Dallas Urbanists STLC

On June 30 we're having our 4th hyperlocal conversation in Midtown! We have a special guest speaker from Midtown Inc: Nick Palles. He'll be discussing the Midtown Public Improvement District; how it is structured, what it funds, and how it shapes the experience of being in Midtown.

Join us at Civil Pour - The Hill to meet your neighbors and explore ways to improve walkability in walkability in The Village, Vickery Meadow, and around the DART stations on Lovers Lane, Park Lane, and Walnut Hill. Please RSVP to let us know you're coming!

A hyperlocal conversation is a neighborhood-specific monthly gathering where neighbors discuss ways to improve walkability where they live. Our vision is to have a conversation in and for every neighborhood in Dallas, and we're excited to continue the conversation in the Midtown neighborhood!

—
What is a Hyperlocal Conversation?
A hyperlocal conversation is a casual, neighborhood-specific monthly gathering of like-minded neighbors who care about walkability, bikeability, affordability, sustainability, and livability. Each meeting begins with 45–60 minutes of guided discussion, followed by open social time.

At each meeting, you can expect to:
Learn about your neighborhood

• Meet neighbors who care about walkability
• Share stories about life in the neighborhood
• Learn new local history
• Identify what’s working
• Identify what needs fixing

Stay informed

• Hear about important elections* and referendums
• Learn about surveys and public comment opportunities, with guidance on how to participate
• Discover other advocacy groups and activities

Get educated on the issues

• Learn the basics of an urbanism topic each meeting (e.g., transit funding, zoning, bike lane economics, road diets)
• Ask questions and share experiences
• See how the topic applies to Dallas and your neighborhood
• Learn who represents you and how to contact them, with guidance on what to say
• Find resources for further learning (readings, documentaries, courses, events, Dallas Urbanists content)

Be inspired to take action

• Hear examples of successful initiatives
• Continue discussion and idea-sharing after the guided portion
• Get guidance on next steps when participants pursue an initiative together

On July 7, we're having our next hyperlocal conversation in Far North Dallas at Moon Wolf Provisions. Meet your neighbors
and explore ways to improve walkability around Addison, UT Dallas, Meandering Way, Galleria Mall, and the new 'International District' (the old Valley View Mall). Please RSVP and let us know you're coming!

This month's topics:

• Recent vote by #Addison to stay with DART
• How changes to #DallasZoningReform could improve walkability in FND
• 311 Challenge of Month: request a new or repainted crosswalk! We're introducing monthly challenges to encourage neighbors to learn & practice making 311 requests in the community.
• @strong_towns National Gathering is coming up; who's going?
• We want to design a poster for our FND Hyperlocal Conversation with art that reflects the character, infrastructure, and demographics that distinguish the neighborhood from the rest of the city. In other words: if you painted a picture of Far North Dallas.

A hyperlocal conversation is a neighborhood-specific monthly gathering where neighbors discuss ways to improve walkability where they live. Our vision is to have a conversation in and for every neighborhood in Dallas.

On July 12 we're having our next hyperlocal conversation at Full City Rooster in the Cedars! Join us to meet your neighbors and explore ways to improve walkability along Botham Jean Blvd, South Akard St, Browder St, and around the Old City Park. Please RSVP to let us know you're coming!

A hyperlocal conversation is a neighborhood-specific monthly gathering where neighbors discuss ways to improve walkability where they live. Our vision is to have a conversation in and for every neighborhood in Dallas, and we're excited to kick things off in the Cedars neighborhood!

For our first conversation, we're starting with the basics: why is walkability so important? What's the big deal?

To guide our conversation, we'll read brief excerpts from the book "Walkable City Rules: 101 Steps To Making Better Places" by Jeff Speck.

You'll learn about the "General Theory of Walkability", which outlines four essential conditions that must be met for a walk to be favored: it must be useful, safe, comfortable, and interesting.

Then, with the principles in mind, we'll talk about the current strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in the neighborhood when it comes to walkability. Finally, we'll exchange ideas and explore ways to apply these principles where we live.