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The Real Estate Council is
actively monitoring issues at the state and local level that impact
the commercial real estate industry and our partners. Our mission is
to build a better city – and public policy is an essential component
of that vision.
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Engineering Q-Team Changes
In July TREC attended
the Development Services Advisory Committee with City staff and was
briefed on the positive changes being made to the Engineering Q-Team,
which is an expedited permitting process. Among the changes are the
consolidation into one Q-Team, that same-day approval is now
optional, and the elimination of all disqualifiers and square footage
requirements. You can find the memo that details the changes here.
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Charter Review Amendments
On Election Day,
citizens will have an opportunity to vote on proposed amendments to
the Dallas City Charter. Dallas City Council will vote on the final
list of amendments recommended by the Charter Review Commission and
by councilmembers on Wednesday, August 14th, which includes the
following amendments of note:
- Increasing pay and term limits for
councilmembers
- Strengthening the Office of
Inspector General
- Changing the threshold for other
forms of citizen petitions
- Expanding eligibility to serve on
boards and commissions
Additionally, Council
must add four successful citizen proposed petition initiatives to the
November ballot:
- A mandate for 50 percent of new
revenues to go to public safety initiatives, including police
and fire salary at the pension fund
- Bonus pay or termination of City
Manager based on community feedback surveys
- A change in the city's sovereign
immunity, opening it up to lawsuits if a petitioner believes the
city has failed to follow state law or city ordinance
- Decriminalizing possession of up to
four ounces or marijuana
Council, city staff,
and even Chief Eddie Garcia almost uniformly expressed concern
about these four proposals.
TREC continues to monitor these amendments for their potential impact
on commercial real estate.
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Digital Advertising Kiosks
We encourage TREC
members to attend (in-person/virtual) a public meeting on Thursday,
August 15, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. to share their opposition to the
digital kiosk proposal. TREC was initially opposed to the first
request for proposal process and co-published an op-ed
in the Dallas Morning News outlining its concerns. The city is
requesting that speakers register here for
the meeting on August 15.
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Forward Dallas 2.0
Forward Dallas 2.0, the
comprehensive land use plan draft, passed the City Planning
Commission (CPC) by a vote of 10-4-1 on July 25 and is now under
consideration by City Council. TREC's letter of support for the draft
plan cited the need for thoughtful density, the separation of
different land uses, and the potential for fewer costly zoning
debates and planned developments. In response to neighborhood
concerns, the CPC approved an amendment to categorize multiplexes as
a secondary use in community residential and small town residential
placetypes, making single family homes the primary use. You can view
the Forward Dallas 2.0 update memo here.
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Impervious Coverage Amendment
Advocates want to
reduce impervious coverage on lots to mitigate flooding and the heat
island effect. The Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee (ZOAC) approved an amendment
limiting impervious coverage to 40 percent for residential front
yards and 80 percent of lots with non-residential uses. CPC will take
up the discussion later this fall.
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2024-25 Draft Budget
The Dallas City Council
returned Monday, August 5th, from its July recess facing a $38
million budget shortfall caused in part by post-COVID sales tax
receipts, statewide property tax revenue caps, and Dallas Police
& Fire Pension System liabilities. The City, under the direction
of Interim City Manager Kim Bizor Tolbert, has made a host of organizational changes
to City Hall, consolidating and restructuring departments,
eliminating positions, and altering service delivery to improve
efficiency and
reduce costs.
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Dallas to Fort Worth High-Speed Rail
Dallas City Council
adopted a resolution in June to pause all work on the above ground
high-speed rail line between Fort Worth and Dallas prior to
completion of an economic impact study. Staff has initiated a request
for proposals for this study and is expected to return to Council to
initiate this study early in the fall. In July, the North Central
Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) proposed a new alignment for
the proposed rail line that would bypass Downtown altogether,
following the I-30 corridor.
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Changes Around the Horseshoe
In July, Councilmember
Jaynie Schultz (District 11) announced that she won’t be running for
reelection in 2025 for a third term, opening another seat at the
horseshoe without an incumbent running for reelection. Mayor Pro Tem
Tennell Atkins and Councilmember Omar Narvaez cannot run for
reelection due to term limits. TREC will monitor these races, and
TREC PAC will interview and vet candidates for City Council next year
to consider possible endorsements. Join TREC PAC!
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Register to Vote
Mark your calendars!
The November 5th election is less than 100 days away, and TREC
encourages every eligible person to vote. Remember, Texas requires
eligible voters to register 30 days prior to the election, so make
sure to check your status. If you live in Dallas County and haven’t
registered yet, you can print or request a physical copy of the voter
registration form here and
simply drop it in the mail. Not sure if you’re registered? Verify
your eligibility here,
or update your address if you've moved here. TREC
is actively monitoring races and evaluating candidates who support
our mission.
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Public Policy Committee
Interested in joining
TREC's Public Policy Committee?
Contact Michael Williams to
learn more. The next meeting will be Thursday, October 10 at 8:30 a.m.
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You can register for
our upcoming events here.
- Wednesday, August
21| The Deal: From
Acquisition to Disposition Module I -- Capital & Ownership
Structures Overview
- Wednesday, August
21 | Industry
Insights: Turtle Creek Development/Uptown Development Update
- Tuesday, August 27 | Market Matters: Artificial
Intelligence (AI) Insights and Innovations
- Thursday,
September 19 | FightNight XXXV
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Manage Your Preferences
The
Real Estate Council
3100 McKinnon Street, Suite 1150 Dallas, TX 75201
214.692.3600 | recouncil.com
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