I was at City Hall earlier today for a few zoning matters, and I happened upon the glamour shots of our various City Councilmembers in the lobby. As Dan remarked when I showed him the above photo, this is actually somewhat of a rare instance. It seems like not all of the photos are ever up at the same time, and those that are up are of various shades of faded. Angela Hunt’s looks like it was taken in 1986.

Griggs’, though, is fairly new. There’s no fade, and he’s playing to his base by not only posing in front of The Kessler, but also propping a bike up against the doors. Well played.

I’m not smart enough to know why someone would want their property’s zoning switched from Planned Development District No. 830 to Conservation District No. 7. But, according to the agenda for today’s meeting of the City Plan Commission, that’s what Mark Miranda and Craig Schenkel want for a property on the southwest corner of Bishop and Neely.

The problem is, it’s been less than two years since PD 830 was created, as a result of the Bishop-Davis Land Use Study. And any zoning changes within that PD aren’t supposed to happen until after Aug. 11 — the second anniversary of its creation. That’s why city staff is recommending that the commission deny the developers’ request.

“The test is ‘change of circumstance’ to warrant a new hearing,” city planner Neva Dean told me, “and we’re very conservative when it comes to change of circumstance.”

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Brent Jackson is seeking up to $3 million in tax-increment financing for Sylvan Thirty, according to the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of the Fort Worth Avenue TIF District Board of Directors.

That is, if they ever get past the eminent domain discussion on the agenda.

According to the City Council’s agenda, this is what they’ll discuss:

Economic Development

Note:  Item Nos. 50 and 51 must be considered collectively

Fort Worth Avenue TIF District

50.  * Authorize  (1) a development agreement with The Park at Kessler, LP and/or its affiliates in an amount not to exceed $7,500,000 payable from future Fort Worth Avenue TIF District funds in consideration of the development of The Collective in Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone Number Fifteen (Fort Worth Avenue TIF District); and  (2) the Fort Worth Avenue TIF District Board of Directors to dedicate up to $7,500,000 from future Fort Worth Avenue TIF revenues in accordance with the development agreement – Not to exceed $7,500,000 - Financing: Fort Worth Avenue TIF District Funds

51.  * A resolution declaring the intent of Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone Number Fifteen (Fort Worth Avenue TIF District) to reimburse The Park at Kessler, LP and/or its affiliates for eligible  expenditures pursuant to the development agreement up to $7,500,000 for certain improvements related to the development of The Collective in the Fort Worth Avenue TIF District – Financing: No cost consideration to the City

According to an email from Joseph Hernandez of the Wynnewood North Neighborhood Association, the city has resumed alley garbage pickup in parts of the neighborhood:

As you may recall, several months ago the City of Dallas discontinued the pickup of trash in certain alleys located in Wynnewood North. Since then there have been various inspections and clean ups of alleyways, tree limbs and overgrown brush. At the General Meeting last night, various neighbors mentioned to me that their trash is now being picked up in the alley as well as curbside. I have contacted the appropriate City staff for an update and was informed today that fliers would be passed out informing residents in the affected areas that alley pickup would resume since all the alley’s have been approved by sanitation to resume pick-up.

I’m just wondering if Wynnewood North is the only neighborhood experiencing service changes. Is your garbage being picked up in the alley again after being switched to curb service (couldn’t resist!)?

Tonight’s “Meet Your Mayor” town hall at Kiest Park Recreation Center will be a lot les mayoral now that Dallas’ top official has officially pulled out of the event.

Via Rawlings’ Facebook page:

Dear Friends,

I would like to thank everyone who is planning to attend tomorrow evening’s community meeting for Districts 1 and 3. It is important for residents to have the opportunity to engage in a productive open dialogue with city staff and their elected officials. Due to unexpected circumstances, I will not be present. However, Councilwoman Delia D. Jasso, Councilman Scott Griggs, and city staff will be present to address city services and neighborhood concerns.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. My goal is to maintain open communication with constituents and would like the opportunity to meet with you in a more intimate setting. In order to do this, please feel free to email dates and times to my staff of when your neighborhood association or crime watch group meets.

Again, thank you and I look forward to working with you!

-Mike

The Dallas Observer is claiming that the “unexpected circumstances” to which Mayor Rawlings is referring to includes a protest staged by the LGBT community as a response to Rawlings’ unwillingness to sign a Freedom to Marry pledge.

Are you still planning on going to the event?

It’s been a rough road so far for the 2011 Dallas Bike Plan. The much-heralded outline for making Dallas a more pedestrian-friendly city hit the brakes when city staff informed Dallas City Council members that there wasn’t enough dough to re-stripe roadways and make streets safer for cyclists.

At today’s Transportation Committee meeting, Theresa O’Donnell and Peer Chacko of the Sustainable Development and Construction department will brief officials about getting the bike plan in gear, which will probably involve financing the projects designated for early implementation. That short list included the Central Core Connector route, part of which encompassed the Jefferson Viaduct.

UPDATE: Discussion on the Dallas Bike Plan was postponed as other discussions regarding striping and neighborhood traffic  ran long. Still, Pam Conley and Philip Leven, who were invited by Council member Delia Jasso to speak before the committee, had plenty to say about the city’s strategy when it comes to striping and its impact on public safety. See this week’s Oak Cliff People for details.

State Rep. Rafael Anchia said "everything is on the table" as legislators look to make education ends meet.

When 6:30 p.m. rolled around, Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce president Bob Stimson took the podium.
“Everyone who thought the meeting started at 6:30, raise your hand,” he said.
A smattering of the 20 or so attendees extended their arms. Apparently, there had been some confusion.
“The doors open at 6:30, but the meeting starts at 7,” said Amy Cowan of Go Oak Cliff.
But as 7 p.m. neared, the room began to fill a bit, and by 7, there were around 60 people in the Hitt Auditorium at Methodist hospital. That’s when Stimson took the podium and introduced “five of the most wonderful people this community has ever seen.”
The roundtable discussion, moderated by Stimson, included DISD trustee Eric Cowan, Dallas County commissioner Elba Garcia, City Council members Delia Jasso and Scott Griggs, and state Rep. Rafael Anchia.
Despite Stimson’s affinity for the politicians, he didn’t pull any punches. Subjects ran the gamut from funding education, the glut of group homes and low-income housing in Oak Cliff, and how the city plans to make public transportation and cycling accessible when grants from private organizations are asked to make up the difference.

Let’s break it down …

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The board of directors of the Oak Cliff Gateway TIF District is scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon. The agenda isn’t exactly titillating; it sounds as if they’ll be doing little more than pushing papers around a desk. Nevertheless, we’ll be there to report on whatever exciting stuff goes down.

Pick up Friday’s paper, and you’ll find coverage (Dan Koller’s) of this press conference on Wednesday, when the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group presented the city with a $25,000 challenge grant for bike lanes on Fort Worth Avenue. Other donors included Bike Friendly Oak Cliff, the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League, and the owners of the Belmont Hotel, Metro Paws, and Smoke.

At 6:30 p.m. tonight, the party’s moving to Bar Belmont, with drinks and a “big group photo” —  per Facebook — to cheer the fundraiser’s success.

You going?