About

Mission

The Greater Dallas Planning Council’s mission statement is simple and to the point:

Mission is to shape, promote, and advocate a creative, sustainable future for the Dallas region.

The Greater Dallas Planning Council (GDPC), founded in 1946, is the oldest Dallas area civic organization that focuses on issues shaping regional growth. The members of the GDPC address a range of issues from a broad range of community and professional perspectives. The GDPC's membership is comprised of a group of successful professionals from architect design firms, planning consultants, construction and engineering firms, developers, real estate industry leaders, community and civic organizations, corporations and municipal entities. The GDPC membership also includes elected or appointed officials. The GDPC members evaluate local and regional policies in order to promote the long-term sustainability of the City of Dallas and surrounding region.

Urban design issues, economic development, transportation, water issues, energy and education remain a core focus of the organization. A variety of issue task forces bring together professionals concerned about the future of the region and evaluate policies and new design concepts. The members of the task forces evaluate information, invite area leaders to their meetings and develop policy recommendations that are forwarded to local leaders and the media.

In order to promote a better understanding of issues facing the region, the GDPC sponsors monthly breakfast meetings open to members and non-members. These breakfast meetings include a presentation by local politicians and leaders on issues ranging from urban development, education reform, transportation changes, water planning and other timely issues.

The Greater Dallas Planning Council Major Accomplishments:

  • Major supporter of the development and implementation of the Dallas Plan
  • Underwriting the feasibility study for the outer loop freeway system
  • Creation of Dallas long-range water plan
  • Support and planning of both Love Field and DFW Airports
  • Leadership in environmental projects such as a clean White Rock Lake and "Keep Dallas Beautiful" (once a GDPC effort, now a separate organization)
  • Contributed significant time and talent to the Trinity River Corridor Project for 20 years
  • Participation in a triumvirate of organizations which produced the Planning Policies Issues
  • Papers, resulting in a massive overhauling of the city's zoning ordinances
  • Support for Vision North Texas
  • Presented peer review conclusions on Alignment Alternatives for DART’s D2 2nd Downtown Light Rail Transit Line
  • Wrote a position paper on the Proposed Trinity Toll Road Alternative

Publications:

  • Dallas Visions: Toward a 21st Century Urban Design
  • Designs for Dallas = civic planning concepts in conjunction with the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
  • Visions for Dallas – an update of Designs for Dallas
  • Visions/Dreams/Decisions – issue paper on the future of the inner city
  • First Ring Suburbs – an issue paper exploring the future of the region's suburbs

Signature Events:

  • Annual Urban Design Awards Host (2002 - present) – from 1990 GDPC co-hosted with City of Dallas
  • Four Metromorphosis Symposia – conference highlights regional planning opportunities
  • Annual Luncheon – GDPC hosts dynamic, thought provoking topic and speaker
  • Lunch & Learn Series – members and taskforce subject speakers interact in 2-way in-depth small group luncheon presentations