Planning and Development

Dallas County Planning and Development

Dallas County's Planning and Development Department works to increase quality of life in Dallas County by improving underserved communities, ensuring and enhancing access to nature, and partnering for economic growth. We do this through administering the County's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, and managing the County’s Open Space Preserves.

It also conducts the County's economic development and historic preservation activities, analyzes population trends and economic data, and administers the County's various planning activities.

For more information about this department, please call (214) 653-7627.

Planning Mission, Vision and Values 

Mission: Increasing quality of life in Dallas County by improving underserved communities, ensuring and enhancing access to nature, and partnering for economic growth.

 Vision: A Dallas County where every resident has safe and equitable access to housing, jobs, and nature.

 Values: Responsiveness, Stewardship, Dedication, Integrity, Collaboration, Forward-thinking

Latest News and Upcoming Events

Spring Creek Forest Preserve celebrates its induction into national Old-Growth Forest Network

 When: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, 1:00 p.m.

 Where: Spring Creek Forest Preserve, 1770 Holford Road, Garland, Texas 75044

Representatives from the Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN) will officially induct the Spring Creek Forest Preserve into the national network which celebrates our oldest protected and publicly accessible forests.

Spring Creek Forest Preserve will be the first forest in Dallas County to be included in the OGFN and only the second in Texas. OGFN is a nonprofit working to connect people with nature by creating a national network of protected, publicly accessible forests and a network of people to protect them. 

Join the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest as the County Preserve is inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network. Afterward, at approximately 1:45 p.m., join members and VIPs on a walk through the Lee F. Jackson Spring Creek Forest Preserve. The 102 acre Preserve is located at 1770 Holford Road in north Garland, only 14 miles from downtown Dallas. Spring Creek Forest Preserve contains old-growth hardwood bottomland forest and native prairie areas along Spring Creek which are a haven of towering trees and unusual wildflowers.

For more information, please, contact The Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest: David Parrish, President, 469.733.6089 or  springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com (Please, direct day of questions to Mr. Parrish) or The Old-Growth Forest Network: Nick Sanchez, Network Manager, 616.840.5840 or nick@oldgrowthforest.net