Good evening:
The final two weeks of public meetings at Dallas City Hall this year will include discussion on matters with implications decades into the future.
The future of Fair Park is once again up for discussion tomorrow, months after the City terminated a failed public-private management partnership.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) leaders will join a City Council committee on Tuesday to discuss safety, ridership, and the threat from four — and possibly five — service area cities to pull out of the agency.
On Wednesday, regional water planning is on the City Council agenda. It may sound like a dry topic, but it’s just human survival at stake if we don’t properly plan for continued explosive growth.
Read on for more on those issues and other items of interest in the first week of December.
A note to readers: Meetings of Interest is an independent newsletter curated and authored by Scott Goldstein and sponsored by Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI). The content, perspectives, or commentary presented herein reflect the views of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the views, policies, or positions of DDI or any other organization, institution, or individual, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Any affiliations are for identification purposes only and do not imply endorsement.
📖 Table of Contents
🔢 Number of Interest
2.6 Million
Number of customers who rely on Dallas Water Utilities for clean water, including residents of Addison, Farmers Branch, Irving, Carrollton, Grapevine, Lewisville, and several other cities.
🤝 Meetings of Interest: December 1 - 5, 2025
Monday, December 1
City Council Parks, Trails, & the Environment Committee, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Briefing: Fair Park Operations Model and Revitalization Strategy
The future of Fair Park is up for discussion, with committee members set to receive much the same briefing delivered to Park Board members earlier this year. Park Department leadership is pushing for a “hybrid” management model with a mix of public and private partners.
2.18 MB • PDF File
The City’s ban on vaping in public spaces, approved by City Council last year, takes effect on Thursday, Dec. 11. Read the ordinance here.
Dallas Landmark Commission, 9 a.m. Briefing, 1 p.m. Public Hearing, 6ES Briefing Room, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Commissioners are expected to discuss extending the City’s Historic Preservation Tax Exemption Program, originally adopted in 1993 and set to sunset at the end of this year. The incentive spurs rehabilitation of historic properties by exempting City property taxes for a set period of time. The program ultimately generates substantially more revenue than it defers, according to this memo.
Landmark Commission: Fair Park's Carona Plaza
Commissioners will discuss a plan to rehab the Carona Plaza — named for former State Senator John Carona and his wife, Helen — leading to the Cotton Bowl entrance at Fair Park. The plan includes the installation of new trees, replacement of existing pavement, and removal and installation of flagpoles.
11.54 MB • PDF File
City Council Economic Development Committee, 1 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Extension of the Historic Preservation Tax Exemption Program — noted on the above Landmark Commission agenda — is also on this agenda for possible discussion. Full City Council is expected to vote on extending the program on Dec. 10.
“Authorized Hearings” are City-initiated rezoning cases “that typically consider land us, development standards, and other regulations and align the zoning with future land use/placetypes.” This briefing, requested by two council members, explains more about what they are and which cases were initiated this way over the past five years.
Committee members may also go into closed session to discuss “Project X,” which is tied to negotiations to keep the Dallas Mavericks and Stars playing in Dallas.
Tuesday, December 2
Dallas Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Board, 9 a.m., Cotton Bowl - Press Box, 3750 The Midway, Dallas, TX 75215
The EDC, led by Linda McMahon, is expected to help the City evaluate real estate and economic development opportunities tied to a possible relocation of Dallas City Hall. EDC board members will consider signing off on an agreement with the City to take on this high stakes assignment.
Special Called Joint Meeting of the City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board, 1 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
A slide from the DART quarterly update briefing (linked below).
Imagine a Dallas with a single connected streetcar line running through Downtown and south to Fair Park and Oak Cliff’s soon-to-open Halperin Park. The concept is a long time coming, and it’s gaining new momentum backed by a planned Downtown streetcar study to be undertaken next year. Read more.
City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 2:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Committee members are expected to discuss how the City is spending $80 million in DART funds reprogrammed in 2023 for City of Dallas transportation projects. Read more.
Wednesday, December 3
Dallas City Council Briefing, 9 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
Briefing: Long-Range Water Supply Plan
The population of the 16-county water planning region that includes Dallas is expected to double by 2080. This briefing dives into strategies to ensure we have enough water supply to meet the growing demand — including more limits on when you can water your lawn.
1.47 MB • PDF File
Thursday, December 4
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board, 8:30 a.m., 2400 Aviation Drive, Board Room - DFW Airport HQ, DFW Airport, TX 75261
Terminal F contracts and the CEO’s performance evaluation and salary adjustment are among the items on this agenda.
Dallas Park and Recreation Board Meeting, 9 a.m., Cotton Bowl, 3750 The Midway, Dallas, TX 75215
Park Board members (including me) will vote on an amended $122 million funding agreement for an expansion of Klyde Warren Park. The project is funded with a mix of sources including state, federal, private, and 2024 voter-approved bond funds. This item was originally set for a Park Board vote earlier this month but was delayed by staff.
Dallas City Plan Commission (CPC), 10 a.m. Briefing, 12:30 p.m. Public Hearing, Council Chambers, 6th Floor, Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St.
A breakdown of fiscal 2024-25 zoning cases by City Council district.
The CPC Annual Report offers insights into what keeps this board and the City’s Planning and Development Department busy — and what they have planned for 2026. Read the briefing.
🗣️ Quote of Interest
“We’re the only city that built an arm — to McKinney — and a leg — to Oak Cliff — but no spine through Downtown. If you could get on a streetcar at whatever hotel you’re staying in and know that you could get to the Arts District or Klyde Warren or Uptown over to Lower Greenville or Fair Park on a trolley, that would be a game changer.”
Did I miss anything? Do you have any questions? Just want to talk about meetings and memos and other fun stuff? Hit me up.
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Have a great week.
Best,
Scott Goldstein
Managing Partner
The GoldHam Group
