New Braunfels Planning Commission Meeting - January 6, 2026

The New Braunfels Planning Commission held a regular meeting on January 6, 2026. The commission approved minutes from the December 2nd meeting, unanimously recommended amendments to Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) requirements for City Council, and voted 6-1 to approve a Special Use Permit (SUP) for a telecommunications tower adjacent to Fire Station #4 on Alyssa Way.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The Commission unanimously approved the minutes from the December 2, 2025 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No speakers addressed the commission during the general citizens' communications period.
• Item B – SUP for Alyssa Way Tower: Jason Schaefer, an off-duty New Braunfels firefighter, spoke in opposition to the tower. He expressed concerns about potential health effects from RF exposure and the impact on firefighters' ability to sleep while stationed at the facility.

Discussion Items

Item A: Amendments to Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) Requirements

• Presenter: Carly Farmer, Assistant City Engineer.
• Proposed Changes: The item recommended several amendments to Chapter 118 of the city code regarding TIAs:
  • Shifting from a blanket requirement to analyze all streets in a study area to a context-sensitive scoping process agreed upon by the developer's and city engineer.
  • Requiring street design analysis for construction traffic on perimeter and approach streets to address pavement failures and safety concerns.
  • Adding requirements related to the Thoroughfare Plan Update to mitigate impacts on residential areas.
  • Reverting turn lane criteria from Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) standards to a previous city standard. Staff argued the TxDOT criteria are more appropriate for rural state highways than city streets. The proposed trigger thresholds are 500 daily trips or 50 peak hour turning movements.
  • Establishing expiration dates for TIA worksheets (2 years) and TIA reports (3 years from approval or 2 years after the specified build-out year passes). Staff noted the changes have support from neighboring counties.
• Commissioner Questions: Commissioners asked about the flexibility of the new scoping process and the application of turn lane requirements.
• Public Hearing: Opened and closed with no comments from the public.
• Vote: Commissioner Rudy moved to approve the staff recommendation. The motion passed unanimously.

Item B: Special Use Permit for a Telecommunications Tower (2212 Alyssa Way)

• Applicant: Vincent Hubbinger, representing Verizon via Vincent Gerard and Associates, Inc.
• Proposal: A request to rezone 0.1 acres from R1 to R1 SUP and approve a Special Use Permit to allow a 150-foot monopole telecommunications tower. The site is adjacent to the New Braunfels Fire Station #4 and Oak Run Middle School.
• Staff Presentation: Amida Mashinsky of the Planning Department presented the staff report, recommending approval with conditions, including requiring evergreen landscaping for year-round screening.
• Applicant Arguments: The applicant argued the tower is necessary to address significant coverage gaps and network capacity issues, citing that surrounding towers are overloaded and that data volume increased at three times the prior year's rate. He stated the tower would collapse within the lease area per the manufacturer's fall zone analysis and would not endanger the fire station building or personnel.
• Commissioner Discussion: Commissioners inquired about the tower's exact fall zone, visual impact, and landscaping requirements. The Commission's legal advisor noted that federal law preempts local zoning decisions based on health concerns regarding telecommunications towers that comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidelines.
• Public Hearing: Jason Schaefer testified in opposition.
• Vote: Commissioner Schaefer moved to deny the request. The motion failed for lack of a second. Commissioner Rudy then moved to approve the staff recommendation, seconded by Commissioner Schwarz. The motion passed on a 6-1 roll call vote, with Commissioner Schaefer dissenting. The decision will be forwarded to City Council for final action.

Key Outcomes

• Item A (TIA Amendments): Unanimously approved. The recommendation will be forwarded to City Council.
• Item B (Telecommunications Tower): Approved (6-1). The rezoning and SUP recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final consideration.
• Meeting Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following the vote on Item B.