The North Dallas Neighborhood Alliance held its general meeting last night to discuss the issues surrounding DART’s proposed Cotton Belt Rail Line that is set to run through several Far North Dallas neighborhoods – about 50 feet away from some people’s homes. Read all about it in the October Advocate. Although this debate has been raging since the mid-1990s, many neighbors were hearing about it for the first time, and they weren’t happy.

Others like Dennis Deshazer, who has followed the issue since he moved into his Prestonwood home seven years ago, is feeling a bit cynical at this stage in the game since DART seems to be ignoring the agreements outlined in the 2006 City of Dallas resolution that called for a below grade design (we’re still sketchy on what “below grade” really means) to reduce the impact to nearby homes.

“When is a deal a deal?” he asks. “It seems like DART is depending on us to flame out over time. I’m trying to figure out whether we can do anything to affect real change.”

Here’s what our neighborhoods are up against: First of all, DART owns those tracks, so the North Dallas route is the most cost effective way for them to build (although not inexpensive), and they will not reconsider the route. Next, our area is surrounded by suburbs that have a lot of political clout in this, particularly Richardson and Addison. The Cotton Belt is a major economic development opportunity for everyone but Dallas.

So, how much control does the city really have over DART’s plans that encompass the entire region? What’s to keep DART from doing whatever it wants? Well, not much. DART doesn’t have eminent domain authority (which it probably won’t need). However, the majority of the DART board members represent Dallas.

Despite all this, District 12 council member Sandy Greyson is fighting this issue to the end.

“We’ve managed to make an impact over the past 15 years,” she said in response to Deshazer. “I understand your cynicism about this. I just don’t think you can throw up your hands and give up.”

So, here are the takeaways from last night’s meeting:

- The NDNA has formed a focus group of neighbors to closely follow the engineering studies being done on the Cotton Belt and make important recommendations to DART. Now is a critical time to get involved because DART will adopt the final environmental impact study in April and then, everything is pretty much set in stone as to what kind of engineering solutions there might be to alleviate the effect on North Dallas. Greyson and District 11 council member Linda Koop will lead the group. Contact the NDNA for details.

- Encourage other neighbors to attend the meetings. The Cotton Belt doesn’t just affect residents’ whose homes back up to the tracks. The rail line will cross five major intersections. Local businesses, public and private schools – they have a huge stake in this, too.

- Use the power of social media. Although the NDNA doesn’t have a Facebook or Twitter, a few people at the meeting heard about the issue because other neighbors had posted about it on Facebook. The reality is that there are still probably hundreds of people in North Dallas who still aren’t aware of the Cotton Belt, or they don’t understand its impact.

If DART and the city can’t reach another agreement, several residents say they are willing to sell their homes and move. Dallas receives 80 percent of its tax revenue from North Dallas. If people start moving out, and property values depreciate, the city is in trouble.