Dallas Plan Commission hears arguments to rezone old Shingle Mountain area to block more industries from moving in

In southern Dallas, a community called Floral Farms has battled an industrial area for several years.

"I've been working with the Floral Farms community for the last six years with their neighborhood plan with the fight to clean up and close down Shingle Mountain," community activist Evelyn Mayo with Down Winders at Risk.

Shingle Mountain grew after a recycling plant went bankrupt. In 2020 the city of Dallas began removing the pile and removing contaminated soil.

Now a push to rezone the area from industrial to agricultural, retail, and light industrial is being argued before the Dallas City Plan Commission.

"We believe this is a huge step in the right direction to deindustrialize the Floral Farms community, but they're still this light industrial zoning district that leaves the room for warehouse or other kinds of dangerous land uses to be so close to the floodplain, the forest and neighborhoods," Mayo said.

There are some long-time businesses already in the area. They're arguing it should stay industrial for the sake of their livelihood.

"My client can continue to operate as a non-conforming use because it was legally established,” an attorney representing one of the established businesses Chris Bowers said. “But it will make it harder on my client to obtain financing and to sell his property. So, it will have a tremendous financial impact on the property owner."

Any zoning change would come from the Dallas City Council if passed by the City Plan Commission.

Those fighting for rezoning say it goes beyond just this one piece of land.

"This is a public health issue,” Mayo said. “I mean, we have a majority Black and Brown neighborhood in you know, southern Oak Cliff that's dealt with air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and so we're going to continue to see these disparities in health outcomes until we address these environmental and justices."

After about two and half hours of discussion and public comment, the City Plan Commission moved to hold the public comment open until the May 2 meeting. Commissioners want staff to gather more information to be presented about adjusting the Light Industrial portion of the rezoning request.