March 30, 2022

Councilwoman Paula Blackmon

1500 Marilla Street, Dallas Texas 75201

Re:Shoreline Church development proposal

Dear Councilwoman Blackmon:

As President of the Eastwood Neighborhood Association (“ENA”) I am addressing several local/neighborhood concerns with respect to the developer’s plan to convert the Shoreline Church on Garland Road into a residential community.  To this end we are supporting the Lochwood Neighborhood Association (“LNA”), the Eastlake Medical Building (“EMB”), and Modern Tot’s.

First and foremost, of course, is the Eastwood neighborhood’s vital concern with respect to flooding. For the ENA flooding is an overwhelmingly paramount issue.  Nineteen homes in Eastwood flood regularly due to increased development upstream with no floodwater mitigation. That is 19 too many, and we will not stand by as more of our residents’ homes are threatened.

For the Eastwood neighborhood to even consider this to be an acceptable project it will have to incorporate complete stormwater management ON SITE. Otherwise, storm water from this development will go directly into the Dixon Branch and immediately cause an increase in the already untenable flooding situation in our neighborhood.

The ENA’s specific objective is to do everything in its power to protect our residents, even if it means laboring mightily to deny all rezoning efforts at this site.  We are aware that the City of Dallas is probably about fifty (50) years behind best stormwater practices, so the time is ripe to accomplish that in any new development.

If the floodwater mitigation issue is met, then we suggest these various ways to reduce the negative impact of this development upon its immediate neighbors:

A step-down design such that the tallest structures would be closest to Garland Road and/or the center of the site, stepping down to single story where the development is adjacent to single family residences.

A generous landscape buffer adjacent to the single-family homes in addition to development standards requiring the largest buffer to be on the front of the property. 

Storm water detention could be accomplished in the landscape buffers, providing a nice amenity AND flood control.

We all think that it is very important to stress the “Garland Road Vision” which included three (3) story heights for new construction, not four (4).  Further, the EMB should not be forced to build a wall to protect its property, a wall that will, certainly, become a blemish on the overall landscape and will, obviously, because of the dark corners that will form, create hidden places for crime, especially opportunities to steal catalytic convertors, as one glaring example. 

ENA generally supports Lochwood Neighborhood Association, our sister association directly across Easton Road, with respect to its position and opposition to the proposed apartment development on the Shoreline Church property. The concerns they have expressed are of great importance to the immediate neighbors of this proposed development. 

None of the neighborhoods actually oppose development along the Garland Avenue corridor. As you are probably aware, we conditionally supported the proposed residential development on the other side of Garland Road, on the corner with Peavy Road, where the Garland Thrift Store is no longer located, and so far we are pleased at its progress.

Thank you for your time,

Scooter Smith, President

 cc:

• Kyle Bickman (The Modern Tot)
• Neil Felder ( Eastlake Medical Building)
• Scott Robson (President of Lochwood Neighborhood Association)
• Eastwood Neighborhood Association Board of Directors