August 26, 2026
She Wouldn't Even Look At Them
Twenty-one District 13 residents came to City Hall to speak on the Walnut Hill zoning case. Gay Willis couldn't be bothered to acknowledge a single one of them. Watch the video, then see where all three of District 13's zoning fights stand — and what to do about it next week.
Twenty-one residents signed up and came down to this week's City Council meeting to speak on the Walnut Hill zoning case — a case that will change their neighborhood for good. Watch how Gay Willis responded.
This is what representation looks like under Gay Willis: 21 of her own constituents show up, and she can't spare them a glance. If that makes you as angry as it makes us, keep reading — because she promised something very different.
Betrayed By Her Own Words
This is what Gay Donnell Willis's own 2025 campaign website promised District 13, under the heading “Smart Development Includes Neighborhood Input”:
“
Neighbors want to be heard, and should be heard… you have a voice.
— Gay Donnell Willis, 2025 Campaign Website
21 Neighbors Showed Up To Use That Voice.
She wouldn't even look at them.
Melshire & Walnut Hill Zoning Updates
Melshire Park
Melshire Park is a 26-home gated community going up along Forest Lane near the Dallas North Tollway. When it was approved back in 2021, the deal came with a 21-foot setback from the development's north property line — protection for the homes next door. The developer, Olerio Homes, secured four permits for covered patios that extend past that line. The city caught it: a later review found the patio roofs made them part of the structure, triggering the setback violation.
Instead of asking the Board of Adjustment for a variance, the developer asked the City Council to just change the rule. On August 14, 2026, the Council voted 8-4 to let those patios come within 5 feet of the property line — Gay Willis among the yes votes. She called the impact “minimal to non-existent” and pointed to the $55 million in added property value for the tax rolls.
Read more about the case here.
$55 MILLION
The property value Willis cited to justify shrinking her own setback from 21 feet to 5
Walnut Hill & Marsh / Betty Jane Lane
Mehrdad Moayedi's Crescent Estates Custom Homes wants to build 41 detached patio homes — down from an original 60 — on the 3.75-acre former church property at Walnut Hill and Betty Jane Lane, on lots as small as 1,980 square feet and heights up to 36 feet (three stories). Case number: Z-25-000224.
On August 27, the Council voted 10-3 to defer the case to September 23 — without ever letting residents speak. The case wasn't formally opened before the deferral motion passed, so the dozens of neighbors who'd waited hours, including many of the same 21 you just watched get snubbed, never got the chance to testify. Willis cited “some new possibilities” and said the developer is preparing “important revisions” residents will supposedly welcome.
“She could have done this five hours earlier, and we wouldn't have wasted another five hours.”
— John Wimberley, District 13 Resident
The D13 Together coalition didn't mince words afterward, calling Willis “unfit for public service” after she refused a colleague's request to let residents testify before moving to defer.
Read more about the case here.
Preston/Royal
Still pending before the full City Council after clearing the Plan Commission 10-4 — the vote where Willis's own appointed commissioner made the motion to approve it, over 261-to-8 resident opposition inside the notification area.
The good news: Preserve Preston Hollow has successfully pushed the Council hearing back to October 14 — buying more time to organize before the final vote.
Melshire's fight for accountability continues, and Walnut Hill (September 23) and Preston/Royal (October 14) are both back on the calendar. Mark them, and stay tuned.
Sign Up To Speak Next Week
Wednesday, September 2nd — 9:00 AM — City Council Briefing.
This is our next chance to put District 13's opposition to the Preston/Royal and Melshire zoning cases on the public record — and to tell Gay Willis directly how it feels to be dismissed by the person who's supposed to represent you.
Talking Points — Use What Fits, In Your Own Words
The numbers don't lie. On Preston/Royal, 261 residents inside the notification area opposed the towers and only 8 supported it — 97% opposed — and it still cleared the Plan Commission because Willis's own appointed commissioner made the motion to approve it.
She called our opposition “political disagreement.” When D13 Together asked for a 120-day pause to work out unresolved issues on Preston/Royal, Melshire, and Walnut Hill/Betty Jane Lane, Willis refused — and framed the request as politics, not substance.
Melshire Park shows what her promises are worth. She approved a 21-foot setback to protect the neighbors next door — then voted to gut it to 5 feet for the developer's patios, citing $55 million in added property value as the reason.
Walnut Hill residents were silenced twice. Once when she wouldn't look at them in Council chambers, and again on August 27 when the case was deferred to September 23 before anyone was allowed to testify. Reference the case number: Z-25-000224.
Tone-policing isn't representation. Her own newsletter skipped the 261-to-8 number and asked residents for more “constructive dialogue” instead. We are not the problem — being ignored is.
Ask for a plain answer. State clearly that you expect a “no” vote on the case affecting your neighborhood, and ask Willis directly whether she'll honor the residents she represents — not just the developers.
Keep it to three minutes, state your name and that you're a District 13 resident, and stay focused on the facts — it's the most effective way to be heard and taken seriously on the record.
One Rule To Follow
Council rules don't allow speakers to address councilmembers by name. Please be respectful and refer to her only as the “District 13 Councilmember” or “D13 CM” — not “Gay Willis” or “Gay Donnell Willis.”
Parking & Building Instructions
Arrive no later than 9:30 AM.
Park in the metered lot behind City Hall — get directions.
Enter through the North or East entrances.
Go to the lobby and take the elevators to the 6th floor.
No food or drink is allowed in the Council Chambers.
We Got Signs!
A fresh order of 4'x4' and 24″x18″ yard signs has been placed. Want to host a pickup at your house? Email us and we'll get you on the map.
Pick Up A Sign
Take two — one for your yard, one for a friend or neighbor who needs to display it too.
Suggested donation: $25 per sign. Signs cost money to print, and every dollar you chip in puts another one in another yard.
Get Involved Now
Three things you can do today, right where you are:
1. Sign up to speak on September 2nd. Your voice on the record matters more than a comment online ever will.
2. Put a sign in your yard — and a neighbor's. Every sign is a neighbor saying out loud what a lot of people have been thinking quietly.
3. Post on Nextdoor and Facebook. Share the video, and when you see posts about Gay Willis or D13 zoning issues, reply with a link to recallgaywillis.com so more neighbors know what's going on.
Block “Gay Donnell” On Nextdoor
Willis is flagging and reporting posts that are critical of her — getting comment sections shut down and entire posts removed.
Block her profile and she can't see your posts or your comments — which means she can't report them in the first place. Open her profile, tap the three-dot menu, and select Block.
Thank you for standing with us. This only works because neighbors like you keep showing up.
— The Recall Gay Donnell Willis Team