DEPARTMENT: Development Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Roderick Sanchez
COUNCIL DISTRICT IMPACTED: Council District 3 & 5
SUMMARY:
On October 19, the World Heritage Office provided City Council an update on the World Heritage work plan that included proposed land use amendments developed through community input. A critical component of the work plan has been to update existing land use plans and zoning designations within the World Heritage Buffer Zone. The proposed resolution would authorize City Staff to take appropriate steps to bring forward to the Planning Commission and to City Council for final action the proposed amendments and then initiate the rezoning process in order to bring forward recommendations to Zoning Commission and to City Council an ordinance aligning the amended land use designations and zoning districts for certain properties located within the boundaries of World Heritage Buffer Zone.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Under the leadership of Councilmember Rebecca Viagran and with community input, a work plan for the World Heritage Buffer Area that includes tasks and deliverables to address infrastructure, wayfinding, transportation, economic development, beautification, marketing and outreach and land use has been developed. A critical component of the World Heritage work plan has been to update the existing land use plans through community input in order to develop a unified vision for the future of the world heritage buffer area. Beginning in February 2016, the City has hosted a land use symposium, a one day and a 30 day open house, and two community meetings where the general themes and goals were developed with community input to address the need for infrastructure improvement, business development, increased open space, and sensitive development around the San Antonio Missions. As a result of the public input process, City staff is currently proposing recommendations for land use amendments to the following community, neighborhood and sector plans: Lone Star Community Plan, South Central San Antonio Community Plan, Stinson Airport Vicinity Land Use Plan, and Heritage South Sector Plan.
Following the plan amendments, City staff will initiate the rezoning process in early 2017 for the properties impacted within the proposed land use amendments. Additionally, staff will identify other opportunities for rezoning along commercial corridors, properties adjacent to the river, as well as within the Mission Protection Overlay Districts (MPOD) surrounding each of the four southern missions and within the World Heritage Buffer Zone.
ISSUE:
As part of the World Heritage Work Plan, City staff seeks to update existing land use plans and identify other opportunities to change land use plans and zoning within the World Heritage Buffer Zone to support the vision of improved infrastructure, business development, increased open space, and sensitive development around the San Antonio Missions.
ALTERNATIVES:
Denial of this resolution would result in no change to the existing land use plans or zoning districts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This is equivalent to a large area rezoning request which includes community meetings and staff analysis and recommendation. If this was processed as a Plan Amendment and Zoning Case to the general public, the fees would total $23,000. The large area rezoning processes will be facilitated and provided by the Development Services Department - Zoning Division.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the Resolution as this direction will provide an opportunity to apply appropriate land use and zoning to the subject properties.