Dallas BA Weighs in with City Council on Tree and Parkland Ordinance Proposals
The Dallas Builders Association has voiced its concerns to the Dallas City Council regarding needed changes in the drafts of two city ordinance proposals that can significantly impact residential development and housing affordability.
The Council is currently considering amendments to the city’s landscape and tree ordinance, as well as proposed parkland dedication and fee ordinance. Dallas BA has participated in stakeholder meetings for both issues, as well as offering comments to the City Plan Commission. In letters to the Council on May 15, Dallas BA continued to offer recommendations that should be considered to make both ordinances attainable, while seeking to keep affordability in the Dallas new home market.
Regarding the city’s proposed parkland dedication and fees ordinance, the Association voiced concerns regarding the level of proposed fees, an ordinance provision that would allow a fee increase every 5 years without real consideration and the need to provide specificity and certainty regarding when private land will be eligible for credit and when the city will accept a dedication of land. Dallas BA also made recommendations for a density bonus incentive and the need to phase in the fees.
While some at the city would try to claim that the ordinance removes 100% of the burden off of tax payers and puts it on development, such a claim is incorrect. Because the fees are collected at permitting, the cost will be rolled into the price of the home when sold. So what the ordinance really does is put the burden on a select group of taxpayers, mainly those future home owners who may have already been living in Dallas and paying taxes.
The Association is seeking transparency and affordability in the city’s tree mitigation and fee ordinance as well. The city’s ordinance, Article X, applies to trees on private property owners land. Dallas BA is urging the city to reconsider proposed amendments that require costly mitigation on less desirable trees that don’t even qualify for the city’s prescribed planting requirements.
Among many other concerns the Association has communicated over the past 2 years, Dallas BA urged Council to ensure transparency by publishing the fees in the ordinance and including credit for replacement trees as required by state law that became effective in December. The current draft of the ordinance does not include that crucial information.
Click here for a more in depth explanation and to view Dallas BA’s letters to Dallas City Council.