South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan task force pushes for community-led change to address displacement and preserve neighborhood culture

Of the 23 members of the South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan Task Force identified as neighborhood “stakeholders,” roughly half are also residents, including the chair and co-chair. They have been pushing persistently over the past five years for changes in their communities. 

“South Dallas/Fair Park (SDFP) stakeholders emphasized the need for their voices to be heard,” states page 12 of the draft plan. “Community leaders are demanding answers to pressing issues, including public works, homelessness, and the rapid development that risks displacing longtime residents.

“The urgency for change is palpable, as new developments and rising home values transform neighborhoods, bringing both opportunity and challenges.”

The City Plan Commission unanimously approved the South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan on May 8, and the City Council is expected to vote on it Wednesday, May 28. If approved, the plan will be heard again by the commission and the council, who will vote on turning the plan into a zoning ordinance that governs how land in South Dallas can be used and redeveloped.

“Given the large number of previous planning efforts within SDFP, the task force championed that this plan should focus on implementation and action, rather than another visioning exercise,” states page 5 of the draft plan, with a note on page 12 that the plan’s dozens of recommended action items should be “achievable within five years.”

The City’s draft document outlining the plan recounts its backstory and zeros in on five areas that “were selected based on their opportunity now and their potential to have a positive impact not only to the areas themselves but to the surrounding areas as well.”

Dallas Free Press has excerpted these sections for easier consumption in order to further amplify neighbors’ voices.

Read about the future vision and recommendations for the five focus areas:

• 2nd Avenue
• Elsie Faye Heggins Street
• Malcolm X Boulevard Corridor 
• Martin Luther King Jr. DART Station
• Queen City

Background

In January 2020, this planning and community engagement effort began with a five-signature memo submitted by Councilmember Adam Bazaldua (District 7) and co-signed by Councilmembers Jaime Resendez (District 5), Paula Blackmon (District 9), Omar Narvaez (District 6), and Adam Medrano (District 2). Shortly after authorization, the request was halted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time of pause, it became evident that an area plan was necessary to support the authorized hearing (zoning) process.

Area plans, which are also City-initiated and City Council-adopted, aim to create a future growth vision for multiple neighborhoods while addressing infrastructure improvements and other land-use concerns. Councilmember Bazaldua formed the South Dallas/Fair Park Area Plan Taskforce to guide the process and ensure diverse perspectives and input. The taskforce, consisting of 23 members, included community leaders from multidisciplinary institutions, neighborhood association presidents, and representatives from organizations such as the Landmark Commission, Dallas Black Chamber, Bonton Farms and Fair Park First.

The early task force meetings were challenging, with stakeholders somewhat in silos, advocating for the unique needs of their individual neighborhoods and/or organizations within this very large planning area, all while managing to meet during a pandemic. There was also [a] struggle to resolve visioning for an area that had been planned over and over for decades, without much result. Over time, a shift in leadership and focus on the task force led to an agreement that an implementation-driven approach, rather than solely a land-use vision, would better serve the community.

Those many past planning efforts, including the 2001 South Dallas/Fair Park Economic Development Corridor Plan, which catalyzed PD 595, were reviewed by City staff and the task force, and established the blueprint for this plan. Many of the past plans addressed immediate needs, such as a pathway toward eliminating nuisance properties, however, the longer-term vision of active and culturally celebrated businesses and institutions and quality housing for South Dallas residents fell short. As a result, the area was left with an abundance of vacant buildings and restrictive development codes, now seen as barriers to growth.

The SDFP community is advocating for change, demanding answers about proposed infrastructure projects, the increasing numbers of unsheltered individuals, and the lack of locally-based economic development. Longtime residents and influential community leaders emphasize the urgency to protect the area’s cultural identity and address displacement pressures. Change is already evident in the area. Along Pennsylvania Avenue, vacant lots are transforming into contemporary homes priced above the city’s median average housing price, signaling rapid development and a need for proactive planning to ensure equitable outcomes.

This plan proposes to tackle those issues.

This content was pulled directly from the City of Dallas draft of the South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan, page 11. Only minor spelling, grammar and punctuation changes were made.

Read about the future vision and recommendations for the five focus areas:

• 2nd Avenue
• Elsie Faye Heggins Street
• Malcolm X Boulevard Corridor 
• Martin Luther King Jr. DART Station
• Queen City