The Dallas City Council at the Wednesday, June 24 meeting. Photo by Victoria Hernandez.

The Dallas City Council met for the final time before July recess to discuss a range of agenda items on Wednesday, June 24. Here are ten decisions from the meeting that impact Oak Cliff, along with other major citywide actions residents should know about. 

Anonymous donation accepted for Dallas Public Library

The council accepted an anonymous donation of $2.825 million to support programming and services at the Dallas Public Library. The gift includes approximately $2.8 million in cash and securities, as well as an estimated $25,000 from the future sale of mineral rights.

As part of the agreement, the City will immediately sell the donated securities and transfer the proceeds into the Library Family Donation Fund to support long-term library needs.

This item was passed in the consent agenda.

District 3 Exterior Improvement Grant Program

Dallas City Council authorized the establishment of the District 3 Exterior Improvement Grant Program. This program utilizes $1.2 million in funding that will allow applicants to make improvements to facade and other exterior capital improvements of retail facilities within the district. 

District 3 Council member Zarin Gracey said during the Wednesday meeting for District 3 residents with retail space to reach out and that the grant will be open soon.

This item was passed in the consent agenda.

Safe streets

The city accepted a $9.24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant funding is to make improvements to safety in five corridors including Maple Avenue, Camp Wisdom Road, Lake June Road, Ferguson Road and St. Augustine Road.

This item was passed in the consent agenda.

Master Plan for Halperin Park

Dallas City Council approved a $1 million contract to hire the Dallas engineering firm, Gresham Smith. The firm will work to help connect the surrounding areas of Halperin Park and the Dallas Zoo to the rest of Oak Cliff.

Since the May opening of Halperin Park, concerns have increased regarding pedestrian safety with access to the deck park. Identified project locations include the garage exit ramp to Marsalis Avenue, the pedestrian bridge over Clarendon Avenue, the Dallas Zoo entrance, the intersection of South Ewing Avenue and the Interstate 35E northbound service road, and the intersection of South Lancaster Avenue and East 12th Street.

This item was passed as part of the meeting’s consent agenda.

Traffic corridor studies

The Dallas City Council authorized a professional engineering services contract with Westwood Professional Services, Inc for traffic corridor studies. One of the included studies will look at North Beckley Avenue from Singleton Boulevard to West 12th Street.

This item was passed as part of the meeting’s consent agenda.

Engineering services 

The city has authorized a professional services contract with Bridgefarmer & Associates, Inc. to provide additional engineering services. 

Those services include thoroughfare improvements on South Ewing Avenue from Interstate Highway 35E to East Clarendon Drive, and street reconstruction on East Clarendon Drive from South Ewing Avenue to Upton Street. 

This item was passed as part of the meeting’s consent agenda.

Kiest Tennis Center

The Dallas City Council voted on the management of four tennis centers. In a divided question, three tennis centers received unanimous approval to keep Impact Activities management.

Kiest Tennis Center was considered separately. Council voted unanimously to deny a contract with Impact Activities for that center. 

The management will remain under Dallas Tennis and Education Academy (DTEA) for the time being. The bidding and procurement process will restart to determine the future management of Kiest Tennis Center.

Morgan Stanley incentive package

Dallas City Council approved an economic development incentive package valued at up to $18.5 million to support Morgan Stanley’s expansion in Dallas. The Chapter 380 agreement includes up to $10 million for job creation and relocation, up to $7.5 million in lieu of a real property tax abatement, and up to $1 million to reimburse permitting, inspection and development fees associated with the company’s new temporary regional office at 1445 Ross Ave. and future permanent regional office in Uptown.

As part of the agreement, the Council also designated two Neighborhood Empowerment Zones to encourage economic development and nominated both projects for designation under the Texas Enterprise Zone program. The project is expected to support job creation and private investment in the city.

This item was passed unanimously. 

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

The Dallas City Council did not approve a recommendation to restore the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center to its original height to accommodate travel from the Jefferson viaduct to Market Street. The proposal would have added an estimated $597 million in construction costs and resulted in approximately $271.3 million in foregone convention revenue over five years.

Additionally, Deputy Pro Tem Maxie Johnson made a motion for the city manager to engage in an independent transportation consultant to support all transportation components relating to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Master Plan and seek community input, plus brief the council on additional options using the Houston and Jefferson viaducts to access Downtown. This motion was supported by all Oak Cliff council members.

District 1 Council member Chad West voted in favor of lowering the convention center design. District 3 Council member Zarin Gracey, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Maxie Johnson of District 4 and District 8 Council member Lorie Blair opposed redesigning and raising the convention center.

Stevens Park Village Conservation District

Stevens Park Village became Oak Cliff’s ninth conservation district. The process has been underway since 2022, with 141 homes within the boundaries of the district.

This item was passed unanimously. Mayor Eric Johnson was not present for the vote.

Council returns from the July recess, starting with committee meetings on Monday, Aug. 6, with the next city council meeting set for Wednesday, Aug. 12.