The Echo Recommends: Richardson Mayor

In 2025, Richardson once again faces a contested race for mayor, with three candidates in the running. In 2023, I did not make a recommendation. This year, I’m offering a personal view—having worked directly with two of the candidates.

Killing Downtown Walkability Once and For All, or “How did we get to be so lame?!”

Tonight, the Richardson City Council votes on whether to allow a nearly 600-foot-long apartment block in the heart of Downtown Richardson. Most everything about the design of that block (save the fact that it is dense housing) is contrary to how a walkable downtown is built. This isn’t a technical zoning case as much as it is a test of vision, strength, courage, and will. Those virtues (as best I can tell) aren’t winning. An understanding how our nearby neighbors – Plano, Garland, McKinney, Addison – got to walkable stretches of their cities is losing. I could be wrong and I hope I am. 

Except from Central/Main Street Plan
showing McKinney intact.
(Source: City of Richardson)

I tend to write bringing a technical aspect with facts and figures. This time it will be more personal.

An Irresponsible Zoning Decision - Do The Math

At the September 23, 2024 meeting, the Richardson City Council voted 4-3 in favor of a national car dealership’s plan, prioritizing it over the interests of local businesses and residents. Clay Cooley proposed adding a body shop, vehicle storage, and repair shop among a few other things to their property in the heart of the Interurban district. Despite feedback and evidence regarding development goals, zoning laws, and urban design, they moved forward. Concerns raised by stakeholders—both recently and in the past—were overlooked, along with financial data, years of planning, and the community's investment in its future. Instead of encouraging new growth, the decision will preserve aging, substandard buildings from the 1960s and 70s. Ultimately, this vote supports parking lots and a closed repair shop, with the promise of a mural that, by law, could be painted over at any time.

 

Blurry Vision: Toward Informed Visions in Richardson’s Planning

Over the course of a few months, Richardson through its Plan Commission and City Council, have had to decide the fate of the vision of the Interurban District just north of Main Street. A repeating pattern has emerged. A pattern repeated so much that it should now be considered adopted city policy. That new implicit policy is that our mutually agreed upon and adopted visions, plans, and zoning should be abandoned and altered whenever a developer asks for an exception. This policy stance was never announced or vetted by the council or the general public. I think this is dangerous to the future success of the City. I want to address why I think it happens. In a future installment I wish to discuss how to fix it.

Source: Main Street/Central Form Based Code, City of Richardson, Altered by the author.

An Atypical Sunday Afternoon

 On a typical Sunday afternoon, I needed to fuel my diet Dr Pepper addiction problem. I stepped out of the house. What happened next would change it from typical to about as atypical as things can get, and for someone else, it would change their life forever.

Christopher and Family, Myself, Richardson FD
crew, and Medical City Staff.
Source: Medical City

Thanks For All the Fish: A Soliloquy

For approximately 20 years, I have been engaged in advocating for what I believe is best for Richardson and its neighborhoods.

It all began with a general interest in the city and my neighborhood after purchasing a house in Richardson Heights over 20 years ago. Like many, I returned after spending some time away. One day, a neighborhood volunteer said, "You know, Andrew, you are the kind of person we need." That set off a chain of events, accelerating my involvement in the community.

As the new year unfolds, it provides an opportune moment for reflection and anticipation. Now it is my turn reflect and look ahead. If you'd like, follow along with me.

This is a story about fish.

What is Missing from City Hall Discussions?

 On August 21, 2023, the Richardson City Council received an update on the City Hall design process. The meeting primarily focused on presenting two choices for the new City Hall's site plan layout. Tonight, September 18, 2023, they will give an approval to a site plan.

Much can be said about what was presented, what wasn't presented, how public input was gathered (or not), what was said about various aspects, and the cost of different options. However, I want to concentrate on one notable omission that was missing from both the City Management's presentation and the architectural team's input, as well as from the Council's discussion. Can you guess what it was?