East Village Association, a group representing residents who live near the proposed East Village development, has filed a request for a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction against the city of Dallas and the Plan Commission to block a zoning change that would allow construction of a 130,000-square-foot Sam's Club.
Residents say they were misled throughout the process that led to the potential approval of the plan backed by developer Trammell Crow. The zoning changes, they say, "[are] the product of a fraud upon the people and the city of Dallas."
Plans for the discount mega-retailer were never discussed at community meetings hosted by Crow to talk about the development; zoning change notices provided by the city failed to note the full extent of the potential development, according to the residents.
Bobby Abtahi, the vice chair of the Plan Commission, said that while he did find out about the court action today, he's still awaiting the city attorney's briefing to the commission tomorrow before commenting.
A clerk at the 162nd District Court, where the request for injunction was filed, told Unfair Park that a hearing on the matter had been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday. The Plan Commission is scheduled to vote on Crow's development plan Thursday.
