San Antonio City Council Meeting – February 5, 2026

The San Antonio City Council convened on February 5, 2026 at 9:02 AM and adjourned at 2:37 PM. The meeting included proclamations, approval of the consent agenda, and extensive public comment and council deliberation on two related items concerning a proposed Municipal Utility District (MUD) for the Guajalote Ranch development. Both items were voted down. A subsequent item was postponed.

Proclamations

• Official Rodeo Season (Feb 12 – Mar 1, 2026): The council proclaimed February 12 – March 1 as official rodeo season, with February 12 as Western Day. The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, with over 7,000 volunteers, has committed over $279 million to youth since inception and generated a $330 million economic impact in 2025. Representatives highlighted the event's volunteerism, scholarship programs, and regional significance.
• Black History Month (February 2026): The council recognized February as Black History Month with the theme "A Century of Black History Commemorations," marking 100 years since Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week. Councilmember McKee Rodriguez led remarks emphasizing the need to include Black history in daily life and acknowledged ongoing work toward equity. Several councilmembers noted local Black history sites and the importance of continued support.

Consent Calendar

• Items 7 through 15 were approved as a group. Highlights included:
  • Item 7: Construction contract for Babcock Road widening and safety improvements (2022 bond project in District 8).
  • Item 9: Grant for truancy prevention in youth, providing four caseworkers and a supervisor.
  • Item 12: Appointment of Logan Martinez to the Higher Education Student Advisory Board.
• Councilmember McKee Rodriguez also addressed public speaker Jack Finger, condemning his hateful remarks against appointee Eric Alva (a Marine veteran and LGBTQ+ advocate appointed to the Ethics Review Board) and affirming support for the appointment.

Public Comments & Testimony (Items 4 & 5)

Over two dozen residents, scientists, and elected officials spoke in opposition to the creation of Bear County MUD No. 2 and the associated development agreement for the Guajalote Ranch project (1,160 acres, 3,000 single-family homes, $150 million infrastructure). Key positions:

• Water quality & karst environment: Multiple speakers, including hydrogeologists Dr. Stuart Birnbaum, Dr. Ronald Green, and Gary Schindel, testified that the proposed on-site wastewater treatment plant would discharge effluent into the highly fractured karst limestone of the Holotus Creek watershed, threatening the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. They cited a 2020 Southwest Research Institute study concluding that any wastewater discharge would significantly degrade water quality, and noted that peer-reviewed dye tracer studies show direct hydrologic connection between the aquifers. Private well owners from adjacent properties described seeing water rapidly infiltrate karst rock and feared contamination.
• Legal & regulatory issues: Representative Mark DeRazio (HD 122) stated that no one in his district wants the MUD and that the project would raise county property taxes for roads, emergency services, etc. The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and Conservation Society argued that the developer's track record (a $175,000 penalty for Clean Water Act violations at a prior subdivision) indicates non-compliance risk. The wastewater permit is under judicial appeal in Travis County for 10 alleged errors.
• Developer's position: The developer (Lenar Homes) has not signed the proposed development agreement and indicated they would not do so. Staff noted that without the development agreement, the city would lose additional protections such as SAWS review of construction plans, right to inspect the plant, road access standards, a bond debt cap, voluntary annexation provisions, and a third-party conservation easement.

Discussion Items (Items 4 & 5)

• Item 4: Resolution consenting to creation of Bear County MUD No. 2 by TCEQ.
• Item 5: Ordinance approving a development agreement between the city and the landowners.
• Council deliberation: Councilmembers discussed the water quality risks, the lack of developer cooperation, and the MUD's financial structure (unelected board, permanent tax burden on future homeowners, potential debt obligation if annexed). Many expressed that the science is clear and the risk to drinking water for 2.5 million people is unacceptable. The mayor noted that regardless of the vote, 17 water quality protections (from SAWS and a settlement agreement) remain, but 6 development protections (including annexation terms and SAWS oversight of the plant) would be lost without the agreement.
• Votes: Both items were voted on separately. The motion to approve Item 4 failed. The motion to approve Item 5 also failed. Councilmembers Aldrete Gavito, Mesa Gonzalez, Spears, Castillo, Mungia, White, McKee Rodriguez, Corr, Galvan, and Via Gran all indicated they would vote no or did so based on their statements. No councilmember spoke in favor of the items.

Postponed Item

• Item 6: A resolution providing bars an extension to February 1, 2027 to comply with retrofit requirements for automatic fire sprinkler systems. The item was postponed to February 12, 2026 by a motion that carried.

Key Outcomes

• Denied: The council denied consent to the creation of Bear County MUD No. 2 (Item 4) and rejected the development agreement for Guajalote Ranch (Item 5). No final vote tally was recorded, but the motions to approve both items failed, indicating a majority opposed.
• Postponed: Item 6 was postponed to the February 12, 2026 meeting.
• Executive Sessions: The council met in executive session (not open to the public) to discuss economic development, real property, litigation, and collective bargaining. No official action was taken in executive session.