City Council - Regular Meeting

All right, if we can all come together. The time is now 2.13 p.m. on Thursday, September 17th, 2026, and the City of San Antonio zoning and land use session is called to order. City Clerk, will you call roll?

Councilmember Kaur. Councilmember McKee-Rodriguez. Councilmember Villagran. Here. Councilmember Munguia. Present. Councilmember Castillo. Here. Councilmember Galvan. Here. Councilmember Alderete-Gavito. Here. Councilmember Meso-Gonzalez. Here. Councilmember Speers. Here. Councilmember White. Here. Mayor Jones. Mayor Pro Tem, we have quorum.

Thank you. First item is to continue cases to the October 1st, 2026 meeting. The case to continue is item eight. Is there a motion to continue the item? There is a motion to continue the item to October 1st, 2022 with a second. Is there any council discussion? madam clerk has anyone signed to speak on this item all right jack we're going to continue this item did you want to talk on the continuance or wait until your other times you have three minutes thank you madam mayor pro tem

Members of the Council, my name is Jack M. Finger. And especially I want to speak about this one. Ms. Castillo, this is an item that's in your district. It's about... Oh, the lumberyard is planning on expanding its area over on Zaza Morris Street. This has been continued not once, but at least twice now, Ms. Castillo, at least. And the question is, why are you continuing it, Ms. Castillo? Ms. Castillo. The reason I, a citizen, have been asking this, Ms. Castillo, is because you know as well as I do, and perhaps the rest of you know if you look at the backup documents, that the owner, the applicant, apparently is a pretty bad actor here. Yeah. I'm just looking at what the documents tell us. The applicant owner has not, he has not been through the, done the required building permits. The site plan has not been approved, nor the technical reviews either. Hasn't gone through any of that. He hasn't done the adequate stormwater prevention plans as well, thereby posing a threat to his people in the area as well as the creeks over there on the west side there. And, yeah, that's right, it has an unresolved floodplain violations, Ms. Castile. And that plus the other red flags on this, well, the zoning staff thought it was a bad idea. The Prospect Hill Neighborhood Association doesn't like this either. Consequently, Ms. Castile, why are you letting this guy off the hook? Continually, continually, continually. Why is anybody, Ms. Spears, Mr. White, why is anybody letting this guy, I mean, after all, you guys have a vote on this. Shall we continue letting him off the hook or shall we make a decision here and now today? Huh? I mean, I, I mean, inquiring minds would like to know, you know. Thank you.

All right, can I get a motion? Did I get a motion and a second yet? Okay, we have a motion and a second to postpone item number eight. Is there any council discussion? Yes. Oh, I'm sorry. Emil Weisler, would you like to speak on this issue? Emily, sorry.

We have been working particularly with the West End Hope and Action Neighborhood for months on this case and just really appreciate the time and dedication that they have put in, the neighbors around this property, and the council office as well for allowing us the time to work through this very unique case and respectfully request your support for a continuance today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. Regarding this item, I'm also grateful for the time and energy of the West End Hope and Action Association has put into this and for their feedback and consideration along the way. I appreciate the applicant's effort on this respective zoning case. My team and staff have been working on this request at various times for over two years now. As City Analysis reports, and I hate to admit as Jack Fingersighted, This property has undergone significant development activity which has continued without the required building permits, site plan approvals, and mandatory technical reviews. The development of this site has occurred without the appropriate permits or mandatory technical review that are critical to the protection of the Alazan Creek as laid out in the Westside Creek's water quality protection area. The protection of our creeks and our waterways are vital for the overall health of our community. And as staff reports notes, the development has failed to demonstrate adequate stormwater treatment measures posing a direct threat to public health and the water quality of Westside Creek. There remain significant concerns about the applicant's ability to meet stormwater runoff mitigation and flood plan regulations. even with significant changes to the property, let alone with the property and the development as it currently stands. Additionally, I am also concerned about the potential for negative effects on residential properties along Delgado, specifically related to the changes that would be needed for the subject property to address its floodplain issues. Finally, there are a number of existing code violations for this property, and I understand the applicant's representative intends to address those violations, but Some of them cannot be addressed with this zoning request. However, development began on this site in 2020 and continued through at least 2024. If the applicant had sought the needed permits for technical review prior to development instead of waiting until they're given these violations, this would have offered city staff a chance to review the needed zoning change, identify the floodplain, Development standard challenges and done so before the development became so intense as such this is an attempt to retroactively approve a land use for development that did not seek the needed permits site plans approval or Technical reviews and that should never had become so intense in the first place So I appreciate the motion to continue but I ask that you deny the continuance so I could motion to deny this item I

Would that be an amendment? Okay, so we're gonna vote on the continuance. We have a vote motion to continue Please vote Yes is to continue a no is to leave it on individual any other council discussion it fails we will move this item to individual we will now move on to the consent agenda the following items are listed on Oh, okay, so it fails. We will now take this item up for individual.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. All of what was said considered. My thanks again to city staff for their work and, of course, the representative for the applicant. But with that, I motion for denial of item eight.

We have a motion and a second to deny. Please vote. Motion carries. All right, we will move on to the consent agenda. The following items are listed for individual consideration. Items seven, eight, 11, and 12 will not be on. The remaining items on today's agenda will be considered on the consent agenda. Do any council members wish to pull an item from consent agenda to be heard individually? All right, if there's none, there's no items to pull. Madam Clerk, has anyone signed up to speak on the items remaining on the consent agenda? Jack Finger on item one.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just to clarify, which particular item are we dealing with at this moment? Very good. Thank you. Well, Madam Mayor and other members of the council, once again, my name is Jack Finger and I noticed something regarding item number one. Number of things here, it's about changing the zoning to something, well, I call it shoehorning into having three units into one little plot of land over on West Woodlawn. Maybe not too many people notice it, but at least one neighborhood association thought this was a bad idea. It's the Beacon Hill neighborhood association. They thought the proposal for multifamily 25, was a bad idea, but they're willing to go along with residential mixed dash four. So yeah, I'd appreciate it since Ms. Carr, this is in your district, I'd appreciate if you would at least amend it, offer a suggestion to change it to R4 instead of something more intense, such as multifamily 25.

That matter I appreciate if every one of you looked at that the same idea since every one of you has a vote on this thing Thank you Is there a motion to approve the balance of the consent agenda We have a motion and a second is there any council conversation discussion if not, please vote I Yes. motion carries unanimous okay we uh... logan before you go we are going to take up item eleven and twelve first because the council member would like to uh... what would like to delay so if you could just read the description so she can make the motion we will not be taking discussion if it there is a delay constantly agenda items eleven twelve or a plan amendment and change of zoning

amending the greater airport area regional center plan from community commercial to regional commercial and rezoning the property from C3 to C3S with specific use authorization for auto paint and body repair with outside storage vehicles and parts permitted provided they are totally screened from view of adjacent property owners and the public rights of way. Properties located at 12139 Jones-Maltzberger Road. Staff, zoning commission, and planning commission recommend denial. We mailed 19 notices. Seven were returned in favor, two in opposition. There is no registered neighborhood association within 200 feet. Outside of 200 feet, seven additional notices were returned in favor and one opposed. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilman Spears.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. I just wish to continue these two items until October 1. Second.

We've got a motion and a second to continue the items until October 1, 2026. Is there any council discussion?

Yes. Council and Corps. This is one that Council Member Spears and I have talked about, so I'm just offering up any, this is a staff member of mine's family who's working on this deal, and so I know there's some neighborhood support, so if Council Member Spears or her team needs any support, my team is available to help. Thanks.

Thank you. Any other council discussion? If not, we have a motion and a second. Please vote.

Yes.

All right, if you came to discuss that item, we will discuss it next week. Motion carries unanimously. All right, let's move on to our final individual item. That would be item number seven. Logan, the floor is yours.

Absolutely agenda item number seven is a change of zoning from c2 to c2 with conditional use for parking and or storage long-term with a fence height up to eight feet tall properties located at 2007 Frio City Road staff recommends denial zoning Commission recommends approval with the following conditions no temporary signage including wind waivers pendants bandit or snipe signs The applicant has submitted an amended site plan for review. That amended site plan locates a landscape buffer upon the northwest and southeast property lines, has less impervious cover, reduces parking spaces from 50 to 40, and moves the fencing inward from the property line. 32 notices were mailed 7 returned in favor 2 in opposition the Via de Esperanza Kelly Park neighborhood association is opposed and outside of 200 feet 57 notices were returned in favor 24 in opposition.

Thank you Madam clerk, I believe there's three people signed up for public comment All right. Each person will have three minutes to speak. The first person is Jack Finger, followed by Janie Herrera.

Madam Mayor, other members of the council, my name is, once again, is Jack M. Finger. Item number seven. Well, Ms. Castillo, once again, this is in your district. Once again, I happen to notice a few red flags on this. It's about... A wrecker service apparently wants to expand its area regarding more need for parking, its vehicles, its parts, and everything else. You know, the zoning staff, which of course we hire, to tell us the facts on this case. It recommended we say no to this one, mainly because, well, it's about the industrial zoning classification doesn't mix with the medium business area there. No, it doesn't. The fact that the Via Esperanza neighborhood association and the Kelly Park neighborhood association, they both said they did not want it either. Over there on Friel City Road, why, oh, here's the other big thing, an eight-foot fence? Eight-foot fence. You know, we're not allowed to have eight-foot fences for the vast majority of our little town here, you know. Why? Because, well, they obstruct the view that citizens, residents, rightfully have to see over who's, living or working right next to them. No, and so consequently, Ms. Castillo, instead of just continuing it like this has been for some time now, why not say no to this, what could be a monstrosity of a big problem here? Thank you.

All right, next up is Janie Herrera.

Good afternoon, Janie Herrera, 2007 Brio City Road zoning change request from C2 to C2 CD parking long term. The subject property is located within the Lackland Air Force Base Awareness Zoning Military Influence Area. In accordance with the signed memorandum of undersigning, JBSA was notified of the proposed request. The military has indicated there are no objections to this request. preparation and process. From the moment we took interest in purchasing the lot, we also began cleaning and getting rid of old clothes, debris that was trashed throughout the lot, and cleared metal with a magnetic sweeper. We collected countless screws, nails, and small pieces of metal, which could potentially be a hazard to any person or vehicle entering the lot. We cut and cleared all overgrown branches, weeds that went untouched years. This was accomplished prior to purchasing the property. We went back to check on the lot a couple of days later to find many more piles of trash and debris that have been dumped on the lot. In essence, the lot was used as a dump site by violators due to its accessibility of main thoroughfare and being unmonitored for so long. And we have photos of the lot cleanup process, how it looked prior to cleanup process. And I, too, jumped right in. And I said, we've got to clean this. It's more than a hazard. And so further cleanup, once we purchased the lot, A company was hired to clear out multiple enormous piles of trash that included furniture, tires, huge oversized tree trunks, cinder blocks, and pieces of illegally dumped concrete. This took several truckloads and trips, and it's a significant improvement from when we started. At this point, we have taken upon ourselves to have a temporary metal fence installed to keep folks from using the lot as a dump site. The fence has served its function, keeping illegal dumpsters at bay. We regularly walk the property to maintain its cleanliness until we proceed further. Once completed, we have spoken to the neighbors and have informed them of our idea to use dark green privacy screen as part of the final fencing process, which later on we were advised that that was not acceptable and it's okay. So we will not be doing the green cover. And also more photos of the immediate impact from the cleanup. Stopped dumping, cleared vermin, discouraged loitering. Not only were they loitering, they were also living in the vacant building that had been there for a while, for years, and it was in that condition.

Thank you, Janie. You can leave your photos. Your time is up. So you can leave the material for us and we can look over that if you'd like.

Thank you.

All right, next up is Trisha Fadey.

Trisha, you have three minutes. Good afternoon, members of City Council. My name is Tricia Ann Fayad. I am a resident of Villa Esperanza subdivision. I am here today on behalf of my family, my neighbors, to strongly oppose to the proposed tow truck company expansion right next to my community. We are all familiar with the prevailing attitude towards this area. It's an industrial zone. It has train tracks, the fleet yards, the commercial garages. The underlying sentiment from the city is often, Frill City Road is already industrial anyway. So why should it matter if one more commercial operator comes in? It matters because Frill City Road is not just a blank space on a zoning map. It is a literal front door and boundary to the families of Villa Esperanza. Our neighborhood is a place where people are raising children, building lives. We deserve the same neighborhood protections, peace, and quiet as many other residential communities in San Antonio. When our community looks at the future of Frill City Road corridor, we don't see a permanent wasteland for heavy 24-hour operations. We see a corridor with the potential to be cleaner, safer, and less industrial. Our long-term goal is to reclaim our quality of life and advocate for developments that serve as a healthy buffer zone rather than a constant nuisance. Allowing a tow truck yard to expand right against our neighborhood boundaries takes us backwards. A 24-hour towing operation brings specific, unignorable burdens straight to the doorsteps of Villa Esperanza. Continuous diesel engine idling, the piercing sound of backup beepers at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, increased heavy-duty traffic on a shared corridor, and the permanent visual blight of a wrecking yard. Labeling this corridor industrial anyway is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the city continues to rubber stamp every heavy commercial application just because of past zoning, Full city road will never change. True revitalization starts by drawing a line. It starts with the city partners and its residents to say the future of this community looks different in its past. We are not trying to stop local businesses from succeeding. We are asking the city to direct heavy impact industrial expansions to dedicated industrial parks away from the bedroom windows. Please protect the families of Villas Esperanza and support our vision for a less industrial corridor. Councilwoman, we hope that you will protect our neighborhood, and I'm going to ask the neighbors that feel the same sentiment to please stand. I thank you for your consideration for this. Thank you.

Thank you. Item number seven is in District 5. Councilwoman Castillo is recognized to speak.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem. I want to thank the applicant as well as the members of the public and the Via de Esperanza Soul Neighborhood Association for being very engaged within the south side of District 5 to advocate to ensure that we take into consideration the environmental impact of businesses within the south side of the district. So just thank you all for your advocacy, ensuring that you all provide support, whether it's the Quintana neighborhood or the Thompson, you all stand together to ensure that we're approving and supporting industries that support our community. I appreciate the work of the applicant as well. But again, given the environmental impacts and concerns within the area, I will motion to deny this item.

We have a motion and a second. Any other council discussion? Please vote. motion carries that concludes today's zoning and land use session the time is now 2 39 and the meeting is now adjourned