Sometimes, the dynamics of Dallas land use and zoning don’t reveal themselves until something catches fire or a small business runs headlong into an obscure line of the development code. Here are some curveballs that came out of Dallas City Hall recently.
Tire Fire Raises Questions About Industrial Activity on Residential Properties
A massive tire fire that sent black smoke billowing across the D-FW last weekend has prompted Council Member Zarin Gracey (District 3) to examine how much industrial activity has quietly crept onto residential properties in southern Dallas.
More than 100 Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel responded Sunday to the four-alarm fire at 4529 Barstow Blvd. in the Redbird area. Firefighters were initially dispatched around 4:44 p.m. for a reported grass fire before the flames engulfed a house, collapsed its roof, and spread into trailers, gutted vehicles, and large piles of tires stored behind the residence.
Smoke could be seen as far as Carrollton, Plano, and Arlington. No injuries were reported, and nearby homes and businesses escaped the flames, but Gracey said the close call exposed larger land-use questions in the neighborhood…