Dallas

Proposed Development New Spur 408 Concerns Residents

Homeowners hope they can persuade the Dallas City Council to reverse a vote to develop land near a southwest Dallas neighborhood.

Those who live in the Capella Park neighborhood say they love its quaint streets and rolling hills.

"We have something special here and we want to preserve it," said homeowner association board member Wes Keyes.

The Capella Park community overlooks Mountain Creek Lake near Dallas Baptist University.

But Keyes, along with many of his neighbors, fear a recent vote by the Dallas City to approve development in the area could change their quality of life.

"I think our neighborhood is better than that. We are worth more than that, and we are indeed the gem of what the mayor is trying to do with neighborhood, plus and the Grow South initiative," said Keyes.

On Jan. 13 the city council approved a developer's proposal to build two large warehouses and a third smaller one. The approval included zoning which would also make way for a multi-family apartment complex to be built adjacent to the neighborhood.

The 161-acre piece of land is being sold to the developer by the nearby neighbor, the Potter's House Church.

"This has been a pretty substantial effort on our part," said Alvin James, the church's executive director of planning and economic development.

James said the church is equally concerned about the preservation of the Capella Park neighborhood and nearby Clay Academy, which the church helped to develop.

"It's not a question of 'hands off.' We're here, we're going to be here, our church is just five minutes away," said James. "It's a question of saying, 'Here's a parcel of land that we don't think we can give the best use or attention and we think there's someone else who can."

But neighbors fear once the developer has full control it will be out of the church's hands and that the neighborhood will suffer.

Homeowners met with members of the City Planning Commission twice before the council's vote last week to express their concerns. They expressed their fear the topography and natural beauty in the area will be destroyed if the land is leveled for this type of development.

"This neighborhood has been an opportunity to attract a diverse group of people in one of the most beautiful parts of the Metroplex, and then behind it you're going to have a warehouse? That just doesn't make sense to me," said homeowner Bruce Ware.

Council members have until Friday to revisit the issue. Homeowners hope they can persuade them to reconsider their decision.

"I feel like progress has been put in front of people. The mayor has told us publicly he wasn't going to do that and I pray that he will reconsider this, I really do," said Keyes.

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