Building Standards Board Regular Meeting – October 16, 2025

The Building Standards Board of San Antonio convened on October 16, 2025, at 9:06 a.m. The meeting included approval of prior minutes, staff reports on emergency demolitions, an executive session, election of officers for the coming term, and two informational presentations from the Office of Historic Preservation. A quorum was present; all votes were recorded.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes: The board voted unanimously to approve the minutes from the May 15, 2025, meeting.

Staff Reports & Updates

• Emergency Demolitions Update (Jenny Ramirez, Code Enforcement Manager):
  • 118 Maureen Drive (Council District 3): An accessory structure (vacant) was demolished as an emergency on October 2, 2025, due to an extensive fire that occurred on September 18, 2025. No further board action required.
  • 5230 Grove Hill Street (Council District 7): The main structure (vacant) was demolished as an emergency on October 3, 2025, due to an extensive fire that occurred on September 26, 2025. No further board action required.
  • Presenter provided before-and-after photos; no board questions.

Executive Session

The board adjourned to executive session at 10:31 a.m. to discuss legal matters, reconvening at an unspecified time. Chair Nelson reported that no action was taken in executive session.

Election of Officers

• Chair: Nominations were opened for chair. George Grimes Jr. nominated Dwayne Nelson; Fred Andes nominated himself. By roll call vote, Dwayne Nelson was re-elected chair with a vote of 10 to 2. (Voting for Nelson: Ann Weiner, Roll Ed Shrek and Ghost, Doris Elise, Robert Banky, Dwayne Nelson, Dr. Alinda Lopez Rodriguez, Kayla Miranda, Joel Solis, George Grimes Jr., Yvonne Addison. Voting for Fred Andes: Fred Andes, Paul Hernandez.)
• Vice Chair: Nominations were opened for vice chair. Robert Banky nominated Fred Andes; Ann Weiner nominated Kayla Miranda. By roll call vote, Kayla Miranda was elected vice chair with a vote of 7 to 5. (Voting for Miranda: Ann Weiner, Roll Ed Shrek and Ghost, Kayla Miranda, Dr. Alinda Lopez Rodriguez, Joel Solis, Yvonne Addison. Voting for Fred Andes: Fred Andes, Doris Elise, Paul Hernandez, Robert Banky, George Grimes Jr. Dwayne Nelson voted for Miranda.)

Presentations

Vacant Building Program (Kathy Rodriguez, Deputy Historic Preservation Officer)

• The program began as an 18-month pilot in 2015, became permanent in 2017, and has expanded to cover about 200 square miles (approximately half the city limits).
• Program area includes historic districts, neighborhood conservation districts, TIRZ areas, buffers around military bases, Port San Antonio, Brooks, and a 1,000-foot buffer around all open schools within city limits.
• Program uses case managers (not code enforcement officers) to work with owners. Enforcement timeline: 90 days to register; failure to register leads to municipal court case (total ~6 months from identification).
• Owners must register annually, submit a no-trespassing affidavit, and provide a plan of action. Single-family homeowner-occupants meeting a minimum standard of care are exempt.
• Inventory typically ranges from 800 to 1,000 properties, primarily single-family. Most owners are local, age 50–60, who own only one additional property.
• In FY24–FY25, citations increased; a dedicated code officer for enforcement (FY26 budget) is expected to increase failure-to-register cases. Increasing failure-to-register citations improved contact rate with owners by 40%.
• Since 2015, 1,100 properties have been repaired, occupied, or sold to a new owner.
• Board members asked about: (1) the line between vacant building program and board cases (staff noted the program acts as a middle enforcement effort; by the time cases reach BSB, all efforts have been exhausted); (2) registration methods (online, in-person, or staff can bring forms to owners; translation available); (3) signage (no signs on properties, but an interactive map and inventory are on the website); (4) proactive identification (a staff specialist surveys program areas, and postal service data is used quarterly); (5) notification of annual fees (postcards are sent; fees increased slightly with FY26 budget).

Historic Design & Review (Edward Hall, Design Review Manager, Office of Historic Preservation)

• OHP is one of the largest preservation offices in the country, handling roughly one-third of all state preservation reviews.
• Reviews cover 32 local historic districts, river improvement overlay, downtown design guide, public property, and communications installations.
• Annually processes ~2,200 applications; administrative approvals have increased due to expanded UDC criteria and policy documents.
• Policy documents (porch reconstruction, roofing, foundation/skirting, landscaping, window repair/replacement, substitute materials, fences) have reduced the number of items going to the Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC).
• Denials are rare; applicants who are denied may appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
• Demolition of a historic landmark is nearly impossible due to high economic hardship burden. Program prefers rehabilitation; examples of long-vacant properties being marketed and restored were shared.
• Board members asked about: (1) the definition of “historic” (it is a zoning overlay; older-looking properties may not be designated); (2) how a property gets to BSB for a historic case (via CTAB recommendation for repair after vacant building program and other enforcement fail); (3) prevention of demolition by neglect (criteria in UDC; vacant building program and CTAB cases can be used); (4) timeline for OHP response on dangerous premises notices (30 days to respond; if owner is communicating, staff may extend efforts up to six months before handing back to DSD).
• Chair Nelson and board members noted that BSB is the “caboose” after all other city efforts have been exhausted; OHP staff committed to making themselves available for those cases.

Key Outcomes

• The board approved the minutes of May 15, 2025, unanimously.
• The board received and accepted the emergency demolition reports for 118 Maureen Drive and 5230 Grove Hill Street; no further action required.
• Dwayne Nelson was re-elected chair (10–2 vote).
• Kayla Miranda was elected vice chair (7–5 vote).
• The board received two informational presentations: the Vacant Building Program (by Kathy Rodriguez) and the Historic Design & Review process (by Edward Hall). No formal action was taken on these presentations.
• Chair Nelson welcomed new board member Yvonne Addison.

Note: The meeting occurred on October 16, 2025, though the chair initially stated “15 October, 16 October” during the executive session transition. All other references indicate October 16, 2025.