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02/10/05 Love
those old houses.
I came across the letter dated 1/10/05 regarding the proposed Hillside
Conservation District and want to comment. I'm an area resident who is alarmed
by what is happening to all the neighborhoods (West of Central Expwy
and around Mockingbird/Skillman/Abrams/etc) with the tear downs and new
builds.
The face of many neighborhoods is changing and sadly they're looking alot like
Plano and any other suburb that builds two story "box"
homes. They're often referred to as McMansions -
I refer to them as "variations on a box"... really big
boxes. We're losing our wonderful old established neighborhoods that have houses
with real yards and a little bit of space between.
Our old houses and neighborhoods sport a few eye sores and it's not perfect, but
that's part of what makes this area appealing.
Conservation districts are supposed to help
preserve what we have. At
present they are the only way for residents who want
to preserve what we have to get help on this issue. |
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Ken:
Thanks for the comments about the rebuilds.
I live in a 2 year-old "McMansion"
between Skillman and Matilda. The houses that are being torn down are
usually very decrepit. The decent, small houses (around 1200-1500 sq ft)
go for well over $200,000 in that area.
Teardowns have to be under
about $150,000 for it to be profitable to new builders. The lots are
currently valued at $100,000, so a $50K value-added isn't much.
You are also right about the
new houses versus the burbs. I had to
argue that point with my wife. She wanted a new house,
but I hate the burbs, so this was a good compromise.
The area will never turn into Plano
because there are so many absolutely gorgeous older homes that have been
maintained or restored/expanded.
The new homes are replacing the
worst of the older houses. I admit they clash with the neighborhood, but
they're an improvement over the dumps they replace.
By the way, it's good to see you're
starting to mellow (Conservation nazis?)
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Many neighborhoods are clamoring to get this
designation. It takes months and months and
that's after going through the petition process and then the city only does
a couple of them per year. The city and the builders have the upper hand
and they want the money that comes from the McMansion building.
I'm not sure of what's happened to your area to cause the letter posted on your
site, but if your area doesn't want McMansions, then regardless of the
underhanded way the "study" came about, you might want to reconsider the
conservation district. Driving down streets
between Skillman and Matilda is disheartening - check
out Velasco Street and you'll see some "Castle" houses
now where old homes once were.
At the rate the new builds are happening, our wonderful old neighborhoods will
be gone in a matter of time.
Personally, I'm not against building a new house so long as it doesn't take the
whole lot, doesn't tower over the one story older homes (robbing
them of light), doesn't have a double car garage as the main focal point
in the front, and the look fits in with the existing houses. There has got to be
a better way of rebuilding our area.
Currently, builders are taking
full advantage of the present zoning laws and are slapping up the biggest
house that will give them the most bang for the buck. The city likes it
for the tax dollars. The residents are stuck in the middle.
This issue is so touchy for everyone. Without knowing all that has taken place
leading up to the letter and the issues you have, I just felt the need
to comment. You may want the huge new houses in your neighborhood, but if
you don't, you might want to reconsider the conservation district that's
knocking at your door and get it while you can.
Thanks for your time...
BOYD RESPONSE:
A friend of mine says "If you want to preserve an old house, buy it."
I bought a 50+ year old house that I have been restoring ever since.
That's
my choice -- to save and restore my house. I find it amazing that
someone would presume to tell another property owner what style house they
can build on their own land -- or where the garage can be -- or whether it
can be two-stories or not.
I lived in East Dallas (on Bonita) back in the 70's. What was built in the
30's and 40's was the "fashion" of that time and fit the needs or wants of
families of that time. Considering the state
of our DISD, to tell young people or anyone of any age that the
only way they can live in a certain part of town is to have make do with
what's already there is unreasonable. Their only alternative is to head to
the suburbs with their money and property taxes.
I will fight to the death to keep multi-family out of single-family areas.
I will even do what I can to get aging apartment houses demolished and
back-zoned if the apt. property owners have been bad
neighbors or neglected their property.
However, I am sick of Conservation Nazis who want to control what type
single-family houses other
people can build -- just because the new house doesn't meet the Conservation
Nazis' aesthetic standards.
I'm a "process" person. When someone gets special favors at City Hall
because they have an inside track, it taints the process. I do not believe
the end justifies the means.
As far as how many conservation districts the city approves annually, that
is totally irrelevant. Many of them are done over the objections of a
majority of the homeowners.
A handful of people wanted to amend the Oak Lawn PD to make it even more
cumbersome and restrictive. Over 70% of the landowners objected to the
changes, but we were overruled by your favorite councilwoman, Princess
Velveeta. Thank God, she's termed out, and all the
more reason to vote for anyone but Angela Hunt -- a Velveeta clone.
Greenway Parks was split 50-50 on their conservation district, but it was
approved by the council because Princess Velveeta wanted it done.
Finally, some of the houses you like seeing as you drive around
need so much updating that the costs of the repairs exceeds the value of
the house.
I suggest you fix your house the way you want it and sit
in your driveway and look at it or drive by it several times a day.
Just don't presume to control someone else's choice of house for their
residence.
sb |
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