At the meeting held at the Church on March 26, 2009, HPPC presented its Plan to develop a surface parking lot on the McFarlin side of the West Block, to the neighbors. No one living on the South side of the 3900 block of McFarlin or the north side of the 3900 Block of University expressed support for the Plan, as presented, however, a number of very relevant questions and comments came out of this meeting including the following:
1. NEED – A number of the neighbors question the actual need for this parking lot, noting that the Church, which had approximately 8,000 members prior to the split, now has a little more than half that number, and that parking did not appear to be a problem twenty (20) years ago, before the split. Explanations for the need included a need/desire to provide more close-in parking for seniors, and the fact that the Church, currently, has three (3) services at 11:00 on Sund ay, which create a peak demand at that time, resulting in people having to park in the neighborhood, blocks away in some cases. Around 550 people, on average, attend the 11:00 A.M. Sunday service in the Main Sanctuary. The other two services attract a total of over 1,200 attendees, on average. Half or more of the total attendees live outside of the Park Cities.
2. ALTERNATIVES – The neighbors raised possibilities of a number of
alternatives to meet any parking needs including the following:
(a) Reschedule at least one of the three 11:00 A. M. Sunday services to another time in order to mitigate parking demand.
(b) Approach the City about allowing parking in the areas designated “No Parking” along University on Sundays, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
(c) Provide Valet parking from the Hunt Building.
(d) Designate/reserve existing head in parking spaces on Shannon for Senior parking only on Sundays.
(e) Revisit utilization of the High School Parking Garage, with shuttle service on Sundays, during peak demand period.
(f) Widen alley in the West Block to Fire Lane width (24 feet), create head in parking on both sides of the alley, and leave the houses alone. This could provide 80+/- parking spaces.
(g) Creating underground parking under the West Block and Shannon Lane, which could provide a direct access from the underground parking garage to the Hunt Building, in a manner considered several years ago when the Church last addressed the issue of possible redevelopment of the West Block.
(h) Create additional parking in some of the green space areas in front of the existing Church buildings in the 3800 block of University.
It was also noted that the City parking lot on Golf, which the City took back for staging during construction will, again, be available soon and provide some mitigation of the parking problem
3. MASTER PLAN – Several years ago when the Church last addressed the
proposed redevelopment of the West Block, the City suggested that the Church present a Master Plan for the entire West Block, as opposed to a piece meal redevelopment plan, so that both the City and the neighbors could better understand what the Church really had in mind, long term, for this entire block. This would alleviate suspicions and concerns that this surface parking lot is simply an interim step in a mid term, and long term, concept plan for the West Block by the Church, as well as provide all parties involved with a better insight into the Church’s overall vision for this property.
4. GOOD NEIGHBOR – A number of the neighbors made the point that while the Church has a need and/or desire to provide more close in parking for its senior members and/or ministries, this should be balanced against the impact that the proposed parking lot would have on the adjoining neighbors who must live with it twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. It was suggested that the Church’s mission and desire to create and “plant” new churches within its current facility needs to be balanced with the neighbor’s desire to maintain the residential character of the neighborhood. In other words, HPPC needs to be a “good neighbor”. While it is true that everyone in attendance purchased their home knowing their home was adjacent to property owned by the Church in the West Block, we all did this, also with the knowledge that the West Block was zoned “Residential” and was being used by the Church to provide housing for its ministers and other parties associated/affiliated with the Church. It is likewise true that when the Church acquired this property, it was well aware that all of the surrounding property was zoned single family residential and being utilized, and would continue to be utilized, for this purpose. That was the “status quo” on both sides.
5. IMPACT ON PROPERTY VALUES – All homes across from existing Church facilities on University Blvd. and McFarlin have been reduced in value by between 20%-25% by the Dallas Central Appraisal District, in recognition of the negative impact that this adjacency has on property values. In addition to the DCAD, all Appraisers who appraise properties when they are sold or refinanced recognize the negative impact of this adjacency, as do the Realtors who market these properties for sale. While the magnitude of this negative impact can be debated, and most probably does vary depending on the economy and other factors (i.e. availability of properties not adjacent to the Church) the fact that there is a negative impact is well recognized. While this impact can be mitigated through the use of landscaping and screening, to debate whether it is less desirable to live across from this parking lot than from a single family residence in this neighborhood is disingenuious. no one, including the Senior Minister of the HPPC, wants to live across the street from a parking lot.
NoHPPCparkinglot's Blog 
This is great. Keep up the good work.
the church is now calling the parking lot the “parking plaza”. from what i have heard, the plaza will be, after the tearing down of homes, a lot of concrete and a very small amount of greenery. i cannot say that i have ever seen a parking lot that looked like a park, as the church is promoting this to its members. if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s not a swann, and shame on hppc for trying to deceive its congregation.
FREEDOM OF RELIGION IS NOT THE FREEDOM TO BUILD ANYTHING A CHURCH WANTS!
As an interesting aside, I still have not heard one solid counterargument against any of our proposed alternatives from any of the proponents of the parking lot with whom I’ve been discussing the issue. Would anyone who supports the parking lot care to explain to me why these proposals are unacceptable as a replacement for a multimillion dollar parking lot? I would very much like to discuss, and I honestly am interested to hear what people have to say in this regard, since thus far I have heard literally nothing.
Micklethwait: All I know is that church leaders have announced that valet parking is “elitist” and would give the church the appearance of a country club. Guess they haven’t noticed that valet parking has become almost commonplace at just about every doctor’s office, hospital, and restaurants where parking can be a challenge. Too bad they are more concerned with perception than preserving the peace in the neighborhood and serving their “challenged seniors”. By offering seniors this opportunity to attend church without a significant walk through a parking lot and across a city street (Shannon Ln.), they may find increased attendance on the part of some senior members. And by moving those cars to the periphery of all other parked cars, other members would then be able to park closer to the church. All this and no negative impact upon the neighbors! Imagine! And to sweeten the deal, the valet parking could be offered every Sunday for well over 20 years for the cost of a surface parking lot! Factor in the cost of parking lot maintenance, and you’ve added another year or two!
Let’s see, perception or relationships with neighbors?
Does anyone else see it my way or am I alone on this?
i am completely sympathetic to the needs of mobility-challenged seniors. who isn’t? i have a mother who is a stroke victim and cannot walk. but i also have an able bodied 82 year-old dad who is appalled at the church using seniors as their official excuse to re-zone an entire block of homes for future and undisclosed uses.
yes, waytogo, there are many other options if this really was about the seniors. that valet parking option would also provide long-term employment, in a time when more job-creation is much needed.
i live one block away from the church. i have been watching for the past few sundays and there has been ample available parking spaces on both sides of my street from 10-12, peak church hours. This is a 2 1/2 minute walk and a significantly LESS DISTANCE TO WALK THAN FROM NEIMAN MARCUS TO NORDSTROM!
if someone is not willing to walk less than a quarter’s distance around North Park Mall to worship their God, i suggest that they probably shouldn’t be going to church in the first place.
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