Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum

December 2013

Prepared by URS Corporation

Prepared for Dallas Area Rapid Transit General Planning Consultant Managed by URS Corporation

Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum

December 2013

Prepared by URS Corporation

Prepared for Dallas Area Rapid Transit General Planning Consultant Managed by URS Corporation

Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Document Revision Record Project/Report Name: Socioeconomic URS Project Number: 2533884 2 Characteristics Technical Memorandum PM: Dan Meyers PIC: Jerry Smiley

Revision Number: Date: Version 1 June 6, 2013 Version 2 September 3, 2013

Originator: Name Date: Amber Majefski , AICP, URS May 22, 2013

Comments by: Name, Firm Date: Nancy Stavish , AICP, URS May 29, 2013 Megan Inman June 5, 2013 Andrea Weckmueller -Behringer June 7, 2013 Nancy Stavish, AICP, URS September 7, 2013 Reggie Herman, AICP, URS December 23, 2013 Task Manager Approval: Date:

Verified/Approved by: Date:

Distribution Name Title Firm

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions

Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... i 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 1 2.0 LEGAL AND REGULATORY CONTEXT ...... 1 3.0 METHODOLOGY ...... 1 4.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...... 2 4.1 Community Facilities ...... 2 4.2 Neighborhoods...... 8 4.3 Community Cohesion ...... 9 4.4 Schools ...... 10 4.5 Demographics ...... 17 4.6 Employment ...... 22 4.7 Economic Development ...... 24

LIST OF TABLES Table 4-1 Community Facilities Inventory ...... 3 Table 4-2 Population for Project Area Counties and Cities (2000 and 2010 Census) ...... 12 Table 4-3 Race and Hispanic Origin (2010 Census and ACS) ...... 28 Table 4-4 Median Household Income, Individuals Below Poverty Threshold ...... 20 Table 4-5 Major Employers Near the Proposed Alignment or Stations ...... 22

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4-1 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Sections ...... 2 Figure 4-2 Community Facilities ...... 6 Figure 4-3 School Overview Map ...... 11 Figure 4-4 Coppell Schools (West of Denton Tap Rd.) ...... 12 Figure 4-5 Coppell Schools (East of Denton Tap Rd.) ...... 13 Figure 4-6 Carrollton Schools (East of Dallas North Tollway) ...... 14 Figure 4-7 Dallas Schools ...... 16 Figure 4-8 Plano Schools ...... 17

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions i Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

1.0 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this Technical Memorandum is to identify and document existing socioeconomic characteristics within the project study area of the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail project (Cotton Belt Project). The 26-mile DART Cotton Belt Project generally stretches between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW Airport) and the DART Red Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) corridor in Plano and Richardson, . The Cotton Belt Project would lie mostly within Cotton Belt Corridor right-of-way (Cotton Belt Corridor), which was purchased by DART in 1990 and designated as a preserved corridor for future passenger rail service. The socioeconomic conditions and impacts in areas where the Cotton Belt Project would leave the existing right-of-way are discussed in more detail in the Socioeconomic Characteristics Impact Assessment Technical Memorandum. The alignment would traverse seven cities, including Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson and Plano. The proposed project would also provide service to DFW Airport and the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

An assessment of the existing socioeconomic characteristics provides insight into the types of people, places and neighborhoods that are found along the Cotton Belt Rail alignment. Since the alignment passes through a variety of different areas across several cities, the existing conditions along the corridor are also varied. During the process of gathering information about the existing or affected environment of the proposed project, it was also important to consider how the surrounding neighborhoods currently interact with the existing Cotton Belt Corridor.

2.0 REGULATORY CONTEXT Although the Cotton Belt Project is not a federally funded project at this time, data collection and analysis efforts were nonetheless guided by National Environmental Policy Act ( NEPA) standards. NEPA guidelines require that adverse effects on environmental resources from a proposed federally funded project be identified and avoided or minimized, including potential impacts to the human environment and social interactions.

DART policies also require that the potential impacts of any proposed project (whether federally or locally funded) be assessed, and if adverse effects are found, that these impacts be avoided, or minimized and mitigated. As described in DART’s Environmental Impact Assessment and Mitigation Guidelines for Transit Projects , DART’s three main objectives regarding a proposed transit project’s impact on the human environment, particularly on community character and cohesion, are as follows:

1) Contribute to community cohesion, 2) Contribute to the local economy, where possible, and avoid negative economic impacts, and 3) Provide for an equitable distribution of costs and benefits and ensure that the project does not have a disproportionately high and adverse impact on low-income or minority populations.

3.0 METHODOLOGY For the purposes of this existing conditions analysis, the project study area for socioeconomic characteristics includes one-quarter mile on either side of the proposed Cotton Belt Corridor and a one- half mile radius around each proposed station location. The most recent community data for each city

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 1 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project and independent school district (ISD) were used as a basis for the existing socioeconomic characteristics, and supplemented with data acquired during field reconnaissance and anecdotal information gathered throughout the planning processes.

4.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT This section identifies existing socioeconomic characteristics along the Cotton Belt Corridor, including neighborhoods, schools and other community facilities, demographics, employment and economics. The facilities discussed in this section are located within the project study area described in the previous section.

The project study area has been divided into three primary sections, as shown in Figure 4-1. Section 1 begins at DFW Airport, extends through Coppell, and ends at the Elm Fork Branch of the Trinity River. Section 2 begins at the Elm Fork Branch and extends through Downtown Carrollton and the Town of Addison and ends just east of the Dallas North Tollway (DNT) at the southbound frontage road. Section 3 begins at DNT southbound frontage road and terminates near Shiloh Road in Plano, just east of US 75. For display purposes, the three primary sections have been subdivided to show greater detail. Subsections which include more than one alignment alternative are specified with “A,” “B,” or “C.”

Figure 4-1 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Sections

4.1 Community Facilities Currently existing community resources were inventoried, including day care centers, medical facilities, places of worship, public offices and parks, police and fire stations, schools, universities and colleges, as well as additional places of interest. Table 4-1 provides a list of these community facilities and Figure 4-2 (A and B) shows the location of each facility along the Cotton Belt Rail corridor. Please note that each number on the figure corresponds to the same number in the “Map Key” column of the table. As stated before, all facilities listed in the table or shown in the figure are either located within a half-mile of a proposed station location or within a quarter-mile of the Cotton Belt Rail alignment.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 2 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-1 Community Facilities Inventory In proximity to Map Facility Name Address City station or Key alignment 1 Fire Station No. 121 520 Southwestern Coppell Alignment Blvd. 2 Coppell Fire Department Office of 500 Southwestern Coppell Alignment Administrative Services and Fire Blvd Inspection 3 Animal Services and Adoption Center 821 S. Coppell Rd. Coppell Alignment 4 Coppell Road Service Center 816 S. Coppell Rd. Coppell Alignment 5 W.W. Pinkerton Elementary 260 Southwestern Coppell Alignment Blvd. 6 Riverside Church of Christ 150 E. Belt Line Rd. Coppell Station and Alignment 7 Valley Ranch Baptist Church 1501 E. Belt Line Rd. Irving Alignment 8 Barbara Bush Elementary School 515 Cowboys Irving Alignment Parkway 9 The North Church 1615 Belt Line Rd. Carrollton Alignment 10 City Square and Gazebo Main St. and Carrollton Station Broadway 11 Miracle Tabernacle Pentecostal Church 1107 Jackson St. Carrollton Station and of God Alignment 12 Wellness Plus Chiropractic Center 1311 E. Belt Line Rd. Carrollton Station and Alignment 13 Korean Disciple Baptist Church 1017 Erie St. Carrollton Station and Alignment 14 Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana 1407 Walnut St. Carrollton Station and Alignment 15 First Korean Presbyterian Church 1109 Clint St. Carrollton Station and Alignment 16 The Hope Presbyterian Church 1303 N. Maryland St. Carrollton Alignment 17 Fire Station #1 - Carrollton 162 E Belt lIne Rd. Carrollton Station 18 Hilltop Memorial park 1810 N. Perry Rd. Carrollton Alignment 19 Metrocrest Funeral Home 1810 N. Perry Rd. Carrollton Alignment 20 Perry Cemetery Perry Rd and Carrollton Alignment Sherwood Dr. 21 Carrollton Elementary School 1805 Pearl St. Carrollton Alignment 22 Carrollton -Farmers Branch ISD 1445 N. Perry Rd. Carrollton Alignment Administration Building 23 Ted Polk Middle School 2001 Kelly Blvd. Carrollton Alignment 24 Kelly Athletic Fields 2000 Kelly Blvd. Carrollton Alignment 25 Islamic Association of Carrollton 1901 Kelly Blvd. Carrollton Alignment 26 Fire Station #7 4798 Airport Pkwy Addison Station

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 3 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-1 Community Facilities Inventory In proximity to Map Facility Name Address City station or Key alignment 27 Police Headquarters 4799 Airport Parkway Addison Station 28 Fire Station #7 6010 Daven port Rd. Dallas Station and Alignment 29 Fairhill School and Diagnostic Center 15150 Preston Rd. Dallas Alignment 30 Congregation Ohev Shalom/Far North 6821 McCallum Dallas Station and Dallas Eruv Alignment 31 Montess ori S chool at Hillcrest (6 6950 McCallum Blvd. Dallas Alignment weeks-Kindergarten) 32 City of Dallas North Central Police 6969 McCallum Blvd. Dallas Alignment Station 33 Frankford Middle School 7706 Osage Plaza Dallas Station and Parkway Alignment 34 Texas AgriLife Research & Extension 17360 Coit Rd. Dallas Station and Center at Dallas Alignment 35 Reliant Rehabilitation Hospital North 3351 Waterview Richardson Station and Texas Parkway. Alignment 36 University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) 800 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson Station 37 Open Door Christian Life Center 740 Avenue F Plano Station and Alignment 38 Good Faith Baptist Church 1024 F Ave. Plano Station and Alignment 39 Avenue F Church of Christ 1026 F Ave. Plano Alignment 40 Boys and Girls Club of Plano 1111 H Ave. Plano Alignment 41 Plano Day Care Inc. (Douglass 1111 H Ave., Ste. 100 Plano Station and Community Center) Alignment 42 Holy Communion Outreach Temple 1110 H Ave. Plano Station and Alignment 43 Greater New Birth Baptist Church 910 13th St. Plano Station and Alignment 44 Shiloh Missionary Baptist 920 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 45 Plano Police Department Headquarters 909 E. 14th St. Plano Station 46 First Christian Church of Plano 813 E. 15th St. Plano Station 47 Cox Building 1517 H Ave. Plano Station 48 Plano Municipal Court East Side 900 E. 15th St. Plano Station Location - Raymond Robinson Justice Center 49 God's Work Ministries 1617 K Ave, Ste. B Plano Station 50 Plano Municipal Center 1520 Avenue K Plano Station 51 Shiloh Baptist 1310 I Ave. Plano Station and Alignment

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 4 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-1 Community Facilities Inventory In proximity to Map Facility Name Address City station or Key alignment 52 Hills Chapel CEM Church 1113 I Ave. Plano Alignment 53 First Baptist Church of Plano 1300 E. 15th St. Plano Alignment 54 Primera Iglesia Bautista 1312 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 55 Plano Children's Medical Clinic 1407 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 56 Children's Workshop 1409 E. 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 57 For God's Little Angles Day Care 1408 O Ave. Plano Station and Alignment 58 Templo de Altisimo 1519 E. 15th St. Plano Alignment 59 Plano First Assembly of God 1609 14th St. Plano Alignment 60 Workforce Solutions North Central 1101 Resources Dr. Plano Alignment Texas 61 US Post Office 1200 Jupiter Rd. Plano Alignment 62 Small Miracles Day Care 2700 S. Rigsbee Dr. Plano Alignment 63 Collinwood Nursing and Rehabilitation 3100 S. Rigsbee Dr. Plano Alignment 64 All Nations United Methodist 3415 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 65 God's Food Pantry 3420 E. 14th St., Plano Station and #100 and #101 Alignment 66 Salvation Army - Plano Corps 3528 E. 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 67 Shiloh Center (PISD Facility) 3540 14th St. Plano Alignment 68 Islamic Academy 1251 Shiloh Rd. Plano Station and Alignment 69 Forman Elementary 3600 Timberline Dr. Plano Station 70 Sehion Mar Thoma Church 3760 14th St. Plano Station and Alignment 71 DFW Fire – EMS Station #6 711 Regent Grapevine Alignment Boulevard Source: URS Corporation, city and organization websites

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 5 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 6 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 7 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

4.2 Neighborhoods Some portions of the existing Cotton Belt Corridor pass through or near residential areas. DART has identified several registered or formally-organized homeowners’ and neighborhood associations along the corridor. Several of these groups have provided important feedback on the project.

Grouped by city, this section highlights those associations known to date, along with the neighborhoods they represent, if located within a half-mile of the proposed station locations or within a quarter-mile of the Cotton Belt Corridor.

Grapevine, Irving and Coppell No residential neighborhoods occur in the Grapevine portion of the project study area, because this portion of the project study area falls within DFW Airport property.

One Irving-area neighborhood association, Valley Ranch Association, represents the neighborhood located within the southern portion of the study area in the vicinity of Barbara Bush Middle School.

Several neighborhood and homeowners’ associations (HOA), however, are located within the Coppell portion of the project study area. The associations that have registered with the City of Coppell include The Reserves, Summit at the Springs, Chateaus of Coppell, Creekview & Creekview North, Northlake Woodlands, Hollows at Northlake Woodlands, Riverchase, Riverchase Townhomes and Fairway at Riverchase. The Creekview & Creekview North Homeowners’ Association is the only HOA within the area of influence of the planned North Lake Station along the proposed rail alignment south of the Cotton Belt Corridor, known as the Cypress Waters Alternative.

Carrollton and Addison Four Carrollton neighborhood associations represent neighborhoods located along the Cotton Belt Corridor.

Old Downtown Carrollton Association is a neighborhood group of business owners and others interested in supporting the character and vitality of the old downtown Carrollton area.

Woodcrest Estates Neighborhood Association is a voluntary group for the neighborhood located off Perry Road, behind Perry Cemetery and adjacent to the historic Perry Homestead. The Woodcrest Estates neighborhood is bounded by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad or Frisco corridor to the north and the Cotton Belt Corridor to the south.

The Country Place neighborhood is located on the north side of the alignment, just west of Marsh Lane and east of The Honors Golf Club Dallas.

Another important neighborhood in Carrollton is the Carrollton Heights Historic District. This neighborhood is bounded by Main Street, the Cotton Belt Corridor, Warner Street and Belt Line Road. The area, which was re-built after a 1908 flood, includes Craftsman, Prairie, Ranch and seven other architectural styles of homes. This historic district was established by the Carrollton City Council in 2003.

Based on a review of aerial mapping, it appears that only one residential neighborhood abuts the Cotton Belt Rail Corridor in the Addison area. Trafalgar Square is bounded by Marsh Lane to the west, the

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 8 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Cotton Belt Corridor to the south, Stonehenge Lane to the north and an electrical transmission line corridor to the east.

Dallas Several neighborhoods are located within one-half mile of the stations situated in North Dallas. Established neighborhood associations near the proposed Knoll Trail and Preston Road stations include Chalfont Place HOA, Preston Trail HOA, Prestonwood HOA and Preston Green HOA.

The Chalfont Place HOA is adjacent to the south side of the alignment, between Prestonwood Country Club and Preston Road.

The Preston Trails Neighborhood is north of the Cotton Belt Corridor, west of Preston Road and South of Campbell Road.

The Prestonwood HOA is primarily south of the alignment and east of Preston Road. The 19/20/21 addition of the Prestonwood HOA extends south of Arapaho Road, east of Preston Road.

The Preston Green HOA is adjacent to the southeast side of the Cotton Belt Corridor and southwest of Campbell Road and north of Davenport Road.

Established neighborhood and homeowners’ associations within the proposed Renner Village station area include Highlands of McKamy, Highlands North HOA as well as Jackson Highlands.

In addition, other neighborhood and homeowners’ associations exist within a quarter-mile of the Cotton Belt Corridor in North Dallas. These associations include Campbell Green HOA, Preston Green HOA, Preston Creek HOA, Highlands of McKamy Neighborhood Association, Preston Green North HOA, Hillcrest Manor HOA, Somerset HOA and Highlands North HOA.

Richardson and Plano Two Richardson neighborhoods, represented by associations, exist within one-half mile of the proposed UTD/Synergy Park and Bush Turnpike stations.

Canyon Creek neighborhood encompasses the majority of the residential land from east of UTD to North Collins Boulevard, and from south of Renner Road to Campbell Road.

Sherrill Park is a small neighborhood located southeast of Renner Road and Plano Road.

One Plano neighborhood association, Southwood Estates, represents a neighborhood located within one-half mile of the proposed 12 th Street Station.

Meadows Neighborhood Association represents the Meadows neighborhood, located within one- quarter mile north of the Cotton Belt Corridor.

4.3 Community Cohesion Community cohesion refers to the level of social interaction experienced within and across neighborhoods. As discussed in the preceding section on Neighborhoods, there are many registered neighborhood and homeowners’ associations in the project study area. These and similar organizations

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 9 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project serve to bind neighbors to one another under a common identity or set of ideals, and create more meaningful social interactions.

The vast majority of neighborhoods surrounding the Cotton Belt Corridor developed around the railroad, since the corridor pre-dates modern residential developments. As a result, the corridor serves as a logical physical boundary line for many neighborhoods as well as school attendance zones, which are discussed in greater detail in the next section.

North Dallas Eruv The North Dallas area is home to a vibrant and growing Jewish population, centered around McCallum Boulevard and Hillcrest Road and within an approximate two-mile radius, with several synagogues and day schools. What makes this area so attractive to this population is the presence of an Eruv. An Eruv is a symbolic boundary that some Jewish communities erect in their neighborhoods as a way to permit Jewish residents or visitors to carry certain objects (e.g., house keys, prayer books, canes or walkers, and children who cannot walk on their own) from a private space to a public domain during Sabbath. These examples are types of activities that they do not perform unless they create a communal area by erecting a symbolic boundary around the neighborhood. An Eruv accomplishes this by integrating a number of private and public properties into one larger private domain. The Sabbath is observed from sundown every Friday evening to nightfall the next Saturday.

The North Dallas Eruv has been operating for about ten years and was erected pursuant to Dallas city ordinances and with the cooperation of Oncor and other public and private landowners whose permission has been obtained to make minor property changes or to erect symbolic markers to define the Eruv boundary. For the most part, wires and cables on utility poles that encircle the neighborhood delineate the boundary and sometimes symbolic markers are attached to poles. Within the primary Eruv boundary, there are also internal boundaries to create quiet, private spaces. A City of Dallas ordinance was passed to symbolically allow the Eruv, and an agreement with Oncor exists to allow markers on utility poles.

Plano Select neighborhoods within the City of Plano have neighborhood action plans that were developed by the city with close participation of interested members from affected neighborhoods. Within each neighborhood, residents were given the opportunity, via surveys and community meetings, to provide input on issues, concerns and desires for their neighborhood. After compiling information from the community as a whole, the Neighborhood Planning Team (comprised of residents of the neighborhood) developed goals and objectives that address the needs of the neighborhood and aim to foster community cohesion. In the Plano portion of the study area, the neighborhoods with action plans in place include Douglass Community, Haggard, Old Towne, Meadows Addition, Ridgewood and Foreman. The Meadows Addition neighborhood is represented by the Meadows Neighborhood Association and Old Towne is part of the Southwood Estates Association.

4.4 Schools Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health and Safety Risks mandates that federal agencies identify and assess environmental safety risks that may disproportionately affect children as a result of implementation of federal policies, programs, activities and standards. To identify and assess the potential safety risks to children imposed by the Cotton Belt Rail project, a first step is to inventory areas within the Cotton Belt Corridor where high concentrations of children are likely, such as

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 10 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project schools. For reference, Figure 4-3 on the following page shows the location of schools near the Cotton Belt Corridor.

When a new transportation corridor is under consideration, whether along an existing corridor or in a new location, it is important to not only inventory the locations of schools, but also their respective attendance zones. By examining the relationship of the location of the schools to the residential areas within each attendance zone, it can be determined whether school children would have to cross the proposed corridor in order to reach their school on foot or by bicycle. The Cotton Belt Project aims to preserve or improve upon the existing levels of safety for school children crossing the Cotton Belt Corridor each day. To allow estimation of potential impacts, this section identifies school attendance zones within the project study area and describes how the zones relate geographically to the relevant schools and the Cotton Belt Rail corridor.

Figure 4-3: School Overview Map

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 11 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Grapevine No Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (ISD) schools or attendance zones occur within the project study area, since the portion of the alignment within Grapevine is on DFW Airport property.

Coppell W.W. Pinkerton Elementary is located south of the Cotton Belt Corridor tracks and west of Denton Tap Road, as shown on the overview map ( Figure 4-3) and Figure 4-4. Its attendance zone extends both north and south of the existing Cotton Belt Corridor. The neighborhoods north of the corridor and west of Denton Tap Road are close enough to the school that walking or biking to school is likely to occur, especially because no major roadways create barriers to non-motorized travel between these neighborhoods and W.W. Pinkerton Elementary. For neighborhoods north of the alignment and east of Denton Tap Rod, children would have to cross Denton Tap Road as well as the Cotton Belt Corridor to get to their school. This area is within walking distance, so walking or biking is likely to occur. However, in order to get to the school, a crossing of the rail tracks would be required for the portion of the W.W. Pinkerton Elementary attendance zone that encompasses the area north of the Cotton Belt Corridor.

Figure 4-4: Coppell Schools (West of Denton Tap Rd.) Coppell Middle School West, as shown on the overview map ( Figure 4-3) and in Figure 4-4, is situated south of the study area and has a school attendance zone that extends north of the alignment. Coppell Middle School West is located approximately 1.5 miles from the nearest neighborhood north of the Cotton Belt Corridor, and therefore, unlikely to attract much pedestrian or bicycle travel from those neighborhoods.

Mockingbird Elementary is located north of the study area on Mockingbird Road as shown in Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-5. The attendance zone for this school extends south of the Cotton Belt Corridor into the Valley Ranch area. A direct route from the Valley Ranch neighborhood to the school on foot or bicycle does not exist, as this neighborhood’s only connection to neighborhoods north of the Cotton Belt alignment is via MacArthur Boulevard. A trip to school by foot or bicycle would be quite lengthy and thus not very likely to occur.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 12 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Figure 4-5: Coppell Schools (East of Denton Tap Rd.) Similar to Mockingbird Elementary, Coppell Middle School East also draws attendance from the area south of the Cotton Belt Corridor; therefore, similar conditions for non-motorized travel exist. Coppell Middle School East is shown on Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-5.

Barbara S. Austin Elementary is located north of the alignment and west of Moore Road, as shown in Figure 4-3 and Figure 4- 5. One neighborhood south of the Cotton Belt Corridor is included within the attendance zone for this school. This neighborhood is located over 2.5 miles from the school, with no direct access available. Therefore, walking or bicycling to school is not likely to occur in this area.

No other Coppell schools have attendance zones that cross the Cotton Belt Corridor. However, the bond program passed in May of 2013 calls for a new elementary school to be constructed South of Cypress Waters in the Valley Ranch area. The exact locations for this school and its attendance zone have not yet been determined at the time of this report. It is likely that redistricting could affect the attendance zones for multiple elementary schools in this area.

Carrollton Barbara Bush Middle School, in the City of Irving, is part of the Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD. It is located south of the Cotton Belt Corridor on Cowboys Parkway at MacArthur Boulevard, as shown in Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-5. The school’s attendance zone encompasses areas both north and south of the Cotton Belt Corridor. Two large apartment complexes lie just north of Belt Line Road and the Cotton Belt Corridor, and are within one mile of the school, making it fairly common for students to walk or bike at this crossing.

Riverchase Elementary is located north of the Cotton Belt Corridor in the Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD, as shown in Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-5. The neighborhood surrounding Barbara Bush Middle School, on the south side of the existing alignment, falls within the attendance zone for this school. A minimal amount of pedestrian or bicycle traffic is expected, as elementary students would need to travel 1.0-1.5 miles along busy McArthur Boulevard in order to reach the school.

Ranchview High School (not shown on figures) is located approximately three miles south of the Cotton Belt Corridor, just north of IH 635. Although a few neighborhoods north of the Cotton Belt Corridor are in this school’s attendance zone, it is unlikely that students would walk or bike to school from this distance.

Newman Smith High School is located less than one mile north of the Cotton Belt Corridor along Josey Lane, as shown on Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-6. Students living in the neighborhood south of the Cotton Belt Corridor and east of Josey Lane would need to cross the corridor as well as Keller Springs Road in

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 13 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project order to access school. Because these are older students, and the walking/biking distance would be approximately one mile, some non-motorized travel is possible.

Figure 4-6: Carrollton Schools (East of Dallas North Tollway)

The Carrollton Elementary School is located just south of the Cotton Belt Rail alignment on the east side of Perry Road, as shown on the school overview map ( Figure 4-3) and Figure 4-6. DeWitt Perry Middle School is just across Perry Road from Carrollton Elementary, as shown on Figure 4-3 and at the bottom of Figure 4-6.

The attendance zones for Carrollton Elementary and DeWitt Perry Middle School largely extend to the area south of the Cotton Belt Corridor, with one exception; students must cross in order to walk or bike to school, if they live in the Woodcrest Estates neighborhood, which is nestled between the existing Cotton Belt and BNSF corridors. Both schools are located approximately 0.4 miles from the nearest entrance to the neighborhood on Cecil Drive off Perry Road North, and the only formal crossing near this neighborhood is located at Perry Road North.

Ted Polk Middle School is located north of the Cotton Belt Corridor and west of Kelly Boulevard, as shown on Figure 4-3 and in the center of Figure 4-6. The attendance zone for this school extends south to Belt Line Road and west to Josey Lane. The majority of properties south of the corridor are industrial or commercial, however, a few single-family and multi-family residences south of the alignment and Country Club Drive fall within the attendance zone. These properties are approximately 0.8 miles from Polk Middle School, by way of Country Club Drive and the rail crossing at Kelly Boulevard.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 14 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Country Place Elementary is located north of the Cotton Belt Corridor as shown in Figure 4-3 and Figure 4-6. Although the school’s attendance zone does cross the Cotton Belt Corridor, no residential development currently exists to the south.

Addison Although no schools fall within the Addison portion of the project study area, Dallas ISD’s George Herbert Walker Bush Elementary School attendance zone encompasses the majority of this part of the project study area. The elementary school opened for the 2011-2012 school year and is located on Spring Valley between Marsh Lane and Midway Road, as shown on the school overview map (Figure 4- 3). Its attendance zone goes as far north as Keller Springs Road and as far south as Alpha Road from Marsh Lane to Preston Road, but all Addison residents have the option of attending this school. Attendees of this school living north of the Cotton Belt Corridor would have to cross the corridor in order to travel to school. The distance from the school to the nearest residential neighborhood north of the alignment is over three miles, so it is unlikely that elementary school students would attempt to walk or bike to school. Furthermore, pedestrians or cyclists located north of the Cotton Belt Corridor would have to cross The Dallas North Tollway and Inwood Road at the Addison Airport, making a non- motorized trip even less likely to occur.

Dallas On January 27, 2010, through DART’s efforts, the Surface Transportation Board approved the abandonment of freight along the Cotton Belt Corridor in north Dallas. This was done in anticipation of implementing passenger service. This abandonment of freight service extends from Knoll Trail Drive to Renner Junction, which is just west of Synergy Park Boulevard. As a result, freight does not operate on this section of the Cotton Belt Corridor. Although Dallas school children have traditionally crossed the Cotton Belt Corridor, freight rail activity is not a present concern at crossings at this location.

Two Richardson ISD schools are located in the North Dallas area, as shown in Figure 4-7. Brentfield Elementary and Park Hill Junior High are located southeast of the Cotton Belt Corridor on Brentfield Drive and Shadybank Road, respectively. The distance from Brentfield Elementary, the school closest to the tracks, to the nearest neighborhood west of the rail alignment is approximately 0.6 miles along Davenport/Brentfield. The distance from Park Hill Junior High across the street on Shadybank Road is approximately 0.7 miles. Apartments are located on the west side of the Davenport Road grade crossing, so it is very likely that this route is used for walking and biking to the elementary and junior high schools serving the area. Along St. Anne Street and Campbell Road, the schools are also approximately 0.6 miles from another apartment complex, located just west of the Campbell Road grade crossing. This is also a likely pedestrian and bicycle route to school. The second Davenport crossing (north of Campbell Road) is approximately 0.8 miles from the schools and is located in a single-family residential area. The route to the schools would require crossing both the Cotton Belt Rail alignment and Campbell Road.

Pearce High School, shown on Figure 4-7, in Richardson has an attendance zone which includes these same North Dallas neighborhoods. However, the neighborhood on the northeast side of the Cotton Belt Corridor is over two miles from Pearce High School, making non-motorized travel unlikely.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 15 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Figure 4-7: Dallas Schools

Frankford Middle School, part of the Plano ISD, is also located within the City of Dallas, just north of the Cotton Belt Corridor off Osage Plaza Parkway. It is shown in Figure 4-3 and at the top right corner of Figure 4-7. The Frankford Middle School attendance zone includes the triangle bounded by the corridor, Coit Road to the east and the county line to the south. This area consists primarily of multi-family residences, so it is likely that middle school-students may walk or bike to school. Three potential rail crossings give access to the school from this neighborhood. The distance to the school from the east side of the neighborhood via the Coit Road crossing is 0.5 miles. The distance is also 0.5 miles from the middle of the neighborhood by way of Dickerson Street and Macbeth Drive. The distance to school is 0.7 miles for residences on the western side of the neighborhood, crossing at Meandering Way and using the pedestrian and bicycle path. The southwestern portion of this neighborhood also borders the Hillcrest and McCallum Boulevard rail crossings; however, it is not likely they would be used to access the school.

Richardson Another Plano ISD school, Aldridge Elementary, is located just south of the quarter-mile project study area in Richardson and is shown on Figure 4-3. Although the attendance zone for this school does include some areas north of the Cotton Belt Corridor, no residential areas exist to the north, so no routes to this school would have to cross the rail tracks. Aldridge Elementary feeds into Wilson Middle

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 16 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

School (not shown), which is located just over a mile north of the Cotton Belt Corridor. As in Addison, to access this school, major roadways would need to be traversed (Renner Road, President George Bush Turnpike and Plano Parkway), so it is unlikely that children would walk or bike to school.

Plano Several Plano ISD schools and school district facilities exist within the project study area north of the Cotton Belt Corridor, including Mendenhall Elementary, Williams High School and Meadows Elementary as shown in Figure 4-8. In addition, the attendance zones for Forman Elementary, Otto Middle School (not pictured), Armstrong Middle School, , , , and Plano West Senior High School all extend into the study area and cross the alignment. Neighborhoods located across the existing Cotton Belt alignment from their designated school are also separated by the President George Bush Turnpike and more than two miles distant across a predominantly commercial/industrial area. Because of these conditions, pedestrian or bicycle trips to school are unlikely. Figure 4-8: Plano Schools

4.5 Demographics This section provides a demographic profile of the population within the project study area, and also gives the same information for those counties and cities, which the Cotton Belt Project traverses. General race, ethnicity, median household income, poverty level and vehicle availability data are included in this section. More detailed project-area information regarding race, ethnicity, income and English proficiency can be found in the Environmental Justice Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum . Table 4-2 below provides county and city population data from the 2000 and 2010 Decennial Censuses. Project-area race and ethnicity statistics from the 2010 Decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS) are available in Table 4-3.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 17 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-2 Population for Project Area Counties and Cities (2000 and 2010 Census) Population Census Unit 2000 Population 2010 Population Percent Change Change Collin County 491,675 782,341 290,666 59.1% Dallas County 2,218,899 2,368,139 149,240 6.7% Tarrant County 1,446,219 1,809,034 362,815 25.1% Cities and Towns Town of Addison 14,166 13,056 -1,110 -7.8% City of Carrollton 109,576 119,097 9,521 8.7% City of Coppell 35,958 38 ,659 2,701 7.5% City of Dallas 1,188,580 1,197,816 9,236 0.8% City of Grapevine 42,059 46,334 4,275 10.2% City of Plano 222,030 259,841 37,811 17.0% City of Richardson 91,802 99,223 7,421 8.1% Source: USCB, NCTCOG, URS Corporation

As shown in Table 4-2 above, most cities through which the proposed Cotton Belt Project passes, have experienced an increase in population from 2000 to 2010. Addison is the only city that decreased in population, and the City of Dallas had a negligible growth rate of less than one percent. The remaining cities increased in population by between eight and 17 percent.

Table 4-3 below provides the racial and ethnic breakdown of the counties, cities and census units included in the project study area.

Table 4-3 Race and Hispanic Origin (2010 Census and ACS) Racial Minority Total Hispanic of Any Census Unit White (including More Population Race Than One Race) Collin County 782,341 560,036 (72%) 222,305 (28%) 115,354 (15%) Dallas County 2,368,139 1,267,861 (54%) 1,100,278 (46%) 905,940 (38%) Tarrant County 1,809,034 1,205,530 (67%) 603,504 (33%) 482,977 (27%) Cities and Towns Town of Addison 13,056 8,840 (68%) 4,216 (32%) 3,290 (25%) City of Carrollton 119,097 75,777 (64%) 34,320 (36%) 35,710 (30%) City of Coppell 38,659 28,517(74%) 10,142 (26%) 4,365 (11%) City of Dallas 1,197,816 607,415 (51%) 590,401 (49%) 507,309 (42%) City of Grapevine 46,334 37,577 (81%) 8,757 (19%) 8,324 (18%) City of Plano 259,841 173,865 (67%) 85,976 (33%) 38,174 (15%) City of Richardson 99,223 66,613 (67%) 32,610 (33%) 15,849 (16%) Collin County Tracts Census Tract 318.05 5,024 4,208 (84%) 816 (16%) 323 (6%) Census Tract 318.06 1,634 813 (50%) 821 (50%) 112 (7%) Census Tract 317.19 1,733 1,241 (72%) 492 (28%) 125 (7%) Census Tract 317.20 4,072 1,744 (43%) 2,328 (57%) 1,670 (41%) Census Tract 317.18 2,477 2,019 (82%) 458 (18%) 225 (9%)

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 18 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-3 Race and Hispanic Origin (2010 Census and ACS) Racial Minority Total Hispanic of Any Census Unit White (including More Population Race Than One Race) Census Tract 318.07 4,718 4,149 (88%) 569 (12%) 341 (7%) Census Tract 320.11 5,971 3,255 (55%) 2,716 (45%) 372 (6%) Census Tract 320.10 4,727 2,611 (55%) 2,116 (45%) 1,543 (33%) Census Tract 317.09 4,504 2,925 (65%) 1,579 (35%) 273 (6%) Census Tract 318.04 4,222 3,171 (75%) 1,051 (25%) 383 (9%) Census Tract 320.04 7,381 4,946 (67%) 2,435 (33%) 3,111 (42%) Census Tract 320.03 5,735 3,293 (57%) 2,442 (43%) 3,127 (55%) Census Tract 319 4,397 2,462 (56%) 1,935 (44%) 2,531 (58%) Census Tract 318.02 6,124 4,177 (68%) 1,947 (32%) 1,312 (21%) Dallas County Tracts Census Tract 9800 0 0 0 0 Census Tract 141.32 2,169 1,006 (46%) 1,163 (54%) 260 (12%) Census Tract 136.21 3,801 1,897 (50%) 1,904 (50%) 1,019 (27%) Census Tract 136.11 2,605 2,311 (89%) 294 (11%) 122 (5%) Census Tract 137.27 3,235 2,180 (67%) 1,055 (33%) 515 (16%) Census Tract 138.06 2,515 1,578 (63%) 937 (37%) 357 (14%) Census Tract 136.16 5,611 3,744 (67%) 1,867 (33%) 1,152 (21%) Census Tract 136.17 2,724 2,339 (86%) 385 (14%) 236 (9%) Census Tract 136.18 2,265 1,974 (87%) 291 (13%) 147 (6%) Census Tract 136.19 4,872 4,279 (88%) 593 (12%) 466 (10%) Census Tract 137.14 6,058 3,767 (62%) 2,291 (38%) 4,705 (78%) Census Tract 137.16 4,452 2,782 (62%) 1,670 (38%) 1,666 (37%) Census Tract 137.17 2,755 1,706 (62%) 1,049 (38%) 1,922 (70%) Census Tract 137.18 4,650 2,847 (61%) 1,803 (39%) 3,556 (76%) Census Tract 137.25 3,615 1,990 (55%) 1,625 (45%) 1,462 (40%) Census Tract 140.02 209 179 (86%) 30 (14%) 16 (8%) Census Tract 136.20 4,029 2,841 (71%) 1,188 (29%) 523 (13%) Census Tract 136.24 3,222 1,756 (55%) 1,466 (45%) 733 (23%) Census Tract 141.19 4,145 3,476 (84%) 669 (16%) 430 (10%) Census Tract 141.20 5,037 4,318 (86%) 719 (14%) 485 (10%) Census Tract 141.21 5,162 3,098 (60%) 2,064 (40%) 831 (16%) Census Tract 141.24 4,133 2,583 (62%) 1,550 (38%) 540 (13%) Census Tract 141.26 5,761 4,393 (76%) 1,368 (24%) 815 (14%) Census Tract 141.27 8,315 2,646 (32%) 5,669 (68%) 691 (8%) Census Tract 207 5,022 3,930 (78%) 1,092 (22%) 1,182 (24%) Census Tract 137.26 2,673 1,865 (70%) 808 (30%) 949 (36%) Census Tract 192.05 3,257 2,964 (91%) 293 (9%) 142 (4%) Tarrant County Tracts Census Tract 1137.05 5,597 3,999 (71%) 1,598 (29%) 1,846 (33%) Census Tract 9800 15 1 (7%) 14 (93%) 14 (93%) Source: USCB, NCTCOG, URS Corporation

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 19 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-4 below provides the median household income, individual poverty rates and proportion of household without vehicles for the counties, cities and census tracts (CT) included in the project study area. Median household incomes within the project study area census tracts range from $36,010 in Carrollton (CT 137.18) to $166,544 in North Dallas (CT 141.24), resulting in a median household income for the project study area of $64,178. This median household income would place the project study area below the City of Richardson and above the Town of Addison. Five cities and Collin County have median household incomes greater than the median income of the project study area.

Table 4-4 Median Household Income, Individuals Below the Poverty Threshold and Households Without Vehicles (2010 Census and ACS 2006-2010) Percentage of Percentage of Median Individuals Households with Census Unit Total Population Household Below Poverty no Vehicle Income Threshold Available Collin County 738,745 $80,504 6.9% 2.6% Dallas County 2,321,014 $47,974 17.6% 7.3% Tarrant County 1,743,300 $55,306 13.4% 4.7% Cities and Towns Town of Addison 13,146 $55,816 13.0% 3.3% City of Carrollton 117,712 $69,599 8.7% 3.1% City of Coppell 38,329 $107,320 2.7% 1.8% City of Dallas 1,187,285 $47,974 22.3% 9.9% City of Grapevine 45,548 $73,633 9.0% 3.0% City of Plano 256,099 $81,822 6.7% 3.0% City of Richardson 97,507 $68,776 10.0% 3.8% Collin County Tracts Census Tract 318.05 5,193 $98,630 3% 1% Census Tract 318.06 1,101 $54,149 12% 14% Census Tract 317.19 1,932 $119,352 9% 2% Census Tract 317.20 4,159 $26,194 32% 10% Census Tract 317.18 2,440 $71,646 8% 0% Census Tract 318.07 4,770 $72,768 13% 15% Census Tract 320.11 5,214 $81,250 0% 1% Census Tract 320.10 4,516 $46,417 18% 3% Census Tract 317.09 4,243 $73,399 3% 4% Census Tract 318.04 3,780 $38,889 35% 10% Census Tract 320.04 7,913 $50,981 12% 2% Census Tract 320.03 5,694 $41,680 17% 7% Census Tract 319 3,706 $43,644 28% 16% Census Tract 318.02 6,657 $69,643 4% 2% Dallas County Tracts Census Tract 9800 0 $0 0% 0% Census Tract 141.32 2,315 $69,048 12% 7% Census Tract 136.21 4,117 $42,141 16% 4%

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 20 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-4 Median Household Income, Individuals Below the Poverty Threshold and Households Without Vehicles (2010 Census and ACS 2006-2010) Percentage of Percentage of Median Individuals Households with Census Unit Total Population Household Below Poverty no Vehicle Income Threshold Available Census Tract 136.11 2,526 $93,365 8% 3% Census Tract 137.27 2,641 $65,076 5% 1% Census Tract 138.06 2,040 $59,728 20% 2% Census Tract 136.16 4,549 $53,611 10% 8% Census Tract 136.17 2,948 $79,205 15% 7% Census Tract 136.18 2,441 $106,563 1% 5% Census Tract 136.19 5,511 $124,798 3% 0% Census Tract 137.14 5,198 $45,306 15% 3% Census Tract 137.16 4,363 $55,938 12% 3% Census Tract 137.17 2,458 $48,227 20% 7% Census Tract 137.18 4,511 $36,010 22% 15% Census Tract 137.25 3,747 $42,000 17% 4% Census Tract 140.02 463 $37,361 18% 0% Census Tract 136.20 4,016 $52,891 8% 4% Census Tract 136.24 3,432 $50,572 7% 3% Census Tract 141.19 4,118 $98,868 1% 1% Census Tract 141.20 4,841 $117,895 0% 2% Census Tract 141.21 4,843 $58,125 7% 6% Census Tract 141.24 3,911 $166,544 1% 0% Census Tract 141.26 5,499 $115,152 3% 1% Census Tract 141.27 7,936 $64,178 5% 2% Census Tract 207 4,885 $73,423 2% 1% Census Tract 137.26 2,761 $68,561 7% 0% Census Tract 192.05 3,459 $98,750 1% 0% Tarrant County Tracts Census Tract 1137.05 5,099 $51,725 14% 10% Census Tract 9800 0 $0 0% 0% Source: USCB, NCTCOG, URS Corporation

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 21 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

4.6 Employment There are several major employers within the project study area. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) defines “major employer” as a single location of a business, which employees 250 or more individuals. This data is provided and periodically updated by NCTCOG on its website. Major employers near station locations likely generate considerable activity in those areas, and thus, it is important to identify major employment centers in addition to residential populations. It is also important to identify other large employers with facilities near the Cotton Belt Corridor in order to determine whether those businesses may be impacted by the proposed rail service. Table 4-5 lists the major employers within a half-mile of the Cotton Belt Corridor stations or within one-quarter mile of the alignment.

Table 4-5 Major Employers Near the Proposed Alignment or Stations Employment Distance to Alignment/ Station Employer Address Range Station (feet) DFW North Great Wolf Lodge 100 Great Wolf Dr. 500-999 1,860 ft. to Alignment Grapevine, TX 76051 North Lake Haverty's 770 Gateway Blvd. 250-499 210 ft. to Alignment Coppell, TX 75019 North Lake U.S. Postal Service 951 W. Bethel Rd. 1000-2499 710 ft. to Alignment Coppell, TX 75019 North Lake Minyard Food 777 S. Freeport Pkwy. 500-999 320 ft. to Alignment Stores, Inc. Coppell, TX 75019 North Lake IBM Global Solution 1177 S. Belt Line Rd. 2,640 ft. to Alignment 500-999 Center Coppell, TX 75019 4,990 ft. to Station North Lake USPS 117 Wrangler Dr. 3,820 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Coppell, TX 75019 6,050 ft. to Station Downtown GE Automation 2025 W. Belt Line Rd. 500-999 320 ft. to Alignment Carrollton Services Carrollton, TX 75006 Downtown General Aluminum 1001 W. Crosby Rd. 250-499 3,430 ft. to Station Carrollton Co Texas LP Carrollton, TX 75006 Downtown Action Window 1312 W. Crosby Rd. 250-499 3,550 ft. to Station Carrollton Technology Carrollton, TX 75006 Downtown Hilite International, 1671 S. Broadway St. 250-499 4,510 ft. to Station Carrollton Inc. Carrollton, TX 75006 Downtown Haber Fabrics 1725 Hayden Dr. 250-499 880 ft. to Alignment Carrollton Carrollton, TX 75006 Addison Concentra 5080 Spectrum Dr., Ste. 400 W 1,670 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Operating Corp. Addison, TX 75001 1,730 ft. to Station Addison GLI Holding 15110 N. Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 600 2,140 ft. to Alignment 1000-2499 Company Dallas, TX 75248 2,450 ft. to Station Addison Bank of America 5151 Belt Line Rd. 1,670 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Home Loans Dallas, TX 75248 2,730 ft. to Station Addison CompUSA, Inc. 14951 Dallas Pkwy. 250-499 2,700 ft. to Station Addison, TX 75254 Addison Dallas Marriott 14901 Dallas Pkwy. 250-499 2,790 ft. to Station Quorum Dallas, TX 75240 Addison and AT&T 15660 Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 100 140 ft. to Alignment 500-999 Knoll Trail Dallas, TX 75248 2,320 ft. to Station

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 22 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-5 Major Employers Near the Proposed Alignment or Stations Employment Distance to Alignment/ Station Employer Address Range Station (feet) Addison and National Business 15305 Dallas Pkwy. 530 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Knoll Trail Research Institute Addison, TX 75001 1,310 ft. to Station Addison and Regus Group PLC 15305 Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 1400 530 ft. to Alignment 500-999 Knoll Trail Addison, TX 75001 1,310 ft. to Station Addison and Zurich American 15305 Dallas Pkwy. 530 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Knoll Trail Insurance Co. Addison, TX 75001 1,310 ft. to Station Addison and Cushman & 15455 Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 800 300 ft. to Alignment Knoll Trail Wakefield of Texas, Addison, TX 75001 250-499 1,870 ft. to Addison Inc. 1,620 ft. to Knoll Trail Preston None Road Renner None Village UTD/ Bombardier 3400 Waterview Pkwy., Ste. 400 350 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Synergy Park Richardson, TX 75080 850 ft. to Station UTD/ Hewlett-Packard 3000 Waterview Pkwy. 440 ft. to Alignment 1000-2499 Synergy Park Richardson, TX 75080 1,420 ft. to Station UTD/ Intervoice, Inc. 17811 Waterview Pkwy. 1,150 ft. to Alignment 500-999 Synergy Park Dallas, TX 75252 3,080 ft. to Station UTD/ University of Texas 2601 N. Floyd Rd. 2,210 ft. to Alignment 2500-4999 Synergy Park at Dallas Richardson, TX 75080 2,240 ft. to Station President Triquint 500 W. Renner Rd. George Bush Semiconductor Richardson, TX 75080 500-999 390 ft. to Alignment Turnpike President Texas Instruments 300 W. Renner Rd. George Bush Richardson, TX 75080 250-499 420 ft. to Alignment Turnpike President NCO Financial 500 N. Central Expwy. 820 ft. to Alignment George Bush Services Plano, TX 75080 250-499 1,680 ft. to Station Turnpike President PFSWeb, Inc. 500 N. Central Expwy. 820 ft. to Alignment George Bush Plano, TX 75074 250-499 1,680 ft. to Station Turnpike President Priority Fulfillment 500 N. Central Expwy. 820 ft. to Alignment George Bush Services Plano, TX 75074 250-499 1,680 ft. to Station Turnpike President Fry Electronics 700 E. Plano Pkwy. 1,280 ft. to Alignment George Bush Plano, TX 75074 250-499 1,550 ft. to Station Turnpike 12th Street City of Plano 909 14 th St. 1,470 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Plano, TX 75074 1,470 ft. to Station 12th Street General Cable 900 Avenue F 250 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Industries, Inc. Plano, TX 75074 1,500 ft. to Station 12th Street City of Plano - City 1520 Avenue K 1,700 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Hall Plano, TX 75074 2,090 ft. to Station 12th Street City of Plano - Fire 1901 Avenue K 1,250 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Department Plano, TX 75074 3,800 ft. to Station

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 23 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Table 4-5 Major Employers Near the Proposed Alignment or Stations Employment Distance to Alignment/ Station Employer Address Range Station (feet) Shiloh Road Samsung 1000 Klein Rd. 450 ft. to Alignment Telecommunications Plano, TX 75074 500-999 1,360 ft. to Station America Shiloh Road Hill & Wilkinson 800 Klein Rd., Ste. 100 1,180 ft. to Alignment 250-499 Plano, TX 75074 1,360 ft. to Station Shiloh Road Gurwitch Bristow 1000 Shiloh Rd., Ste. 200 250-499 270 ft. to Station Products Plano, TX 75074 Shiloh Road Magnetic Data 2901 Technology Dr., Ste. 101 250-499 80 ft. to Alignment Texas, LLC Plano, TX 75074 Shiloh Road Lineage Power 601 and 605 Shiloh Rd. 250-499 2,440 ft. to Station Holdings, Inc. Plano, TX 75074 Source: NCTCOG, URS Corporation

Additionally, State Farm Insurance is currently constructing a new 1.5-million square foot facility that could house 6,500 employees adjacent to the Bush Turnpike Station on the Red Line Interface South Alternative. The existing Bush LRT Station is situated between the new development and the proposed Cotton Belt Station. No adverse impact to the State Farm development will result from the Cotton Belt Project.

4.7 Economic Development Most cities within the project study area have economic development corporations (EDCs) to support business development within their jurisdiction. EDCs actively pursue potential business relocations on behalf of their cities. EDCs also use 4A/4B sales tax funds to invest in improvements within their cities that make the municipality more attractive to existing businesses and those looking to re-locate to these cities. This section provides a summary of the economic development environment in each city within the project study area.

Grapevine The City of Grapevine considers tax increment financing (TIF) districts and tax rebates on a case-by-case basis. Several notable projects, such as Grapevine Mills Mall and Great Wolf Lodge, have already received or are currently receiving incentives.

Coppell The City of Coppell has an Office of Economic Development to support existing businesses and encourage relocations to the city. It offers a tax abatement policy to targeted industries and development grants for sales tax rebates. In addition, the Coppell 2030 Comprehensive Master Plan includes guidelines for Transit Oriented development (TOD.)

Carrollton The City of Carrollton has an EDC to encourage business attraction and retention. Transit-oriented development TOD is of prime interest to the City, due to the 2010 opening of the three Green Line stations in Carrollton, the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) rail connection to Denton and the proposed Cotton Belt Project. These projects provide ample opportunity for TOD or redevelopment. Through key capital improvement projects in downtown Carrollton and the creation of the Transit

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 24 Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project

Center Zoning District, Carrollton and its EDC are working to attract businesses and developers to the City. The City of Carrollton has been active in its encouragement of TOD, especially around the existing DART Green Line stations. A focal point for the city’s TOD growth is the Downtown Carrollton Transit Center, which would potentially be utilized by both the Green Line and proposed Cotton Belt Routes.

Addison The Town of Addison hired its first Economic Development Director in April, 2011 to lead the Town’s new Economic Development Department. Addison has been known for being a business-friendly and business-focused city, even before the establishment of a department dedicated to business attraction and retention.

Dallas The City of Dallas has a very active EDC that pursues business relocations from around the globe. The EDC markets a variety of incentives for development, redevelopment and relocation. There is also a public-private partnership program available through the City of Dallas. The Forward Dallas! Comprehensive Plan calls for mixed-use zoning in strategic locations and an investment in TOD pilot projects. More recently the City of Dallas has amended this plan to include several small-area plans, including several TOD plans for areas surrounding existing DART stations.

Richardson The City of Richardson’s Economic Development Partnership actively promotes the City’s high-tech business district, known as the Telecom Corridor. A cloud computing company called VCE recently announced it would move its headquarters to Richardson’s Telecom Corridor and expand its business, creating an expected 400 new jobs. A proposed station location at or near the existing President George Bush Turnpike LRT Station would be in proximity to the Telecom Corridor. It is also noteworthy that in March 2011, Richardson received AAA bond ratings from Standard & Poor’s as well as Moody’s. Only four cities in Texas received a Moody’s AAA rating, the highest bond rating available. S&P gave the AAA designation to 17 cities in Texas in 2011. The City of Richardson has also been working to develop its TOD strategy. It has already approved TOD style zoning for the Bush Turnpike Station and has partnered with the University of Texas Dallas to create a TOD master plan for the Cotton Belt UTD station.

Plano The Plano Economic Development Board works to attract and retain businesses. Several large, well- known companies are located in the City of Plano, including JC Penney, Alcatel-Lucent, Perot Systems, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and Frito-Lay. Various incentive programs are offered to encourage business relocations. The City of Plano outlines the characteristics of TOD in its 2011 Comprehensive Plan. One of its strategies for maintaining a livable city is to facilitate the development of TODs.

Socioeconomic Characteristics Existing Conditions 25

Alliance Transportation Group Arredondo, Zepeda & Brunz Bowman Engineering Connetics Transportation Group Cox|McLain Environmental Consulting CP&Y Criado & Associates Dunbar Transportation Consulting HMMH KAI Texas K Strategies Group Legacy Resource Group Mas-Tek Engineering & Associates Nathan D. Maier Consulting Engineers Pacheco Koch Consulting Engineers Parsons Schrader & Cline Spartan Solutions Stantec Consulting Services Inc.