Illustration by Jessica Turner.
The City of Dallas is asking for public input on updates to the bike plan and land-use plan.
The ForwardDallas Comprehensive Plan sets guidelines for how public and private land should be used. Since April 2021, when the plan was launched, there have been several opportunities for community members to share their input, including facilitated workshops, surveys, community and stakeholder events, and interactive comments.
The Department of Planning and Urban Design is leading the process, and staff members have grouped the feedback received so far into major categories: mobility and connectivity; housing choice and quality; environmental quality; development process and planning; environmental justice; economic development and revitalization; neighborhood stability; community design and complete neighborhoods; and quality of life.
Walkability and bikability, green space and open space, public safety, lack of adequate affordable-housing options and infrastructure quality are a few of the most talked-about topics among survey responses.
Public input is still being received, and now Planning and Urban Design is trying to boost engagement among the Hispanic/Latinx population, especially residents living in the southern and eastern parts of the city, and among residents of Southern Dallas in general. To track their progress in reaching these residents, staff members will continue recording demographic and geographic information about respondents and include it in a data dashboard.
In addition, according to its May 2022 engagement summary report, the Department of Planning and Urban Design will continue to work with community, political and institutional leaders to engage even more Dallas residents and will provide updates to show stakeholders how their feedback is being incorporated into plans.
Another project the city is working on is updating the bike plan. The proposed bike network will be available to the public Oct. 19, the date of the first scheduled workshop.
Dallas residents are invited to attend one workshop, where they will be able to provide feedback on both the land use plan and bike plan. They are scheduled for:
- 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Bachman Recreation Center
- 10-11:30 a.m. Oct. 22 at Pleasant Grove Library
- 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at Churchill Recreation Center
- 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Park in the Woods Recreation Center
- 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at Hiawatha Williams Recreation Center
- 5:30-7 p.m. Nov. 2 at J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
- 10:30 a.m.-noon Nov. 5 at Forest Green Library
