Richardson Doesn't Want Your Help Redistricting

Redistricting, or drawing new political boundaries, is something that happens every ten years after the Census is completed. The City of Richardson has to complete this exercise for City Council districts, but because of our at-large election system, the stakes are low. Creating districts that stretch and snake this way and that in order to predetermine the outcomes of elections is not an issue here. The City Council voted last Monday to appoint members of the City Plan Commission to a district boundary commission. The City Council missed an opportunity for opening an avenue for public engagement and input.

POTD: Inside the Burial Chamber of a Pharaoh

From 2019 11 22 Valley of the Kings

Today's photo-of-the-day is from deep inside a mountain in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. It was taken inside the (empty) burial chamber of Pharaoh Rameses IV (died 1149 BCE). The tomb was looted by grave robbers probably about three thousand years ago, along with the mummy of the pharaoh, so we thought it OK to smile and pose for photos. What? Too soon?

Station Eleven (TV 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Station Eleven (TV 2021): Flu kills 99% of humans. Survivors carry on. Lots of cuts between times and places and characters' stories. There's Shakespeare and a graphic novel, adding metaphor and symbolism. It gets surreal at times. The humanity at heart makes this so good. A-

#NoNeedForAnotherSeason

Read my review of the 2014 novel.

Divining the Votes on Rezoning Applications

2009 Future Land Use Plan
Red: Employment. Yellow: Residential

There's another rezoning application before the Richardson City Council. This one is for 16 acres of undeveloped land at Glenville and Lookout. The developer wants to build apartments, an independent living facility, townhomes, and live-work units. The 2009 Land Use Plans designates the property for "Regional Employment." The City staff report states that, despite that 2009 plan, an 8.5 acre tract on the northern half of the property has rights that allow for apartment development equating to approximately 153 units. The property owner is now coming back for another bite of the apple, asking for rezoning for the other 8 acres from industrial to residential to allow for a total of up to 590 residential units. That's almost four times as many apartments as current zoning would permit and, of course, infinity times more than the zero called for in the 2009 Land Use Plan. Will that 2009 Land Use Plan or the current zoning pose an insurmountable barrier for this City Council? That remains to be seen, but my money is on "No." By which, of course, I mean the answer to the developer's request will be "Yes."

Richardson to Netflix: Pay Up

This agenda item for the Richardson City Council caught my eye.

A lawsuit against Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+? What's that all about, I wondered. That sent me in search of lawsuits by other cities against Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and other video service providers. That turned up a story from The Dallas Morning News from November, 2021.