The Park and Recreation Board’s Planning and Design Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday morning, when they’ll discuss how to fund the 6.5-mile section of the Northaven Trail between DART’s Green Line and Preston Road. The matter is on the consent agenda for the full board meeting the same morning.

A rendering of the 40-foot cross that will soon join Prestonwood's Campus.

Sometimes when I’m writing a story, everything goes as it should. People answer the phone. I get the information I need by deadline, and all is right with the world. Other times, the sources and photos come crashing in days after the article goes to press. And a slim percentage of the time, I never hear back at all. While it was too late to include in this week’s paper, I’m happy to report I have some new information on the plans for a cross on the Hillcrest Road campus of Prestonwood Baptist Church. Read More…

In a narrow vote (7-6), the City Plan Commission approved Prestonwood Baptist Church’s proposal for a 40-foot illuminated cross in the northeast corner of its property at 12123 Hillcrest Road. Four neighbors spoke in opposition to the plan, including former commissioner Carol Scott, who gave an impassioned defense of trees and darkness.

“I can’t understand the illumination and the massive tree removal only to show off a 40-foot cross,” Scott said. “I have it on good authority that this large cross … will make a terrific traffic and accident area.”

Pastor Chris Kouba said the lighting will face the building and is “not intended” to reflect on anyone’s home. He said it will be turned off at midnight, along with the rest of the lighting already on the property.

“The trees we have already done our due diligence on,” he said. “We do have the right to remove any trees as long as it’s tied to a permit, which it is.”

Despite this disagreement, Kouba said the church’s desire is to be “good neighbors.”

“We do not think [the cross] will affect in any way our relationship with the surrounding community,” he said.

Here we go. It’s just been posted, ready for the Department of Justice’s review.

Councilmembers Angela Hunt, Delia Jasso, Monica Alonzo, Pauline Medrano, Sandy Greyson, and Scott Griggs voted against the plan last night — 6 to 9 — with Ann Margolin, Carolyn Davis, Dwaine Caraway, Jerry Allen, Linda Koop,  Sheffie Kadame, Tennell Atkins, Vonciel Jones Hill, and Mayor Mike Rawlings in favor.

We’ll have locals’ input and a detailed breakdown in our Oct. 14 paper.

Those underthings still dangling in the trees outside City Hall this evening arrived with Preston Hollow resident Leslie Ezelle, the former Design Star contestant who’s “pinking” locations across town for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Anne-e Girl,” a giant metal bra sculpture by George Tobolowsky, has a temporary post on the plaza.

Check the jump for another photo.

Read More…

I’m here at City Hall, where councilmembers seem to be edging closer to a redistricting decision – one that will become effective in 2013, and determine City Council districts for another decade.

The group came down to two versions of the latest map  in executive session this afternoon, and you can have a gander at them here, as cPlan16d (Caraway, Davis, Hill, and DMPT Atkins) Amended Map and cPlan16d Combination (Jasso) Amended Map.

North Dallas districts, as you’ll see, are consistent in both maps.

Leading up to the council’s 3 p.m. recess (which is soon to end), the most debated areas were well south of Preston Hollow: split neighborhoods in Districts 1, 3 and 4, and proposed black voting majorities in Districts 3, 4, 7, and 8.

Stay tuned!

Friday update: A map was approved last night— a collage of revisions, some of them at the last minute — with four black and four Hispanic voting-majority districts, and relatively few changes (from previous drafts) to Districts 2, 6, and 13. “Any minute now,” a city employee said around 10:30 a.m., after many a tweak at the redistricting office, it’ll be finished and ready to post online.

Any minute now.

Clarice Tinsley, George Tobolowsky, and Leslie Ezelle outside City Hall with a Channel 4 cameraman.

On my way into City Hall yesterday afternoon for an Oak Cliff People story, I spied Preston Hollow resident Leslie Ezelle being interviewed by Channel 4’s Clarice Tinsley. Ezelle, whom we profiled in the paper as a contestant on HGTV’s Design Star, and George Tobolowsky are unveiling their new giant bra at City Hall tomorrow morning.

The redistricting hoopla that yielded a public forum Saturday could affect Preston Hollow, per maps posted on the Dallas City Council website.

District 13 will change, regardless, and its proposed borders (which you’ll find here, in a plan approved last month by the city’s redistricting commission) stayed constant in most new drafts Saturday from council members. But a few proposed revisions, including ones from Mayor Mike Rawlings, affect District 13’s western and/or southern boundaries.

Changes will become effective in 2013.

As for how the official map will shake out? That’s to be determined, hopefully during the regular city council meeting on Oct. 5. Worst-case scenario, a redistricting office employee tells me, the council has until Oct. 15 to make its final call.

The owner of a property on the corner of Park Lane and Preston Road is seeking exceptions to the fence height and visual obstruction regulations. So says this agenda for next Tuesday’s Board of Adjustment meeting.

According to the agenda for tomorrow’s City Council meeting, Atkins Bros. Equipment is going to get a $10 million contract to install water and wastewater mains at 25 locations, 16 of which are in City Council Districts 11 and 13, the districts that cover Preston Hollow:

District 11

Brookridge Drive from Spring Valley Road north

Easement between Churchill Way and Willow Lane from Archdale Drive to Hillcrest Road

Roaring Springs Lane from Tahoe Drive northeast

Stonebrook Circle from east Ridgeview Circle to west Ridgeview Circle

Stonehaven Drive from Valleybrook Drive west

Tahoe Drive from Roaring Springs Lane to Thistle Lane

District 13

Forest Bend Road from Drexelwood Drive to Harvest Hill Road

Princess Lane from Royal Club Lane to Marquis Lane

Rockmoor Court from Rockmoor Drive northeast

Seguin Drive from Marsh Lane to Mixon Drive

Shady Oak Lane from Timber Trail Drive southeast

Shelterwood Circle from Shelterwood Lane east

Shelterwood Lane from Northaven Road south

Talisman Drive from Channel Drive to Sundial Drive

Wildflower Drive from Talisman Drive to Webb Chapel Road

Woodleigh Court from Woodleigh Drive north