Trees, Breezes, Birds or backyard rental houses

The life force of Dallas is its original neighborhoods, which have layers of towering trees, lush landscape, and gardens, a natural habitat for wildlife and singing birds. This is in contrast to most cities where urban planners strive to make cities denser and grittier. The Dallas City Manager and Housing Director are trying to do the same by proposing a devastating zoning change: blanket backyard rental house zoning in single family zoned neighborhoods that would allow 40-foot wide by 30-foot tall rental houses to be built in the backyards of single family homes. This rental house zoning encourages landlords to replace homeowners and concrete to replace trees, unraveling the stability of neighborhoods.
For those interested in the environment, the repercussions of this proposal are even more consequential.
Global Warming: A canopy of trees keeps homes cooler requiring less air conditioning and encouraging homeowners to spend time outside. The rooftops and concrete that replace these backyard trees collect heat and radiate that heat outward.
Pestilence: Summer breezes from the southeast flow through trees. Backyard 40-foot wide rental houses on 50-foot wide standard lots block any breeze. Breezes are the best defense against the small West Nile Virus-carrying mosquito. The large mosquito can fight through wind. The West Nile mosquito cannot. This makes South Dallas and East Dallas much safer than the neighborhoods with larger footprints of homes and development. Backyard rental houses invite the West Nile mosquito. Environmental Impact: In the older neighborhoods of Dallas with layers of flowering trees, one will see Cooper hawks, egrets, and owls. Also seen are songbirds of many varieties, pollinating hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, along with much wildlife. This natural environment is eradicated with backyard rental houses. These rental houses might be a short-term solution but have dire long-term consequences.
https://architecturallysignificant.dougnewby.com/neighborhood/east-dallas/
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