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Record of Proceedings

San Antonio Zoning and Land Use Session - September 18, 2025

City Council — Thursday, September 18, 2025
BodySan Antonio, Texas
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, September 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 32:50

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0:01

The time is now 2 48 p.m.

0:03

on Thursday, September 18th, 2025, and the City of San Antonio zoning and land use session is called to order.

0:09

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

0:11

Councilmember Corr.

0:13

Councilmember Castillo Anguiano.

0:15

President.

0:16

Councilmember Viegeran.

0:18

Councilmember Mungia.

0:20

President.

0:21

Councilmember Castillo.

0:23

Councilmember Galvan.

0:24

Here.

0:24

Councilmember Alerete Gavito.

0:27

Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez.

0:29

President.

0:29

Councilmember Spears.

0:31

Councilmember White.

0:33

Mayor Jones.

0:35

Here we have quorum.

0:36

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

0:38

For the record, item 21 has been withdrawn and will not be considered today.

0:45

Items to continue to October 2nd.

0:48

Um are items 3, 10, 14, and 15.

0:52

Is there a motion to continue the items?

0:55

I make a motion to continue.

0:58

Madam Clerk, is anyone signed up to speak on these items?

1:03

Looks like we have several.

1:05

Um I will call your names.

1:06

However, if you'd like to uh given these items will be continued.

1:09

If you'd like to preserve your comments until that time, no need to come up at this point.

1:18

First one I've got is Mary Ann Smith.

1:37

The next person is Andrew Nichols.

1:39

Uh you'll each have three minutes to speak, but again, these items are being moved to October 2nd.

1:44

Go ahead, ma'am.

1:48

I just have a statement I'd like to read.

1:50

Okay.

1:51

Sorry, I get a little anxious.

1:54

So good afternoon, Mayor and Council members.

1:58

My name is Mary Ann Smith, and I live on Jansen Road in the Mission Novago neighborhood.

2:04

Um I stand here today representing the voices of our community.

2:10

I have 66 white households that have signed our petition in opposition to this rezoning, along with 230 digital signatures and at least six property owners within 200 feet of the site.

2:22

That's 897 families, neighbors, and community members standing together in opposition.

2:30

We are not alone.

2:31

The neighborhood associations of Via Coronado, Hot Wells, Mission Reach, Representative Lujan, and the Southside ISD Board of Trustees have also voiced their opposition to this cemetery.

2:42

Each of us have our own reasons for saying no, but together we are reunited in one message.

2:48

We respectfully ask you to deny the proposed cemetery.

2:51

Thank you.

2:56

Van Gi Aguilera.

3:00

Apologies if you're are you Andrew Nichols?

3:03

Okay, go ahead.

3:04

And then you'll be uh Van Giagguilera, you'll be sure we'll be next.

3:07

Um I will uh reserve most of my comments for the next meeting.

3:11

Um I will say though that um this uh cemetery rezoning request is really a disservice to our community.

3:20

Um city council members have probably never ever received a request from your constituents to put a cemetery in their district.

3:31

Cemeteries do not pay taxes under Texas Property Code 1117.

3:35

So our tax base is shrinking by rezoning land and classifying it as a cemetery, and so that burden of taxes is now being shift to the neighboring property owners.

3:47

This is nothing more than a redistribution of wealth from a an applicant who's publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, who will never pay taxes, but they'll be happy to sell plots of land to our community and take advantage of them, and they'll never get back.

4:02

No sales tax, no proper property taxes are ever paid on a cemetery.

4:07

And these people in this community in district three deserve better than this.

4:11

This community is finally starting to get the development that they need and that they deserve, and that hope and that progress is what these people deserve.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning and Land Use█████████████████████████████████████████████82%
Procedural████8%
Alcohol Regulation████7%
Community Engagement██3%
Summary of Proceedings

San Antonio Zoning and Land Use Session - September 18, 2025

The City of San Antonio Zoning and Land Use Session convened on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 2:48 PM. Mayor Jones presided with quorum present. The meeting addressed several zoning and land use items, including continuations, consent agenda approvals, and individual item decisions.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 19, 20, and 22 were approved unanimously by a single motion and second, following public comments. Item 12 (battery storage on Marbach Road) and items 1 and 2 (alcohol variances near schools) drew public opposition but no council discussion before approval.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Cemetery rezoning (Items 3, 10, 14, 15 continued to Oct. 2): Several speakers opposed the proposed cemetery in District 3. Mary Ann Smith stated she had 66 white households, 230 digital signatures, and at least 6 property owners within 200 feet in opposition, totaling 897 families. She also cited opposition from neighborhood associations and the Southside ISD Board of Trustees. Andrew Nichols argued cemeteries pay no property or sales taxes under Texas Property Code 1117, shifting the tax burden to neighbors, and called it a disservice to a community needing development. Maite Goudino opposed due to lack of tax revenue and proximity to her children's school, collecting additional signatures. Teresa Cantu said there are already 250 cemeteries in Bexar County and 20 in District 3, and the community needs a library and recreation center instead. Julian Cruz, a real estate agent, noted he had majority of neighbors within 200 feet opposed, and the Southside ISD Board voted against the cemetery; he urged the council to vote no immediately rather than continue.
  • Consent agenda items: Jack Finger spoke on several items. He opposed battery storage (Item 12) across from single-family residences on Marbach Road, citing potential chemical contamination and lack of buffer. He also opposed alcohol variances (Items 1 and 2) within 300 feet of Carroll Bell Education Center on Pleasanton Road and Great Hearts Northern Oaks School on Bulverde Road, respectively.
  • Item 16 (alcohol sales change on Historic Old Highway 90): Jack Finger spoke against the change because it would allow alcohol sales in a previously established non-alcoholic corridor.

Discussion Items

  • Items to continue: Items 3, 10, 14, and 15 (all related to a cemetery rezoning) were continued to October 2, 2025, after public testimony. Item 23 was continued to October 16, 2025, with no public speakers. Council members made motions without further discussion.
  • Consent agenda: No council discussion occurred; the public comments were heard before the vote.
  • Item 11 (8802 Troy Drive, oversized vehicle storage): Staff and Zoning Commission recommended denial. Councilmember Viagran (District 3) noted the case was previously continued to allow dialogue, but no dialogue occurred, and she made a motion to deny.
  • Item 16 (318 Historic Old Highway 90, change to allow alcohol sales): Staff recommended denial; Zoning Commission recommended approval. Councilmember Castillo (District 5) stated the Los Hardenes Neighborhood Association was in support and praised the applicant's presentation, then made a motion to approve.
  • Items 17 and 18 (117 Raymond Street, plan amendment and rezoning): Staff, Planning Commission, and Zoning Commission recommended approval. However, 21.51% of notified property owners returned opposition, requiring a supermajority vote. Councilmember Castillo noted the attendance was insufficient for supermajority and motioned to continue to October 2, 2025.

Key Outcomes

  • Items continued: Items 3, 10, 14, 15 continued to October 2, 2025; Item 23 continued to October 16, 2025. Motions carried unanimously.
  • Consent agenda approved: Items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 19, 20, 22 passed on a single vote.
  • Item 11 denied: Motion to deny (which is a yes vote for denial) passed.
  • Item 16 approved: Motion to approve passed.
  • Items 17 and 18 continued to October 2, 2025, due to insufficient votes for a supermajority.
  • Item 21 was withdrawn before the meeting.
  • The meeting adjourned at 3:21 PM.

Meeting Transcript

The time is now 2 48 p.m. on Thursday, September 18th, 2025, and the City of San Antonio zoning and land use session is called to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Councilmember Corr. Councilmember Castillo Anguiano. President. Councilmember Viegeran. Councilmember Mungia. President. Councilmember Castillo. Councilmember Galvan. Here. Councilmember Alerete Gavito. Councilmember Mesa Gonzalez. President. Councilmember Spears. Councilmember White. Mayor Jones. Here we have quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. For the record, item 21 has been withdrawn and will not be considered today. Items to continue to October 2nd. Um are items 3, 10, 14, and 15. Is there a motion to continue the items? I make a motion to continue. Madam Clerk, is anyone signed up to speak on these items? Looks like we have several. Um I will call your names. However, if you'd like to uh given these items will be continued. If you'd like to preserve your comments until that time, no need to come up at this point. First one I've got is Mary Ann Smith. The next person is Andrew Nichols. Uh you'll each have three minutes to speak, but again, these items are being moved to October 2nd. Go ahead, ma'am. I just have a statement I'd like to read. Okay. Sorry, I get a little anxious. So good afternoon, Mayor and Council members. My name is Mary Ann Smith, and I live on Jansen Road in the Mission Novago neighborhood. Um I stand here today representing the voices of our community. I have 66 white households that have signed our petition in opposition to this rezoning, along with 230 digital signatures and at least six property owners within 200 feet of the site. That's 897 families, neighbors, and community members standing together in opposition. We are not alone. The neighborhood associations of Via Coronado, Hot Wells, Mission Reach, Representative Lujan, and the Southside ISD Board of Trustees have also voiced their opposition to this cemetery. Each of us have our own reasons for saying no, but together we are reunited in one message. We respectfully ask you to deny the proposed cemetery. Thank you. Van Gi Aguilera. Apologies if you're are you Andrew Nichols? Okay, go ahead.

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