FWBC and others refer to environmental racism
By Jihad Hassan Muhammad
Texas Metro News
Local citizens filled Judge Aiesha Redmond’s 160th District Courtroom on Monday, February 19, 2024, in the George Allen Courts Building, to express concerns about an unwanted business moving into the neighborhood.
Judge Redmond presided over the hearing of Friendship-West Baptist Church’s (FWBC) injunction to stop the establishment of an 18-wheeler trucking warehouse next to the church, and across the street from David W. Carter High School.
The City of Dallas Building Inspection Advisory, Examining, and Appeal Board, along with Stonelake Capital Partners, and SL6 Wheatland LLC were set to move forward, but opposition was strong.
Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, senior pastor of FWBC has called the planned development “environmental racism.”
Referencing the fumes from the nearby idling trucks that would be present as a prevalent cause of health issues for area youths; Haynes told the judge that statistics show that Dallas has some of the worst asthma and medical conditions in the country.
Ingesting fumes would only further aggravate an already unhealthy environment.
The pastor was the first witness called by Atty. Paul Stafford, legal counsel for the plaintiff. He also called the pastor’s wife, businesswoman Debra Peek-Haynes; FWBC Director of project management, Joe Dillard III; and, Lorie Blair, a City of Dallas Planning and Zoning Commissioner, who testified as a private citizen, not as city official.
“The community does not want this,” Blair said, speaking about the planned warehouse.
Dr. Haynes talked about the human trafficking element that truckyards often bring, and how the community’s focus must also be on protecting the children at the nearby high school.
The defense counsel, Atty. Joel Reese called former Dallas city councilmember Lee Kleinman as a witness. Kleinman said he thinks the development would be good for the community, adding it would bring much needed jobs to the area.
Atty. Stafford, during cross examination, asked about Kleinman’s history in serving the Black community and providing jobs. He also pointed out that Kleinman served as an elected official for a predominately White part of North Dallas.
After more than three hours, there was no ruling, as Judge Redmond said she would take all that was presented under advisement before ruling.
Although Judge Redmond did not immediately rule, Dr. Haynes spoke of the value the court hearing brings to the community.
“The community’s voice is oftentimes being ignored, and this was a vehicle for the community to speak,” Dr. Haynes said.
