Stephanie C., a local teacher and Dallas native, exclaims her distaste for the Deep Ellum disaster and its declining state.

Deep Ellum once considered a hub for bohemian art and culture is, as of late, better known for their assortment of parking woes rather than la vie boheme.

The newest parking nuance nuisance is parking on unapproved surfaces. As if concert goers, art patrons, and the like don’t already have enough to worry about! First, there’s the ever so diligent meter police, where you’ll get ticketed for parking in Deep Ellum when elsewhere in Dallas evenings and weekends are free. Then, there are those parking lots that boot; whose enforcement, incidentally, has yet to come into compliance with the city’s new ordinance (chapter 48c), requiring receipt systems. Now you must make sure that the unmarked piece of land you have parked on is at least six inches of concrete, asphalt, or gravel with a border, per Dallas city code. So along with those tickets to the show, make sure you grab a ruler or a city code handbook to help you find a parking spot that’s legit. Afterall, there’s no app for that… yet. All way too much for someone just trying to enjoy some local flavor. All way too sad for an area that fully vetted, could reclaim its reputation as the artistic and musical hotbed it once was.

Instead, Deep Ellum has become a battle zone: meter mob versus music lover. Take Brandon Hancock for instance, whose story first ran in the Dallas Morning News’ East Dallas Blog. Hancock and another 100 or so attendees received tickets for parking on “unapproved surfaces” while at a show at Sons of Hermann Hall in late April. These particular surfaces, or empty lots rather, are on property deemed as private. Hancock’s questions now as he takes his case to local court are whether the city has the jurisdiction to issue citations on private property, and if so, why are taxpayers funding parking enforcement for private landowners? As of Friday, May 7th Hancock’s ticket has been suspended pending further investigation.

You are apt to find more information on where NOT to park on Dallas mainstay, Sons of Hermann Hall’s, website. That is not only entirely backwards but signals a dilemma of sorts for the many struggling businesses and venues. But, what can one do? Be lame? Complain? Miss out on the goodness that actually is there? It’s not their fault anyways! Next time, do what I will. Bring change, and lots of it. Look for parking lots that offer receipt systems. Get involved! The Deep Ellum Foundation and other local organizations charged with rejuvenating this area are always looking for those that are policitically inclined to help the cause. And if that is just a little too much effort, then just do what’s recommended by some of these local business owners themselves. Try out Dart’s new green line that now serves Deep Ellum. Hopefully, it will prove to offer up a solution and not just more fodder for internet bloggers.

-Stephanie C.

We hear ya, Stephanie. Take a break from the urban music madness, and join us at any of the upcoming summer festivals!