DEPARTMENT: Planning and Community Development
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Bridgett White, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
A resolution recommending the approval of the annexation of approximately 1,224 acres, the area being a variable width of up to 4,000 feet along US 281 North right-of-way, beginning approximately at the city limits of San Antonio south of Marshall Road and Northwind Boulevard in Bexar County and continuing north along US 281 North to approximately 1,830 feet south of Ancestral Trail in Comal County, within the City of San Antonio’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Texas Local Government Code.
SUMMARY:
A resolution recommending the approval of the annexation of approximately 1,224 acres, the area being a variable width of up to 4,000 feet along US 281 North right-of-way, beginning approximately at the city limits of San Antonio south of Marshall Road and Northwind Boulevard in Bexar County and continuing north along US 281 North to approximately 1,830 feet south of Ancestral Trail in Comal County.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On December 4, 2014 the City of San Antonio approved a two-year plan to initiate limited purpose annexation of five priority areas, Interstate Highway 10 West, US Highway 281 North, Interstate Highway 10 East in Phase 1, and US Highway 90/Loop 1604 and US Highway 151 in Phase 2. In October 2015, the proposed annexation was postponed to assess the annexation areas’ financial and growth assumptions and conformance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan’s annexation policies.
On June 15, 2016 at a City Council “B” Session, City staff presented an alternate scenario for the U.S. Highway 281 area. The commercial corridor along U.S. Highway 281 North is proposed for full purpose annexation and is exempted from a three-year Municipal Annexation Plan because it contains less than 100 separate tracts of land where one or more residential dwellings are located. This annexation would be effective on December 31, 2016. The balance of the area including the majority of the residential properties will be brought forward in a three-year Municipal Annexation Plan in order to develop a non-annexation agreement postponing annexation until 2034.
The U.S. Highway 281 North Corridor consists of 1,224 acres within San Antonio’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) in Bexar and Comal Counties and extends a variable width of up to 4,000 feet along the US 281 corridor. The corridor’s primary existing land use is commercial, vacant and agricultural use. It contains 221 parcels, of which only 18 are single family residential. Approximately 66% of the U.S. Highway 281 North Corridor is within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone.
A Service Plan prepared for the U.S. Highway 281 North Corridor annexation area will describe the full services provided by the municipality after the area has been annexed for full purposes. The service plan will be made available to the public on November 2, before the first City Council public hearing and will be displayed at different locations in the annexation area. In addition, the service plan along with maps, public hearing dates and contact information will be available on the Department of Planning and Community Development’s webpage. An interactive mapping system on the Department’s webpage will display the annexation area, proposed zoning, proposed future land use, and proposed overlay districts at a parcel level. The interactive mapping system can be searched by property address, the property owner name, or parcel identification number.
ISSUE:
The proposed annexation would protect the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and 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. It is consistent with SA Tomorrow policies:
GCF Goal 3: Strategic annexation benefits existing and future city residents and does not burden the City fiscally.
M Goal 1: Incompatible land uses in the vicinity of Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) locations are minimized in order to safeguard operational mission requirements.
Additionally, the annexation is consistent with the City’s Annexation Policy:
• Protects the City’s ability to expand city limits
• Extends regulations before development occurs
• Ensure areas benefitting from proximity to the city are contributing revenue
• Annex areas where unregulated development could have an adverse impact on military mission/operations or an adverse environmental impact
State law requires that the municipality follow annexation provisions, which includes the publication of the public hearing notification, two public hearings by the governing body and the adoption of the annexation ordinance. Additionally, the City Charter requires consideration by the Planning Commission, and the publishing of the annexation ordinance 30 days prior to the final adoption. Below is a schedule for the annexation area.
|
2016 Dates |
Required Actions |
|
September 8 |
− City Council’s Direction to Prepare Service Plan |
|
September 29 |
− Provide written notice (30 days before public hearing) |
|
October 12 |
− Planning Commission’s Hearing and Consideration |
|
October 18 |
− Zoning Commission’s Consideration of zoning |
|
October 20 |
− Publish notice for Public Hearings (11 to 20 days before each public hearing) |
|
November 1 |
− Publish the Ordinance (30 days before approval of ordinance) |
|
November 2 |
− First City Council Public Hearing (40 to 21 days before Council Action) |
|
November 9 |
− Second City Council Public Hearing (40 to 21 days before the Council Action) |
|
December 1 |
− City Council’s Consideration and Action on Annexation Ordinance |
|
December 31 |
− Date Annexation Ordinance is Effective (complete within 90 days after City Council initiation of annexation - approval of the Annexation Ordinance). |
ALTERNATIVES:
A denial of the resolution would result in the recommendation of the subject properties remaining within the unincorporated area of Bexar and Comal Counties.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact analysis resulted in a 20 year net balance of $4.48 million in projected future dollars and $3.05 million in discounted cash flow for the US 281 North Corridor.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Resolution recommending the approval of the annexation of approximately 1,224 acres, the area being a variable width of up to 4,000 feet along US 281 North right-of-way, beginning approximately at the city limits of San Antonio south of Marshall Road and Northwind Boulevard in Bexar County and continuing north along US 281 North to approximately 1,830 feet south of Ancestral Trail in Comal County.