San Antonio Board of Adjustment Meeting Summary – March 23, 2026
San Antonio Board of Adjustment Meeting – March 23, 2026
The San Antonio Board of Adjustment met on March 23, 2026, to hear 13 agenda items, including appeals of short-term rental (STR) permit revocations and variance requests for property improvements. The board granted relief in most cases, often finding that city staff made procedural errors in revocations or that unique property conditions warranted variances. Several discussions highlighted ongoing confusion among STR operators about reporting hotel occupancy taxes separately to the city and county.
Consent Calendar
- The board approved the minutes of the previous meeting by voice vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Agenda Item 4 (221 1st Avenue): Two neighbors (Sandra Birch and René Ramírez) spoke in opposition to a requested STR variance. Birch stated she lives directly across the street and complained of trash bins blocking her driveway, guest parking issues, and a general desire for neighbors over businesses. Ramírez expressed concerns about street narrowing, overgrown trees, fire access, a concrete block wall, and crime risks from short-term rentals.
- Agenda Item 5 (308 Keller Street): Neighbor Héctor Martínez expressed concern about the property being a rental, asking that guests be properly screened to avoid crime and noise. He noted one instance of a late-night party but otherwise described the property as well-maintained.
- Agenda Item 8 (154 Babcock Road): Bianca Maldonado, president of the Monticello Neighborhood Association, spoke in support of a variance after the applicant met with the association and addressed their concerns. She opposed a barbed-wire fence that was part of the original request.
- Agenda Item 9 (702 West Hollywood Avenue): Henry Krause, a resident of Beacon Hill, spoke as a private citizen in support of a variance for a porch, praising the applicant's design and the neighborhood association's support.
- Agenda Item 10 (619 Barb Street): Sean Campbell, vice president of the King William Neighborhood Association, left a voicemail asking the board to postpone the item so the applicant could meet with the association.
- Agenda Item 11 (5818 Gillis Drive): Seven letters of support from neighbors were submitted for a variance for a carport; no opposition was voiced.
Discussion Items
- Agenda Item 1 (8201 Middle Post) – STR Permit Revocation Appeal: The applicant, Francis Eva (manager of the owning LLC), stated he had paid all fines and taxes owed, but blamed the revocation on a lack of communication with his former tenant/operator. City staff reported that the property had active listings in December 2025 and that hotel occupancy taxes were still owed in some states. Commissioners questioned whether the owner or operator was responsible for reporting income and paying taxes. The owner claimed he had not received proper notices due to his name being incorrect on city correspondence.
- Agenda Item 2 (2110 Cheatham Trail) – STR Permit Revocation Appeal: The applicant, Jeff Bryson, explained that he had been a victim of identity theft and mailbox theft, causing him to miss city notices. He stated he had paid all hotel occupancy taxes and had no code violations. City staff confirmed the property was current on taxes.
- Agenda Item 3 (515 Belmont Street) – STR Permit Revocation Appeal: The applicant, Diamond Norris, stated he thought Airbnb was automatically collecting and remitting all taxes. He admitted he had not been filing monthly reports on the city's Avenue portal. Commissioners clarified that even when platforms collect city hotel taxes, operators must still report their gross income monthly to calculate county taxes. Norris had paid the most recent taxes but had not filed reports for January and February 2026.
- Agenda Item 4 (221 1st Avenue) – STR Type 2 Exception: The owner, Tim Hendrix, sought a variance to allow a second STR on a lot where only one was permitted under the 12.5% cap. He claimed he had been operating both units for about five years under a single permit, paying taxes for both, and only learned a separate permit was needed in December 2025. City staff noted the block already had one active STR, and adding a second would exceed the cap. The item was postponed to allow the owner to meet with the opposing neighborhood association.
- Agenda Item 5 (308 Keller Street) – STR Permit Revocation Appeal: The operator, Alejandra Plata, acknowledged a lapse in tax payments due to miscommunication with the property owner and a period of low demand. She stated all outstanding taxes had been paid. City staff confirmed the property was current but noted a one-year gap in reporting (February 2025 and February 2026).
- Agenda Item 6 (1828 Sacramento) – STR Permit Revocation Appeal: The applicant requested a continuance to April 6, 2026, to allow time for review of additional information. No opposition was voiced, and the board granted the postponement.
- Agenda Item 7 (510 Booker Alley) – Variance for Alley Access: The applicant, represented by Adriana Siga of SIGA Architecture Studio PLLC, requested a variance to allow a single-family home to have its principal frontage on an alley (Booker Alley) rather than a public street. The lot has no street frontage. The fire marshal had granted an administrative variance requiring a sprinkler system. Commissioner Orta noted potential code conflicts but did not object to voting. No public comments were heard.
- Agenda Item 8 (154 Babcock Road) – Variance for Accessory Structure Setback: The applicant, Gustavo Sabaniego (via representative), sought a variance to place a storage shed 15 feet from the rear property line (after originally requesting less). The Monticello Neighborhood Association had expressed concerns about fire access and a barbed-wire fence. After meeting with the association, the applicant removed the barbed-wire fence from the plan. The association's president spoke in support of the revised request.
- Agenda Item 9 (702 West Hollywood Avenue) – Variance for Front Porch Setback (NCD): The applicant, contractor José Llamas, requested a variance of 8 feet 4 inches (to reduce the required 20-foot front setback to 11 feet 6 inches) to build a front porch on a home in the Beacon Hill Neighborhood Conservation District. The neighborhood association voted to support the request. Two voicemails from neighbors also expressed support. The porch design had been reviewed by the Historic Design Review Commission.
- Agenda Item 10 (619 Barb Street) – Variance for Carport Side Setback: The applicant sought a variance of 4 feet 11 inches (to allow a carport 1 inch from the side property line). The King William Neighborhood Association left a voicemail opposing the request. The board postponed the item to April 20, 2026, to allow the applicant to meet with the association.
- Agenda Item 11 (5818 Gillis Drive) – Variance for Carport Front Setback: The owner, Robert González, requested a variance of 4 feet to allow a carport 6 feet from the front property line (required 10 feet). The carport was built without a permit two years ago due to hailstorm damage. Seven neighbors submitted letters of support. No opposition was received.
- Agenda Item 12 (15015 Jones Maltsberger) – Variance for Landscape Buffer: The applicant, Velocity Broker, requested a variance of 11 feet (to reduce a required 15-foot landscape buffer to 4 feet) for a commercial development. The applicant proposed to save an existing tree and improve the buffer from current conditions. The neighborhood association had no objection.
- Agenda Item 13 (1204 Delaware Street) – Variance for Rear Setback: The applicant, Ricardo Sánchez, sought a variance of 7 feet (to allow a rear setback of 3 feet, later clarified to 5 feet per survey) for an accessory structure. A previous owner had applied and been denied a similar variance in 2024. The structure had existed in the same location for over a decade. The rear neighbor's lot is currently vacant. No opposition was received.
Key Outcomes
- Agenda Item 1: Motion to grant appeal passed 9–2. Commissioners Dean and Mena voted no. The property was allowed to retain its STR permit.
- Agenda Item 2: Motion to grant appeal passed 10–1. Commissioner Dean voted no.
- Agenda Item 3: Motion to grant appeal passed 10–1. Commissioner Dean voted no.
- Agenda Item 4: Motion to postpone to April 20, 2026, passed by voice vote. The owner was directed to meet with the neighborhood association.
- Agenda Item 5: Motion to grant appeal passed 10–1. Commissioner Dean voted no.
- Agenda Item 6: Motion to postpone to April 6, 2026, passed by voice vote.
- Agenda Item 7: Motion to grant variance passed 11–0.
- Agenda Item 8: Motion to grant variance (excluding barbed-wire fence) passed 11–0.
- Agenda Item 9: Motion to grant variance passed 11–0.
- Agenda Item 10: Motion to postpone to April 20, 2026, passed by voice vote.
- Agenda Item 11: Motion to grant variance passed 11–0. Carport set back 6 feet from front property line.
- Agenda Item 12: Motion to grant variance passed 11–0. Landscape buffer reduced from 15 feet to 4 feet.
- Agenda Item 13: Motion to grant variance (amended to 5-foot rear setback) passed 11–0. Accessory structure allowed to remain.
Meeting Transcript
Es la una con un minuto y iniciamos la Junta de Ajuste de Sonificación. Por favor, que pase la intérprete. Buenos días para todos. A todos. Las personas que prefieren escuchar la audiencia en español. ¿Puede pasar por favor a la cabina de atrás a mano derecha para que les proporcionemos un aparato de interpretación? Muchas gracias. Por favor, si pueden pasar lista. Hoy, veintitrés de marzo del dos mil veintiséis. Comisionado Reid, presente. Comisión Stevens. Comisionado Ibáñez. Presente. Comisionado Dean, presente. Comisionada Cruz, aquí. Comisionado Gómez. Comisario Berkman. Presente. Comisionado Benavides. Presente. Comisionado Mena, presente. Comisionado Suna, presente. Comisionado Bonillas. Comisionado Vázquez, presente. Presidente Oren, estoy presente. Tenemos quórum de once, al parecer. Y si por favor, si, por favor, me siguen en el juramento de lealtad. Antes de iniciemos, me gustaría ofrecer unas palabras de explicación. Es la agenda que sigamos. Los casos van a estar numerados y bajo la conclusión se van a dar la respuesta y se van a autorizar las minutas. Y también le pido que a todos los que se puedan los vamos a estar leyendo en el tiempo. Nosotros somos ciudadanos privados y designados en la Junta por el ayuntamiento del ayuntamiento. Y la Junta cuenta con el apoyo del ayuntamiento y está sujeta a las normas y reglamentos que rigen los códigos de zonificación y otros códigos y aspectos relacionados con esas áreas. Esto es un órgano administrativo y no un tribunal. Solo examinamos los hechos relacionados con la solicitud de alivio y no nos involucramos en disputas o reclamaciones legales sobre los partes. Se nos han otorgado poderes específicos por la legislatura de Texas y el Ayuntamiento de San Antonio. Están claramente definidos por el capítulo doscientos once del Código del Gobierno Local Texas, el capítulo 35 del Código de la Ciudad y otros ordenar aprobadas por el ayuntamiento. Tenemos las autoridades para escuchar y decidir apelaciones de una decisión o determinación tomadas por un funcionario administrativo en la aplicación del capítulo treinta y cinco y para escuchar y decidir sesiones especiales requeridas en el capítulo treinta y cinco y para autorizar variaciones de la regulación de la zonificación dentro del capítulo veintiocho, artículo tres, sección veintiocho, cinco. También servimos en una capacidad consultiva y de apelación ante el director de servicios de desarrollo. Y además tenemos facultades para conocer casos de cualquier otro asunto autorizado por el ayuntamiento bajo el capítulo doscientos once del código del gobierno local de Texas. Y todo está debe estar, toda decisión o recomendación a la Junta. Debe basarse en hallazgos de hechos y cada hallazgo de hecho debe estar respaldado por el expediente de los procedimientos de la Junta. El solicitante o su representante presente la petición y será interrogado por los miembros de la Junta. Cualquier oposición a la solicitud se presentará de la misma manera. Después de que todos hayan sido escuchados en el caso, se cerrará si expediente y un miembro de la Junta hará una moción. Se pedirá a cada miembro que vote sobre la moción para que una moción prospere. Requiere el voto de 75% total de los miembros de la Junta. Estén presentes o no la carga. Son nueve en total. Y la carga de pruebas se considera el beneficio solicitado o recae en el solicitante. El solicitante debe presentar hechos por los cuales el beneficio solicitado pueda ser legalmente conseguido y respaldado.
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