Bush wants gate installed on route to new Dallas home
Just like his father, President George W. Bush will return to Texas when he leaves office.
And just like his father, he wants a gate to be installed along a public street to limit access to his neighborhood.
Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm confirmed Monday that the younger Bush is seeking to have a gate placed somewhere along the entrance to streets leading to his future Preston Hollow address.
The plan, which requires approval by the Dallas City Council, isn't expected to encounter much opposition at City Hall, and the Bushes' neighbors seem to be on board.
So far, several options to limit access to the Bushes' new street have been discussed. But a final decision on exactly where to place the gate hasn't been recommended, Suhm said.
Federal money would pay for the gate, not the city, she said. It's unclear how residents would use the gate to get to their homes.
Wherever the gate goes, public access to Daria Place – the high-end street that includes the Bushes' 8,500-square-foot ranch home – will soon be a thing of the past.
The primary reason for the gate is security, of course. But neighbors are also concerned that the Bushes will attract crowds of innocent, if annoying, sightseers to the once quiet and exclusive cul-de-sac of Daria Place, as well as to the equally tony dead-end street that leads to it, Daria Drive.
Even now, weeks after news broke that the Bushes bought a home on the street, cars filled with onlookers are pulling up and snapping pictures, residents say.
"It's great the Bushes are moving here, and it's great that they're doing whatever they need to do," said Alan Bell, a Daria Drive resident who blames the press for drawing attention to the Bushes' new address.
An aide to first lady Laura Bush declined to comment on the gate, calling it a security matter.
The president and his neighbors can thank Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush, for making it possible to place a gate across a taxpayer funded street in Texas.
In May 1993, shortly after Bush left the White House for Houston, the Legislature passed a little-noticed bill that allows cities to restrict access to streets "on which the dwelling of a former president of the United States is located." The Houston City Council later voted to allow gates at two streets leading to the Bushes' residence.
The current president and his wife are expected to move into their new Preston Hollow address shortly after his term ends in two weeks.
The City Council is expected to vote on permitting the gate's construction this month, possibly as soon as its Jan. 14 meeting, City Hall officials say.
The public will have an opportunity to comment on the plan. Suhm said the city staff would support gating the public street.
"You've got the neighborhood and the president's security to think about," she said.
Officials with knowledge of the issue say most residents of Daria Street and Daria Place are in support of the gate. Also supporting it is Mr. Bush's friend and future neighbor Tom Hicks, who owns the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars, a spokeswoman said.
Residents of Daria Drive have expressed concern that if the gate is placed at the entrance to the cul-de-sac at Daria Place, sightseers will simply pull onto Daria Drive to have a look.
The likely plan will be to place the gate at the entrance to Daria Drive, limiting access to both streets, officials say. Residents of the two affected streets are expected to meet this week to discuss options on where to put the gate.
Map of G.W. Bush, 10141 Daria Place, Dallas, TX 75229
Link: <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=10141+Daria+Place,+Dallas,+TX&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.325633,65.214844&ie=UTF8&ll=32.885768,-96.811287&spn=0.009676,0.015922&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr>
Daria Dr, Dallas, TX 75229Link: <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Daria+Drive,+Dallas+Texas&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.325633,65.214844&ie=UTF8&ll=32.884799,-96.811545&spn=0.00121,0.00199&t=h&z=19>
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