Right now, YOU have the opportunity to directly impact Lower Greenville's future by SUPPORTING THE LOWER GREENVILLE PLAN that requires businesses to get a permit from the city to operate after midnight. Last month, the City Plan Commission unanimously approved the Lower Greenville Plan but the job isn't finished. On Wednesday, January 26, the City Council will hold a public hearing to vote on the plan.
Whether you're affected by Lower Greenville's current situation or not, the Dallas Police Department testified at the last meeting that a disproportionate amount of their resources are being funneled into the Lower Greenville area each weekend. Luckily, there's room for change but this measure needs your support. “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Let's make Lower Greenville stronger than ever before!
Here's how you can help:
- Make your support seen by attending the meeting.
- Email the City Council and tell them why you want them to vote YES on the Lower Greenville proposal. Be sure to include your name and address on your email.
- You can email Juanita Ortiz, Interim Deputy Chief of Staff, Juanita.Ortiz@DallasCityHall.com, and she will distribute to ALL City Council members.
- Property Owners: turn in your "Reply Form".
Know the facts:
What is being proposed for Lower Greenville?- Requiring Lower Greenville businesses to get a permit from the city to operate after midnight.
- Lower Greenville has lost its balance: too few restaurants, neighborhood pubs, and merchants open during the day and evening, and too many bars open only late at night. Nearby residents put up with the crime, noise, traffic, litter, and other problems that this over-saturation of problem bars brings to our neighborhood. Taxpayer dollars and city resources are thrown away in a losing battle to keep the area safe and under control late at night. Worst of all, YOU have few places to shop and spend quality time with your friends and neighbors. The retail mix does not reflect the surrounding area’s makeup.
Why not just crack down on the "bad bars"?
- The legal processes that the city has at its disposal to address this imbalance of businesses are not enough to fix the problem. When the city is successful in auditing a bad bar and persuading a court to close it down, another bad bar just takes its place. The process starts over. This piecemeal approach to enforcement has been tried for years and is never going to fix Lower Greenville. This proposal allows citizens to have input about who is open late at night, and holds bad operators accountable.
Are you trying to shut down Lower Greenville at midnight and close all the bars?
- No! The goal is simply to bring some balance back to Lower Greenville and reduce the impact of businesses that operate late at night, not close down all bars or eliminate all nightlife. No businesses will be shut down as a result of this proposed permitting process. All businesses may continue to operate until midnight with no permit.
What other changes are envisioned for Lower Greenville?
- If this permit requirement is approved, the city will spend $1.3 million of 2006 Bond Funds for an extreme makeover for Lower Greenville. Starting NEXT SUMMER, the blocks between Bell and Alta will be repaved with wider sidewalks, street trees, antique lighting with matching trash bins and benches, parallel parking, and improved pedestrian crosswalks. The rest of the street from Belmont to Bryan will be redone in the 2012 Bond Program.
· Belmont Neighborhood Association
· Lower Greenville Neighborhood Association
· Lowest Greenville West Neighborhood Association
· Hudson Heights Neighborhood Association
· Vickery Place Neighborhood Association
· Greenland Hills Neighborhood Association
· Major property owners
· Business owners
· The Dallas Police Department
· City Councilmembers Hunt and Medrano
