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Opinion

NIMBY on Forest Lane

Dallas has to reject anti-growth posture

Another day, another NIMBY. It’s an old story where the interests of a vocal few stand in the way of the needs of the many when it comes to growth and development.

It’s part of the reason why Californians are fleeing the Golden State for Texas, a state where they can actually afford a roof and four walls for their families.

We must be careful that Dallas doesn’t decide that it wants to be more like Berkeley, where progressive politics and restrictive zoning that kept home prices sky-high have long gone hand in glove.

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The case before us now is on Forest Lane near the Dallas North Tollway. To be sure, this is not a case about affordable housing. But it is a case about shifting attitudes toward growth that the city needs to be aware of — because they could have consequences for home pricing at every level.

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For a decade, the city of Dallas has owned a weedy, 3-acre vacant lot at the corner of Forest and Nuestra Drive. The land was supposed to be used for a new library. But plans shifted, and City Hall decided to sell the Forest Lane property and put the proceeds toward the redevelopment of the popular Preston Royal Branch of the Dallas Public Library.

Until the land is sold, the library can’t be redeveloped. The city has a good offer on the table now. But it is contingent on a zoning change before the City Council Thursday that would permit the development of 26 single-family homes on the site. These are high-end properties that will probably run in the $1 million-and-climbing range.

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As so often happens in established areas, there is considerable opposition here. Worries about traffic, privacy and the other usual bugaboos are being raised.

Looking at the plans for this development, we think neighbors should instead welcome it. The site has plenty of room to accommodate these homes. The city will benefit both from the land sale and from the taxes the new homes will add to the pot. A fallow piece of property will be returned to productive use. And families who want to live in the area will have additional choices for homes.

Is it perfect? It is not. The likely prices of the homes reflect an economic reality that is pushing the middle class out of the city. But a single development cannot reverse the economic forces that created this market. What can reverse it, over time, is increased housing supply. We need more places for people to live who want to live in Dallas.

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Growth has been a north star for this city since its founding. Yes, growth needs to be thoughtful. Yes, infrastructure has to be taken into account. But increasing the density of development along a major thoroughfare strikes us as the right direction for Dallas. And keep in mind, this is not a multifamily or even zero lot line development. It is a handful of very pricey single-family homes. If you can’t build these, how can we ever hope to see townhomes or condominiums that can provide a mix of housing options and begin to address spiraling prices?

It’s crucial that City Hall accompany approval of this sort of development with pedestrians as well as cars in mind. But increased traffic, while inconvenient, is a marker of success. And it is also the path toward creating and sustaining transportation choice in a city that relies so heavily on the car.

Change is worrisome. It’s also life. If we fail to change and grow, our city will suffer.