DEPARTMENT: Planning and Community Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John M. Dugan, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 8
SUBJECT:
First Public Hearing for the Annexation of the IH-10 West Area for Limited Purposes
SUMMARY:
This is the first public hearing regarding the proposed Limited Purpose Annexation of the IH-10 West Area, consisting of 14.94 square miles (9,560 acres), generally located north of NW Loop 1604, extending to areas on the east and west sides of IH 10 West, and south of the Kendall County line. No action is required of the Council at this public hearing.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On December 4, 2014, the City of San Antonio approved a two year plan to initiate limited purpose annexation and prepare a regulatory plan for five annexation priority areas in 2015 and 2016, which are contiguous to the city limits and within the San Antonio Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and Bexar County. Five priority areas were identified based on the evaluation criteria established by the City’s annexation policy adopted in 2013. The areas encompass 66.47 square miles and have a population of approximately 117,517.
The I-10 West Area consists of approximately 9,560 acres (14.94 square miles) in Bexar County located along IH-10 West adjacent to Camp Bullis from the San Antonio City limits to Boerne’s extraterritorial jurisdiction line and is located within the City’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). The IH-10 West study area primarily consists of single family uses, with some multi-family, commercial, and agricultural uses. The boundary for the study area is based on the fire travel response time in order to ensure that public safety services would be equivalent to the areas within the corporate boundaries of San Antonio and would not reduce by a negligible amount the level of fire and police protection and emergency medical services provided within the corporate boundaries of the municipality before annexation.
The proposed annexation would protect the quality of development through the extension of zoning and city codes, include emerging residential developments and commercial centers, expand the city’s economic vitality as a regional center by providing certainty and predictability, preserve the U.S. military missions through land use controls, facilitate long range planning in environmentally sensitive areas and growth centers, and enhance the City’s overall regional economic position in bringing new jobs, population, and investment to the region.
The City of San Antonio Department of Planning and Community Development held three public limited purpose annexation meetings in March, April, and May 2015. An additional open house meeting was held in the IH-10 West/Camp Bullis area in August 2015. City departments and agencies representing the San Antonio Fire Department, Code Enforcement, Building Permits, Platting, and Zoning along with San Antonio Water System were present to answer questions from the public. At the IH-10 West Open House, exhibits and brochures included Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), the proposed zoning, land use plans, examples of uses permitted in zoning districts, and the limited purpose annexation timeline were made available. City staff provided the materials in both English and Spanish.
The Department of Planning and Community Development coordinated with the Information Technology Services Department to create an interactive mapping system which displays information at the parcel level. The interactive mapping system displays the limited purpose annexation area, proposed zoning, proposed future land use, and proposed overlay districts. Individuals can search by property address or property owner name. The website has been available to the public since August 1, 2015 and is located on the Department of Planning and Community Development webpage. The Department’s webpage also provides individuals access to the IH-10 West Planning Study and Regulatory Plan, an expanded Frequently Asked Questions section, static maps, public hearing dates, and contact information.
ISSUE:
Limited Purpose Annexation allows the City to extend regulatory authority for the limited purposes of applying its planning, zoning, health, and safety ordinances without the provisions of full City services. The City may not assess property taxes in the area until the property is annexed for full purposes, usually within three years. Limited purpose annexation will help ensure quality development in the area and will protect property values by ensuring that all development meets consistently high standards. The three-year limited purpose annexation period will give the City additional time to plan for the orderly extension of full municipal services to the area. It will provide a framework for capital improvements project planning for the area. By the end of the third year of limited purpose annexation, the City Council may annex the area for full purposes.
A requirement of Texas Local Government Code Sec. 43-123, the City is publishing a Planning Study and Regulatory Plan for the proposed annexation areas. The planning study contains projected levels of development in the next ten years with and without annexation, issues and the public benefits of annexation, economic and environmental impact of annexation and proposed zoning for the area. The regulatory plan outlines development regulations and states that the areas will be fully annexed within three years as required by the limited purpose state statutes. On September 19, 2015 the IH-10 West Planning Study and Regulatory Plan was posted for public viewing on the Department of Planning and Community Development web page.
State law requires that a municipality follow certain provisions which includes public hearings; notification in the newspaper; two public hearings held by the governing body; and adoption of the annexation ordinance and regulatory plan. Below is the schedule for the IH-10 West proposed limited purpose annexation.
Sept. 2015: 10th - Publish first mandated notice for limited purpose annexation
17th - Publish second mandated notice for limited purpose
annexation
18th - Zoning Commission hearing and consideration
19th - Release Planning Study and Regulatory Plan to the public
30th - First City Council Public Hearing (citizens to be heard)
Oct. 2015: 2nd - Planning Commission hearing and consideration
7th - Second City Council Public Hearing (citizens to be heard)
29th - City Council Consideration of:
§ Limited Purpose Annexation
§ Zoning Changes
§ Land Use Plan amendments
§ Planning Studies and Regulatory Plan
Nov. 2015: 27th - Effective date of the IH-10 West Limited Purpose Annexation
ALTERNATIVES:
There is no alternative associated with this public hearing.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Upon full purpose annexation, the projected twenty year net positive operating impact for the IH-10 West Annexation Area is $68.2 million.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a public hearing and no action is required at this time.