Since not everyone could be at the Town Hall meetings today to discuss the By-Law changes, I thought it would be interesting to discuss them in a neighborhood blog format. I am glad to start the discussion, and I hope everyone will enter in with their comments. I went to the earlier town hall meeting so I’ll report the pros and cons I heard discussed:
1) Relating to improving education Pro: We need more excellent education choices. Con: This provides no money for education, and in order to vote for education, you also have to vote to “provide entertainment services.”
2) The land beside the Studios of Las Colinas changing to be used for single family homes Pro: This would use the land that had been vacant since Adam and Eve Con: The Studio people are very opposed to it because they want to expand on it.
3) Five acres on the northwest corner of 114 and O’connor would be changed from office to a hotel and restaurant. (not much discussion)
4) Decker Commons from golf course related uses to assisted living residences. (not much discussion on this either)
5) NW Corner of Hwy. 161 and Love Drive from restaurant, retail and etc. To multi-family rental properties. Pro: The developer and the taxing authorities will benefit. The mass transit will also welcome this. Con: The burdensome traffic will be increased. The city services, particularly water, will be strained. Irving has allowed too much multi-family already.
6) Northeast corner of 114 and MacArthur will be all multi-family Pros and Cons: see item 5 above.
So neighbors, what do you think? Will these changes improve Las Colinas or allow developers to run roughshod over our remaining vacant land? Does the education by-law give lip-service to the issue or make it possible to correct the problem?
NELL ANNE HUNT
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I think if we are to attract affluent young families to Las Colinas we have to remember we're competing against Coppell, Frisco, and many other communities that have quality education. You can see this problem just by strolling around various neighborhoods and see the absence of school-aged children. Until we fix this we'll be limited in all sorts of areas, including quality shopping. Personally, I consider this the highest priority.
ReplyDeleteAs to the land next to the studios, I would very much like to see that land used to expand the studios rather than more single family homes. If you look at the development at 635 & riverside it's a typical cookie-cutter clone home development and I'm afraid we'll see more of that on this land.
The problem we have with home developers we have in today's landscape is that they buy a piece of land, and crank out nearly identical homes only 10-12 feet apart. Las Colinas stands out from much of the metroplex because of the lower number of these developments.
I think multi-family lends itself well to the urban center and going forward any new multi-family should only be permitted there.
Las Colinas is an absolute gem in so many ways. When considering future land use/policy, then we need to make sure it's in the interest of the biggest problems:
Poor Public School System
Too much Multi-Family
New housing developments that aren't par with existing LC neighborhoods.
Very limited retail options
I notice that number 5 (the parcel at Love/114) is currently for sale. It has a sign on it saying that "the owner might subdivide". I am doing this from memory, so forgive me if I have it wrong.
ReplyDeleteIs it therefore sensible to be changing the deed restriction while the intention to sell is in place?