sigma review with Toyota Production System Support Center, a predevelopment strike team, consolidation of the Q Team review pathway, and the introduction of virtual inspections. Eskander presented dashboard metrics showing the median time to issue commercial new-construction permits dropped from 276 days in 2023 to 189 days in 2024; commercial remodels dropped from a median of 21 days to 12 days; commercial additions from 111 to 54 days; and residential median issuance improved from 68 days in 2022 to 14 days in 2023 and 8 days in 2024.

Eskander also said staff identified roughly 11,000 stale applications inactive more than 180 days in September 2024 and has closed about 8,300 of those; the team continues to review outstanding applications. He said the predevelopment strike team and Q Team changes standardize requirements, add case managers and increased Q Team submissions after the August 2024 changes.

Vernon Young, deputy director for customer experience and team excellence, highlighted call-center improvements (about 99,000 calls in fiscal year 2024; abandonment rate down from 21% to 4%) and the continued transition to paperless submittals. Young said the department is in the testing phase for “Dallas Now,” a replacement permitting system that will integrate zoning and board-of-adjustment workflows currently handled on paper.

Staff acknowledged workforce gaps: Liu and others said the department needs roughly 18 plumbing inspectors but currently has about five; virtual inspections launched in September 2024 have completed more than 100 plumbing inspections and are part of a strategy to increase capacity.

Council members praised the results and asked staff to prioritize digital launch timing, outreach on zoning-code reform and attention to conservation-district processing and enforcement of unpermitted construction. Council members also discussed parking rules, neighborhood engagement timing for rezoning, and the need for enforcement against unpermitted or “bootleg” construction in neighborhoods.

Staff said key deliverables this year include launching Dallas Now, advancing the Dallas Development Code reform, continued permitting process improvements and expanded virtual inspections. Council did not vote on any ordinance or rule at the briefing; staff will return with ordinance text and implementation plans where applicable.","City officials described a post-merger Planning and Development Department’s progress — a drop in median permit issuance times across categories, new process teams, virtual inspections and a pending software replacement — and outlined priorities including zoning reform and staffing.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6383538,"Dallas staff brief council on code changes to comply with Texas Senate Bill 929",837,1307405,2144535,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb&start=1307&end=2144","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2124093-0dc3fc5ffbaca0f92f929508bfcf5aeb/thumbnail_1307405.jpg","/articles/6383538/Dallas/Dallas-County/Texas/Dallas-staff-brief-council-on-code-changes-to-comply-with-Texas-Senate-Bill-929","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6383538-3efcd4a0790843c3d1cdbb25eeb4d81a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156967&Signature=MmZMhcdPa0dQDg94PwsVx-yd0tkgvNub0PnynE15qHgpv9HoFuLV~yIW4N5ClzPdn68AmskK-g1n0y4-St~nUc-nQGoV4Bd6Ahbg~68Qy~If1x33uxL6GOEBask4~1320FYJCA7dDOohRFQGucpfQCmnbIFZeEQ75FH5yb-FLrhqOeg41DhVOmeLRAMaTvsfi0YmTIYF02bzfKazskYJmwTO~lGcCrItFOTgG0qfZWzWreFOF4T7jGEWlAvMV8j5czZC~jkgfzoNRLaaVdp8mEIYzEIKSqEq-e3leqMBTu6EEBmn9q1t-eNBkoYpubxpSNEx6pfERlp24ZaZ~Sk--A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff on Wednesday described proposed changes to the Dallas Development Code meant to bring the city into compliance with Texas Senate Bill 929 and warned the council the law limits municipalities’ ability to terminate certain nonconforming land uses without paying owners.

The briefing focused on SB 929’s new process for “compliance” determinations for legal nonconforming uses and related notice requirements for rezoning and code amendments. The presentation also outlined a draft code amendment and staff’s plan to place the proposal before council in February.

Andrea Woodra, deputy director for zoning in the Planning and Development Department, told the council that SB 929 narrows the board of adjustment process for terminating nonconforming uses. “If [the board] determines continued operation will have an adverse effect on nearby properties, there is no second hearing,” Woodra said. “The owner or the lessee of the nonconforming use has an option to either receive a payment from the city or continue to operate the nonconforming use until the owner receives the payment amount calculated … Costs directly attributable to ceasing the operation of the nonconforming use, including expenses related to demolition, relocation of the lease … and loss in the market value of the property.”

Woodra said the bill also prescribes detailed notice language for rezoning hearings, requiring a prominent statement that the hearing “will determine whether you may lose the right to continue using your property for its current use.” She told council staff is proposing code changes to add the required notice language and to modify board-of-adjustment procedures so the city complies with the statute.

Emily Liu, director of planning and development, told council the city plan commission and advisory committees have reviewed drafts and that staff expects to return with a formal ordinance; staff discussed a possible February 12 docket date. Liu emphasized that SB 929 took effect in 2023 and that the change reduces the city’s authority to end nonconforming uses without potential fiscal exposure. “If a nonconforming use chooses the payout option, the amount can be significant and the city would be obligated to pay,” Woodra said.

No formal action was taken; staff said they would brief council further after an executive session and would circulate the draft ordinance material in advance of any vote.

What’s next: staff plans to place a proposed code amendment on a future agenda (staff mentioned a tentative February 12 date) and provided an appendix of technical details to answer council questions after the executive session.","City planning staff briefed the Dallas City Council on proposed amendments to the Dallas Development Code to implement Texas Senate Bill 929, which changes how municipalities handle legal nonconforming land uses and adds notice and compensation rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Dallas City Council approves minutes and several board appointments

Thanksgiving Foundation seeks Dallas endorsement for expanded ‘Thanksgiving District’ downtown plan

Dallas planning and permitting overhaul credited with shorter permit times and new digital tools

Dallas staff brief council on code changes to comply with Texas Senate Bill 929