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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After asking for a delay to lobby City Council members, Monte Anderson’s opposition to the overall height of the Sylvan Thirty development that is planned for the block on the southeast corner of Fort Worth and Sylvan avenues wasn’t enough to surmount the support of several West Dallas and Oak Cliff residents.

For more on the subject, pick up a copy of Oak Cliff People.

Real estate mogul, Oak Cliff People columnist, and all-around man-about-town David Spence cracked me up this week with an email about a 50ish couple calling on him in search of an apartment.

They live in Colleyville; their last child will finish college in the spring. He’s semi-retired; she dabbles in groovy causes, which brings them to Oak Cliff regularly. They eat Dude Sweet Chocolates, they’ve spent a couple of weekends at the Belmont, they have good friends who live in Winnetka Heights.

I assumed they are looking for a two-bedroom apartment in which to downsize. But, no, they just want an efficiency. Having considered New Orleans and the Texas coast, they decided to find a “vacation home” (their words!) in Oak Cliff.

Colleyville to Oak Cliff is quite a hike. I can see why they’d want to secure a place where they could regularly spend the night.

Do you remember those luxury apartments that Wood Partners wants to build on the outskirts of Winnetka Heights? They will be among the subjects discussed at an economic development forum hosted by the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday morning. Also on the agenda are the proposed streetcar line and low-income housing. The fun starts at 7:30 a.m., so set your alarm. I plan to spend Tuesday night at my grandmother’s house so I can start that day on the right side of the Trinity.

With a facade of dark brick, metal, and concrete, 1302 Eastus Dr. stands out from the more traditional homes in Kessler Park. Designed by Buchanan Architecture, the “Open House” project provides “barrier free” living without sacrificing privacy.

Walls of windows let in natural light, and the sleek, modern interior is neutral enough to give homeowners plenty of room to furnish with pops of color. And the garage, when lit, acts like a lantern to illuminate the back patio.

Want to find out more? Visit the home tour’s website.

I recently got an email from a reader who complimented our newspaper while telling me that she ordered a subscription. She signed off by saying, “Thanks for keeping the community informed about local government happenings and the status of future development and meetings.”

Well, that reader will want to know about tonight’s meeting of the Kings Highway Conservation District. According to that neighborhood’s email newsletter, Rick Garza is scheduled to discuss his plans for a multi-use development on the northeast corner of Davis Street and Vernon Avenue. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Kessler Theater, and Garza is scheduled to take the mic at 6:30.

Need help getting your bearings? On this map, west is up and north is to your right.

Well, folks, the Sylvan Thirty development’s day before the City Plan Commission is almost here. At around 1:30 tomorrow afternoon, the public hearing will begin. I’d tell you to get your popcorn ready, but I know from experience that no food or drinks are allowed in the City Council’s chambers.

In case you’re not aware, Sylvan Thirty is a proposed multi-use development along the east side of Sylvan Avenue between Interstate 30 and Fort Worth Avenue. That land sits inside Planned Development District No. 714, aka the West Commerce Street/Fort Worth Avenue Special Purpose District. This district, which stretches from Beckley Avenue to Westmoreland Road, already includes 10 subdistricts, each of which has its own zoning regulations. The developer of Sylvan Thirty, Kessler Park resident Brent Jackson, wants to create a new Subdistrict 1C with zoning rules of its own.

I’ve perused the 83-page application prepared by Jackson and city staff, and Page 4 includes this “concern” from the staff: “The development tends to ‘turn its back’ on the street, with all primary entrances and potential activity areas and required open space being internal to the development.” Since one of the main purposes of PDD 714 was to make Fort Worth Avenue more vibrant, the staff suggested creating a new planned development district that would match Jackson’s plans. But, the application says, he wants to be in PDD 714. So, here are some highlights of other parts of the application.

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The use of hardie-board siding as an exterior material was one issue with the plans.

In the Sept. 30 edition of Oak Cliff People, I wrote a story about developer Wood Partners seeking a certificate of appropriateness for a 209-unit apartment complex. Wood needs that certificate because the project would sit on a piece of property that overlaps with the Winnetka Heights Historic District. This afternoon, the city’s Landmark Commission denied that certificate. The developer has 30 days to appeal to the City Plan Commission. Look for more details in the Oct. 7 edition of Oak Cliff People.

I just left the Current Planning Department at City Hall, where they were kind enough to let me look through the file on the zoning-change application for the Sylvan Thirty development. That file includes letters of support, all dated between July 26 and Aug. 17, from:

– State Rep. Rafael Anchia
– State Rep. Eric Johnson
– County Commissioner Elba Garcia
– Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce president Bob Stimson
– West Dallas Chamber of Commerce chairman Victor Toledo and vice chairman Randall White
– Jim Lake Jr., who owns half the Bishop Arts District
– Ged Dipprey of Nest Realty
– Realtors Steve Habgood and Kathy Hewitt (separate letters)
– Go Oak Cliff board members Edwin Cabaniss, Amy Wallace Cowan, and Jason Roberts (again, separate letters)
– West Kessler Neighborhood Association president C. Mariam Anderson
– Winnetka Heights Neighborhood Association president Lee Ruiz
– The Highlands of Kessler Park Homeowners Association president Jane Gaines

I have no idea how this will affect the Sylvan Thirty project, if at all, but the city is selling 4,490 square feet of land along the Interstate 30 frontage road, just east of Sylvan, to the Texas Department of Transportation. How do I know this? It’s on the agenda for the Sept. 28 City Council meeting, which says Dallas is getting $67,350 for the land.

Meanwhile, I see that Sylvan Thirty is hosting a fish fry a week from Thursday. See you there?