At the end of last year, former Mayor Laura Miller made a Twitter account to respond to an allegation from Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates. Gates said The Dallas Morning News published a column written by Miller “that is filled with inaccuracies and misinformation regarding Preston Center.” They went back and forth a bit, and then Miller asked for a debate. “You name the time and place,” she said. “I will be there.”
Two months later, Miller was sneaking in at the deadline to file to run for City Council against Gates. And now our sister publication, Preston Hollow People, is making that debate happen.
D Magazine Editor Tim Rogers will moderate the event from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 28 at the sanctuary inside the Preston Hollow United Methodist Church, at 6315 Walnut Hill Lane. Preston Center will be the cornerstone of the race. There’s been plenty of jabs over the years about what to do with this part of town, particularly since the Preston Place condominiums burned down in 2017. Miller was part of a development task force that submitted its vision for the area to the city months before the fire. That plan wouldn’t allow for anything to go in with a height over four stories, which some say is a dicey financial proposition for developers.
Gates is open to exploring re-zoning to allow for increased density. Miller wants the city to leave it alone, lest the longtime residents lose their coveted surroundings of single-family homes and large lots. They’re also worried about the impact on traffic and quality of life issues in the area. There’s also the matter of the decrepit garage in the center of it all, which the city technically owns but can’t do anything with unless it has the support of the surrounding building owners. The region’s transportation authority has also researched making traffic changes to Preston Road and Northwest Highway.
All of this will likely be discussed. I am willing to bet that it will be lively. Sign up here to reserve your spot.