D

Here We Go Again: Disaster In Disney Streets Over Conservation Overlay

We’ve simply got to do something about those conservation overlays — my fingers are getting tired from writing about them! First it was Little Forest Hills, now the Disney Streets in north-west-ish Dallas (Royal west of Midway, east of Marsh) are embroiled in a neighborhood brou-haw over controlled building that is getting nastier and nastier, as they always do. I had heard (Bo) peeps out of there last summer but honestly thought things were chilling. Not so, I’m told. Cinderella’ got her wicked witch broom out and Pinocchio’s nose is about to be busted. I’m running a new Disney streets listing for D Sale of the Week next week. Doesn’t this neighborhood fighting hurt property values? So tell me, what’s happening. Anyone care to comment?

Dallas Neighborhoods: University Terrace Now a Neighborhood Stabilization Overlay

Passed today, and from what I hear, the battle has not been pretty. Gotta confess here — I hate  Neighborhood Nazi Nimwits. We had our own issues in Hillcrest Estates a few years back, when a handful of neighbors who had been here in their ranch homes since the dawn of eternity decided they wanted to control what new people coming in were building. One of them filed an encumbrance on our properties limiting window views — this in a ‘hood with minimum one acre lots. Never mind that most of them had deed restriction violations on their own properties — that was OK because they had been here so long. But none of us coming in could deviate and in fact, they wanted us to abide by stricter controls. That experience and the ego rush I felt coming from folks who were not paying my mortgage or taxes just fried me. So I do apologize, I’m a little jaded.

The problem I have with bulldog HOA’s and NSO’s is how they pit neighbor against neighbor — to wit, this from University Terrace’s NSO Yes! blog:

“you know what tubby. I actually have a life. I have a family. I have better things to do than to bully people into decisions and impose on other peoples rights. But if you feel so good about it that you have to celebrate, then have a great time. It really shows to all the people that did not vote or voted no just how low class, and trashy you are.” 

Please read the blog entirely and tell me if you are not instantly transported back to eighth grade. But that’s why city councils shouldn’t let these overlays happen — let the city make the rules, enforce them, anyone else can battle it out in court where the prohibitive costs might make people act like adults for about five whole minutes.

Little Forest Hills

Small wonder.

Little Forest Hills

I’m told the Dallas City Council voted against making Little Forest Hills a conservation district, yes? So what do we think about this?

802 Salmon on the Home Stretch

On Thursday night, Preservation Dallas is hosting a preview of 802 Salmon, which, when I was over there this morning, was a veritable vortex of activity.  802 Salmon, you’ll recall, is intended as a model project: how to take a modest but historical (1926) bungalow and rehab it in a way that is both energy- and cost-efficient.  And looks fabulous as well.  In fact, I want it.

Will Dallas Homes Get Smaller?

D.W. Skelton and I have talked about this for the last five years — he contending that we will soon see the end of the mega mega home, even in Dallas. Now our Virginia McAlester agrees, and tells The Washington Post’sElizabeth Razzi that big homes were de rigeur at the turn of the 20th Century for the wealthy: 20 or 40 rooms, which required a tremendous income (and staff out the wazoo) to keep up. Now, predicts McAlester, you will see smaller homes built with tremendous green consciousness, especially when it comes to energy efficiency. Other experts say our homes will not get all that smaller — the average U.S. home size is increasing — but will focus more on quality, rather than size. So tell me, where is this happening in Dallas besides Little Forest Hills?

Houston Mayor Powers Up Eminent Domain

On .09 acres near the Galleria. You just don’t hear about politicians using this power all that often. There were claims of public necessity for a park, but others claim this was a political move on the part of the mayor to help out a buddy’s new development — a buddy who also happened to donate to his campaign.

Even NAR Is Shunning Hummers

Even the National Association of Realtors is willing to acknowledge that big houses are inherently un-green or un-sustainable.  Next month the NAR will introduce its new green certification for REALTORS and, somewhere in the very comprehensive curriculum, NAR comes right out and says that.  You know, it’s all about efficiency, and a house that has rooms specifically devoted to one use (package wrapping comes to mind) is not particularly efficient.  A lifestyle choice for sure, but not one that could be called sustainable.

House Porn a la Catherine Horsey

Was it Jimmy Carter who said he had lust in his heart? I lust for almost everything made out of brick, mortar, stucco, stone or (now) ICF. (Frame is OK too as long as no termite damage.) I have a wonderful compatriot who also has lust in her heart of a slightly different kind —  preservation.

I welcome Catherine Horsey to Dallas Dirt. (Please wipe your feet.) Catherine will be joining us periodically to talk about old houses, new houses, sustainable houses and other topics.  You might remember her from Preservation Dallas , Urban Reserve or one of the two soon-to-be-opening Audubon centers .  She now spends a lot of time talking/lecturing/educating about how old houses, pre- air conditioning, were the original sustainable houses.

CE:God, Catherine, do you really like to sweat that much? Living in a home without A/C is like living in one giant hot flash!

CH: Candy, it’s like a spa facial, good for your pores.

Since I’m a House Princess — no marble around the tub means we are camping– I think Catherine is just what we need around here to bring in fresh, clean, un-airconditioned air through hand-cranked thermo windows to give us the down and dirty on green and preservation.

Welcome Catherine!

Homes That Can’t Be Built in Little Forest Hills

You may have heard the rumblings as far north as Preston and LBJ: the battle for a conservation district in Little Forest Hills. Come November, the City Plan Commission will scrutinize the plan, which goes to the City Council for a vote in December. Very hot issue. If the plan passes as proposed, here is a list of homes that can’t be built in Little Forest Hills including one we shot for our newest issue of D Home.