Latino-Owned Businesses Raise Concerns Over West Oak Cliff Area Plan

It’s a fight for survival according to some Latino West Oak Cliff business owners, who’ve voiced concerns about a plan for that area’s future.

The West Oak Cliff Area Plan has been in the works for over two years and a draft of the plan has been prepared to move forward toward approval at Dallas City Hall. It roughly covers an area bounded by Illinois Avenue on the south, Davis Street on the north, Cockrell Hill Road on the west and Tyler Street on the east.

Neighborhood City Council Member Chad West denied businesses will be forced to close. He said the planning process could help map a strategy for other parts of the city to decide their future.

“If we don’t as a neighborhood take control of the planning for the future of our neighborhoods then somebody else is going to do it for you,” West said.

Jerry Figueroa, owner of J&E Express Auto Repair on Clarendon Drive said the draft plan appeared to suggest removing auto repair businesses like his.

“It seems like Dallas doesn’t want mechanic shops or auto-centric businesses," he said. "But we’re a vital part of the community and during covid, we were considered essential."

The planning area is overwhelmingly Latino as are the businesses.

“All these little businesses that have been here for years, after a white flight, that raised Oak Cliff, we put money into this community. We raised it up,” Figueroa said.

The City of Dallas did force auto repair businesses to leave Ross Avenue in East Dallas years ago when apartments were moving into that area near downtown.

But West said that is not what is happening to the West Oak Cliff businesses operating now.

“As long as you’re still in operation, you continue to operate, you’re family continues to operate it after you, then that use is valid," West said. "It can stay as long as it wants. But, the plan said in addition to these auto uses, we’d like to have some other opportunities around the neighborhood as well.”

The councilman said 2,000 public comments during the process requested things like restaurants added to the mix in the commercial corridor around Clarendon Drive and Hampton Road.

The plan also includes visions for new development around DART rail stations and in the historic Elmwood neighborhood. It depicts new walkable development in Downtown Elmwood around the intersection of Edgefield and Ferndale avenues.

It could be similar to another Oak Cliff neighborhood, Bishop Arts.

Figueroa said that is not what his neighbors want.

“They don't want to see it become Bishop Arts and have apartments everywhere. They want to keep this small-town feel to it,” he said.

West said the plan is far from final.

“This is where we really hammer out the final details and we get the plan right for the future,” West said.

Figueroa said he received assurances at a meeting on the plan Tuesday that his business would get to stay but there are more steps in the process.

The plan must go next for review by the Dallas Plan Commission and the final approval from the Dallas City Council. Changes are still possible along the way.