Nathaniel Barrett
@ncoxbarrett.bsky.social
Dallas developer, urban orchardist, cargo bike rider, parking reformer. Building a better Dallas, one lot at a time.
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
Dallas City Council members voted unanimously to move municipal elections to November instead of May. Supporters hope it increases voter turnout, reduces voter fatigue and saves money.
Will a change to Dallas election dates improve voter turnout? Supporters of the move hope so
Dallas City Council members voted unanimously to move municipal elections to November instead of May. Supporters hope it increases voter turnout, reduces voter fatigue and saves money.
bit.ly
November 13, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Dallas City Council members voted unanimously to move municipal elections to November instead of May. Supporters hope it increases voter turnout, reduces voter fatigue and saves money.
The Dallas police and fire pension crisis still haunting us a decade later.
In what appears to be a breakthrough in a years-long fight, the Dallas Police and Fire Pension Board voted Thursday to accept terms reflected in the city’s offer sent on Sept. 26, 2025.
Dallas police and fire pension system accepts city’s new offer, with a caveat
The city and the pension system have been embroiled in a legal fight over who gets the final say in approving a plan to fix a $3 billion shortfall.
www.dallasnews.com
November 13, 2025 at 10:04 PM
The Dallas police and fire pension crisis still haunting us a decade later.
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
Austin folks, we need to make sure this doesn’t slip away from us when the 2027 code cycle rolls around
I will be periodically banging this drum and Austin WILL be getting 8-story single-stair 😤
I will be periodically banging this drum and Austin WILL be getting 8-story single-stair 😤
When Austin legalized 5 stories, Council passed a resolution directing staff to bring back recommendations for allowing single-stair in all midrise buildings (75’ habitable floor) by 2027
That’s really only 7 stories (8 if you squish) but I think it’s a pretty persuasive argument for decisionmakers
That’s really only 7 stories (8 if you squish) but I think it’s a pretty persuasive argument for decisionmakers
November 13, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Austin folks, we need to make sure this doesn’t slip away from us when the 2027 code cycle rolls around
I will be periodically banging this drum and Austin WILL be getting 8-story single-stair 😤
I will be periodically banging this drum and Austin WILL be getting 8-story single-stair 😤
I can't believe there's a shopping center called "World Cup Plaza" and it looks like this.
November 13, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I can't believe there's a shopping center called "World Cup Plaza" and it looks like this.
Every history of American planning and zoning:
November 13, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Every history of American planning and zoning:
Just checked our marketplace health insurance renewal. It'll be $30k in premiums with a $16k deductible. 🫠
November 13, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Just checked our marketplace health insurance renewal. It'll be $30k in premiums with a $16k deductible. 🫠
Parks are for everyone and should be paid for by everyone through taxes and bonds: not special assessments on new residents.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/edit...
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/edit...
Dallas park fee should be lower to encourage housing
Dallas has a bad habit of drowning development in a sea of fees and forms, some of which are not necessary.
www.dallasnews.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Parks are for everyone and should be paid for by everyone through taxes and bonds: not special assessments on new residents.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/edit...
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/edit...
November 13, 2025 at 4:07 AM
One of the most essential changes for democracy in Dallas. It took extreme state lege measures to get this done, Council had better honor that!
I'll start updating again when we begin addressing that agenda item.
Bear in mind also that the Council will be discussing the merits of moving elections from May to Novembers of odd-numbered years. Voters approved this charter amendment last year, and then the lege approved the bill allowing it.
Bear in mind also that the Council will be discussing the merits of moving elections from May to Novembers of odd-numbered years. Voters approved this charter amendment last year, and then the lege approved the bill allowing it.
November 12, 2025 at 5:43 PM
One of the most essential changes for democracy in Dallas. It took extreme state lege measures to get this done, Council had better honor that!
“Fort Worth would have never let the infrastructure of that building go to hell like it has,” he says."
Fort Worth already boondoggled their city hall. www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/f...
Fort Worth already boondoggled their city hall. www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/f...
November 12, 2025 at 5:42 PM
“Fort Worth would have never let the infrastructure of that building go to hell like it has,” he says."
Fort Worth already boondoggled their city hall. www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/f...
Fort Worth already boondoggled their city hall. www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/f...
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
RoboCop himself is mad that Dallas might tear down its brutalist City Hall:
www.dallasobserver.com/arts-culture...
www.dallasobserver.com/arts-culture...
RoboCop Calls Dallas Out Over the Sorry State of City Hall
Actor Peter Weller says Dallas should dig in its pockets to pay to repair the brutalist I.M. Pei icon.
www.dallasobserver.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:19 PM
RoboCop himself is mad that Dallas might tear down its brutalist City Hall:
www.dallasobserver.com/arts-culture...
www.dallasobserver.com/arts-culture...
Here is the most clear-eyed rundown of the City Hall fiasco thus far, from Mark Lamster.
Fantastically exaggerated costs to repair, grossly understated costs to move, with a healthy disregard to laws and wishes of the people.
I am baffled why Chad West and other CMs think this is a good idea.
Fantastically exaggerated costs to repair, grossly understated costs to move, with a healthy disregard to laws and wishes of the people.
I am baffled why Chad West and other CMs think this is a good idea.
stop the steal: my latest on the movement to demolish i. m. pei’s iconic dallas city hall based on inflated deferred maintenance estimates and a misguided dream of economic development.
www.dallasnews.com/arts-enterta...
www.dallasnews.com/arts-enterta...
Lamster: Plans to abandon Dallas City Hall are a tragic farce
City leaders seem bent on leaving the iconic building without consulting voters.
www.dallasnews.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Here is the most clear-eyed rundown of the City Hall fiasco thus far, from Mark Lamster.
Fantastically exaggerated costs to repair, grossly understated costs to move, with a healthy disregard to laws and wishes of the people.
I am baffled why Chad West and other CMs think this is a good idea.
Fantastically exaggerated costs to repair, grossly understated costs to move, with a healthy disregard to laws and wishes of the people.
I am baffled why Chad West and other CMs think this is a good idea.
I wish I could be there to deliver a blistering speech to council about this most hare-brained of schemes.
In 45 minutes (but probably more) City Hall will convene. Among the items on the agenda today is a resolution that would be a first step toward redeveloping the City Hall property. It looks like more than 40 people have signed up for public comment.
www.dmagazine.com/micropost/ci...
www.dmagazine.com/micropost/ci...
City Council takes up fate of Dallas City Hall today
Today, City Council will discuss whether it will approve steps to begin shopping the Dallas City Hall property around for development. Here’s what readers are saying about that plan.
www.dmagazine.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I wish I could be there to deliver a blistering speech to council about this most hare-brained of schemes.
If we have a half empty library and there's not enough space at City Hall for all of City Staff, it seems like there's a pretty obvious solution here.
Convert some library space to offices and move services to the Library (e.g. Oak Cliff Municipal Center).
Convert some library space to offices and move services to the Library (e.g. Oak Cliff Municipal Center).
“Many of the building’s key systems, such as electrical, plumbing and elevators, are beyond their expected useful life, [and] the longer they go without upgrade and replacement, the more likely they are to fail.”
No, this was not a quote about Dallas City Hall.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
No, this was not a quote about Dallas City Hall.
www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
Wilonsky: Do the downtown library and Dallas City Hall share the same fate?
It’s either the worst-kept secret in Dallas or the most repeated rumor around; in this small town pretending like it’s a big city, it’s sometimes hard to tell...
www.dallasnews.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:14 PM
If we have a half empty library and there's not enough space at City Hall for all of City Staff, it seems like there's a pretty obvious solution here.
Convert some library space to offices and move services to the Library (e.g. Oak Cliff Municipal Center).
Convert some library space to offices and move services to the Library (e.g. Oak Cliff Municipal Center).
Headline makes it sound like the roundabout is causing crashes but crashes are down 50% since it was installed.
They need to add traffic calming leading up to the roundabout.
They need to add traffic calming leading up to the roundabout.
November 11, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Headline makes it sound like the roundabout is causing crashes but crashes are down 50% since it was installed.
They need to add traffic calming leading up to the roundabout.
They need to add traffic calming leading up to the roundabout.
Funding shall remain on the bicentennial plan.
A draft of the first-of-its-kind Texas Department of Transportation plan released in October outlines the need for boosted public transportation in rural and smaller urban areas as well as a greater array of travel options, including rail, between the state’s major urban centers.
TxDOT: Car-dominant Texas needs more public transit
As the state’s population grows, more travel options are needed in rural and smaller urban areas and between major cities, according to a draft of the first-of-its-kind plan.
www.texastribune.org
November 10, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Funding shall remain on the bicentennial plan.
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
This Wednesday, the City Council will vote on a resolution that could be the first nail in the coffin of the nearly 50-year-old I.M. Pei building. Should the city scrap the building to allow for redevelopment, or save it and plan on maintaining it?
This week could mark beginning of the end of Dallas City Hall
This Wednesday, the City Council will vote on a resolution that could be the first nail in the coffin of the nearly 50-year-old I.M. Pei building.
www.dmagazine.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:10 PM
This Wednesday, the City Council will vote on a resolution that could be the first nail in the coffin of the nearly 50-year-old I.M. Pei building. Should the city scrap the building to allow for redevelopment, or save it and plan on maintaining it?
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
From today’s DMN, letters to the editor. “We” and “University Park.”
November 9, 2025 at 11:01 PM
From today’s DMN, letters to the editor. “We” and “University Park.”
For some reason I find the "TrumpRx" name and website very funny.
November 7, 2025 at 4:18 PM
For some reason I find the "TrumpRx" name and website very funny.
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
After six hours of testimony and discussion, the 12 members of the City Council present -- none of whom were the mayor -- unanimously concurred with the chief that Dallas police will NOT partner with ICE. Their final act was to table the subject indefinitely so it will never reach a council agenda.
The joint committee meeting, called by Mayor Eric Johnson, is now hearing from public speakers -- nearly every one opposed to this partnership. Said one speaker, "Eric Johnson is not known for making good decisions for our city." Council discussion to follow.
dallastx.new.swagit.com/views/113
dallastx.new.swagit.com/views/113
November 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
After six hours of testimony and discussion, the 12 members of the City Council present -- none of whom were the mayor -- unanimously concurred with the chief that Dallas police will NOT partner with ICE. Their final act was to table the subject indefinitely so it will never reach a council agenda.
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
👀https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/tomlinson/article/texas-elections-republicans-democrats-2026-21129181.php
November 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
👀https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/columnists/tomlinson/article/texas-elections-republicans-democrats-2026-21129181.php
I was doing great until this house in Austin came up. Prices still have further to fall in Central Texas.
November 6, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I was doing great until this house in Austin came up. Prices still have further to fall in Central Texas.
Excellent episode that really goes into the specific differences between IRC/IBC that raise costs on small projects.
When we did Dallas' "8-units under the IRC" code change this year, we consulted with Memphis officials to help scale our building code to the risk level.
When we did Dallas' "8-units under the IRC" code change this year, we consulted with Memphis officials to help scale our building code to the risk level.
In this week's UCLA Housing Voice we speak with John Zeanah, Chief of Development and Infrastructure for the City of Memphis, and Andre Jones, an urbanist developer in the city, about a host of smaller-but-important code barriers to building missing middle housing www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/11/05/1...
Episode 101: Beyond Zoning with John Zeanah and Andre D. Jones (Incentives Series pt. 4)
Your city just legalized “missing middle” housing in its zoning code — now what? Looking at Memphis, Tennessee, we discuss the hidden non-zoning barriers to developing small apartment buildings.
www.lewis.ucla.edu
November 6, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Excellent episode that really goes into the specific differences between IRC/IBC that raise costs on small projects.
When we did Dallas' "8-units under the IRC" code change this year, we consulted with Memphis officials to help scale our building code to the risk level.
When we did Dallas' "8-units under the IRC" code change this year, we consulted with Memphis officials to help scale our building code to the risk level.
Reposted by Nathaniel Barrett
New working paper studying project permitting in Seattle estimates that design review as part of the development process increased review time by 4 to 5 months. Author's model estimates that design review was associated with a 3% decline in the number of units permitted.
static1.squarespace.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:19 PM
New working paper studying project permitting in Seattle estimates that design review as part of the development process increased review time by 4 to 5 months. Author's model estimates that design review was associated with a 3% decline in the number of units permitted.