May 11, 2006 10:43 pm US/Central
Proposed Plan To Give Deep Ellum A Facelift
by Jay Gormley
DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
CBS 11 News has obtained a copy of the plan to give Deep Ellum a face lift. The proposal would change Deep Ellum from an after-hours neighborhood, to one that draws people day and night.
The city's plan commission will vote on the zoning changes a week from Thursday. The changes are likely to be approved. If they are, the party may be over for some of Deep Ellum's late-night dance clubs.
Whether it closes at midnight or at 4 a.m., every bar and night club in the area may soon need a special use permit. Each year every bar would be up for review. If a particular establishment is plagued by crime or noise complaints it's likely to lose its permit.
"One of the reasons for the special use permit is to get control of that environment. We have good citizens, we have good club owners, but we have some that are not good," said Barry Annino, Deep Ellum Foundation.
Supporters say the late-night bars are a magnet for crime. Lizard Lounge club owner Don Nedler backs the zoning changes, but has concerns.
"Well one of my concerns is the S.U.P. process can be subjective. If a person has an ax to grind against a particular operator they could be denied an S.U.P."
There's no problem getting people to Deep Ellum at night, but now the goal is to attract them during the day by adding more shops, lofts, and apartments that hold true to the neighborhood's character.
"In five years, I would like to see this neighborhood a lot more like Cedar Springs. They have balance where you have retail, you have residential, you have night clubs, you have restaurants, you have a little bit of everything," Nedler said.
In order to make that type change, residential housing and small businesses will no longer have to meet standard parking requirements. However, bar owners opening large night-clubs will actually have to provide
more parking spots.
The plan is all part a strategy to coincide with the building of three new DART rail stations. Another part of the proposal could also mean free parking in Deep Ellum during the day.
Supporters say the goal is to make Deep Ellum a mass transit, urban neighborhood.
(CBS 11 News)
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