Dallas’ City Plan Commission is scheduled to vote on July 25 on whether to approve an updated version of ForwardDallas, but the comprehensive land use plan does not endorse the addition of tiny homes and cottage courts in some zoning districts.

Several residents attended a July 11 City Plan Commission (CPC) meeting to voice their opposition to or support for revisions to ForwardDallas.

“ForwardDallas 2.0 is not ready to be sent to city council,” local resident Ed Zahra said. “As a Dallas homeowner for 48 years, please note my opposition to ForwardDallas 2.0. … Please support an exemption to the R zone districts and plan developments from this change. Hands off our single-family neighborhoods.”

“I would support adding language to ForwardDallas that would clarify that R-7 zoning would not be changed to allow for multiplexes and tiny homes,” said another resident, Mike Northrup. “Many of you on this commission have expressed surprise [about] the huge reaction this plan has gotten from the public. There’s a reason for that, and it’s because of the squishy language we’ve lived with from the prior ForwardDallas plan.”

The original comprehensive land use plan was adopted in 2006. Any revisions or changes to the plan must be approved by the CPC before being forwarded to the Dallas City Council for a vote. However, according to the City, the document is considered a “planning guide” and not a “zoning tool.”

Commissioner Lorie Blair made a motion to remove cottage courts and tiny homes “as an example of single-family detached land uses” from the matrix and add both to the implementation section of ForwardDallas.

“Isn’t ‘cottage court homes’ already addressed in the Dallas Development Code?” Commissioner Thomas Forsyth asked.

Commission Chair Tony Shidid responded:

“It’s not the same, commissioner. It’s different. … Part of the reason why some of us are supporting moving them through the implementation section [is] because they’re just not defined.”

Another commissioner, Melissa Kingston, offered her opinion on the issue.

“I do think these two housing types are important things to consider for the future of the city,” she said. “But I do think because they are not currently in our development code and aren’t defined at all that it’s a little reckless to just plop them into the place type without them going through the processes and having them vetted [by] this body and counsel. And that’s why I support moving them to the implementation section.”

Fox 4 KDFW reported one development in Dallas includes tiny homes — The Cottages at Hickory Crossing. The residences are a few hundred square feet and generally cost a fraction of what it costs to purchase the median home in Dallas.

“I think they both have a lot of potential to provide aging-in-place housing, housing for young people starting out, or simply housing for people who don’t want to live in 3,500 square feet,” Kingston said. “And, so, I just want to make sure that people understand the rationale — at least my rationale — for supporting this motion.”

Many residents have argued that ForwardDallas would eliminate single-family neighborhoods — an assertion that commissioners have denied.

“But what we have constantly heard throughout today and throughout all of the hundreds of emails that we have gotten every day is: Protect single-family residents,” Blair said. “I do agree that the diversity of this city allows for different types of housing stock to be placed in different places, and it’s acceptable. There are other communities that are more purists that only want single-family detached, and that’s okay. That’s the beauty of being in the city of Dallas.”

Shidid echoed Blair’s sentiments.

“I endorse every single word of that, and I would say that’s what we do here at this horseshoe,” he said. “It’s literally what we do here. We customize the words on this plan with the code, with the input of the public, to find a customized solution where we can. And that solution is not the same in every part of town.”

The next City Plan Commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 25 in council chambers at Dallas City Hall.