DEPARTMENT: World Heritage Office
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Colleen Swain
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: District 3
SUBJECT:
City of San Antonio to close, vacate, abandon, and transfer ownership to the National Park Service the former road alignments and City-owned property at Mission San José, and the City to accept property within the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park from the National Park Service.
SUMMARY:
Consideration of a resolution authorizing the City to: (1) close, vacate, abandon, and transfer ownership of the former road alignments of Napier Avenue, Mission Road, Woodhull Drive, and Trawalter Drive for a total of 2.1676 acres (94,409 square feet) and six tracts of adjacent City-owned property located near Mission San José for a total of 10.6852 acres (465,447.3 square feet) to the National Park Service; and (2) to accept 0.1008 acres of property within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park from the National Park Service to construct a turn lane on Napier Avenue.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On April 21, 1994, City Council passed Ordinance No. 80055 authorizing the closing, vacating, abandoning, and quitclaiming of improved Napier Avenue, Mission Road, and Woodhull Drive, as requested by the U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service, in exchange for the relocation of Napier Avenue and Mission Road for the construction of a new San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Visitor Center located at 6735 San José Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78214. The former Napier Avenue, Mission Road, and Woodhull Drive sections closed accounted for a total of 1.5235 acres (66,349.8 square feet). Additionally, the National Park Service has operated and maintained the former road alignment of Trawalter Drive (0.6441 acres or 28,059.2 square feet), north of Mission San José.
Since the construction of the Visitor Center, the National Park Service has operated the center for over 20 years on the site of the former road alignments and other City-owned property south of Mission San José. These former road alignments were never fully conveyed to the National Park Service.
In the summer of 2016, after the creation of the World Heritage Office, the National Park Service requested from the City of San Antonio to reclose, vacate, abandon, and transfer the aformentioned former road alignments, in addition to two other tracts of City-owned property on the site of the Visitor Center and four tracts of City-owned property adjacent to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The two small tracts of land where the Visitor Center currently sits on are bordered by Napier Avenue and San José Drive to the south and southeast and account for a combined 0.4539 acres (19,772.5 square feet). Two of the other four tracts of City-owned property adjacent to the Visitor Center are bordered by Napier Avenue to the north and northeast for a combined 0.8683 acres (37,825.2 square feet) to be used as parks/open space. The remaining two tracts of City-owned property are bordered by San Jose Drive to the west and Napier Avenue to the south, and Mission Road to the west and Napier Avenue to the north for a combined 9.363 acres (407,849.6 square feet). These two tracts of land are utilized as parks/open space and maintained by the National Park Service for visitors to the park to enjoy. The total acreage of City-owned land requested by the National Park Service is 10.6852 acres or 465,447.3 square feet.
The total area of the proposed former road alignments and City-owned property requested to be transferred to the National Park Service is 12.8528 acres or 559,856.3 square feet. According to the National Park Service, these tracts of land are part of their long range master plan necessary to enhance the visitor experience for all guests and San Antonio residents.
In spring 2017, the residents from the community around Mission San José requested that the City work with the National Park Service to obtain property to construct a right turn lane on Napier Avenue to head north on Roosevelt Avenue. With the anticipated increase in tourists and visitors to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and the street closure of a portion of San José Drive, the turn lane will improve traffic flow exiting the park. The City will accept 0.1008 acres of property from the National Park Service, pending the completion and clearance of an environmental assessment of the property, and construct the turning lane on Napier Avenue.
ISSUE:
A resolution authorizing the City to: (1) close, vacate, abandon, and transfer ownership of the former road alignments and City-owned property at Mission San José to the National Park Service; and (2) accept 0.1008 acres of property within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park from the National Park Service to construct a turn lane on Napier Avenue. The transfer represents a total of 12.8528 acres or 559,856.3 square feet of City-owned property and aligns with the City’s approved future land use of parks/open space as recorded in the South Central San Antonio Community Plan Update.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Planning Commission may elect not to support a resolution for the closure, vacation, abandonment, and transfer of the former road alignments and City property and acceptance of National Park Service property. If there is no support for a resolution, this action is counter to community support and previous local ordinance authorizing support for the closing, vacating, abandoning, and quitclaiming of Napier Avenue, Mission Road, and Woodhull Drive for the construction of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Visitor Center.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends a resolution to support the closure, vacation, abandonment, and transfer of ownership of the former road alignments of Napier Avenue, Mission Road, Woodhull Drive, and Trawalter Drive for a total of 2.1676 acres (94,409 square feet) and six tracts of adjacent City-owned property located near Mission San José for a total of 10.6852 acres (465,447.3 square feet) to the National Park Service; and the City of San Antonio to accept 0.1008 acres of property within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park from the National Park Service to construct a turn lane on Napier Avenue.