Nineteen (19) public hearing notices were mailed to surrounding property owners within two hundred (200) feet of the subject property on May 1, 2020, and a public hearing notice was published in the “San Antonio Express” on May 20, 2020. At the time of this report, Staff has received the following responses to the public hearing notices: five (5) in favor of the amendment, two (2) opposed to the amendment, and one (1) neutral to the amendment.

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on May 15, 2020 and made a recommendation to City Council to deny the proposed amendment by a 6-1 vote. The Commissioners spoke at length that the Comprehensive Plan needs to be updated in order to reanalyze the Future Land Use Map for Southern Schertz as a whole, instead of on a project by project basis. The Commissioners also referenced the original wishes of the Southern Schertz residents during the original public hearings for the 2013 Sector Plan, which were focused on preserving the agricultural presence in certain areas of Southern Schertz. Commissioner Chair Outlaw mentioned that he understands the way of life in Southern Schertz is changing for a number of families, but the original 2013 Sector Plan was a group effort and any large scale amendment of the plan should be as well. 

Joint Base San Antonio reviewed the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment and does not object to the request; however, they offer a few additional points for consideration:

• This area is right outside the noise contours, so there is potential for noise impact to residential development.
• Crane equipment and towers (communication or water) will need to be evaluated.

The following project representatives were in attendance and spoke at the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing:

• Raymond Tarin, Moy Tarin Ramirez Engineers, Project Engineer
  • Spoke on the proposed amendment being consistent with the overall goals of the Comprehensive Plan
  • Emphasized that traditional single-family residential neighborhoods are necessary to connect the Agricultural land with the Mixed use Core
  • Proposed that the project is too far from the Mixed Use Core to incorporate the walkable elements of a Mixed Use Neighborhood
• Wayne Ashabraner, Real Estate Agent representing the Friesenhahn property owners
  • Stated that we are all in the middle of a generational change for the agricultural property owners in this country.
  • We are seeing the new generation have less enthusiasm to farm the land and families must sell the land as the City starts to grow around them
• Cindy Fischer, Property Owner
  • Spoke on the difficult position that farmers in Southern Schertz are put in by the future land use designations.
  • They need to sell the property for their livelihood since their land is too small to run modern cattle ranch.

The applicant is requesting to amend the Comprehensive Land Use Plan by changing approximately 229 acres of the Future Land Use Map from the Mixed Use Neighborhood and Agricultural Conservation land use designations to the Single-Family Residential land use designation. Based on the intended development for the subject property as a traditional single-family neighborhood, the applicant chose to request the Single-Family Residential land use designation. 

 

The project goal is to amend the Comprehensive Land Use Plan by changing approximately 229 acres of the Future Land Use Map from the Mixed Use Neighborhood and Agricultural Conservation land use designations to the Single-Family Residential land use designation.

It is the City’s desire to promote safe, orderly, efficient development and ensure compliance with the City’s vision of future growth.

None

Staff is recommending denial of the proposed Comprehensive Land Use Plan amendment due to its incompatibility with the goals and objectives of the 2013 Sector Plan, and the potential collateral impact on the future development of surrounding areas given the scale and context of the proposed amendment.