DEPARTMENT: Planning Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Bridgett White, AICP
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Districts 1, 2, 3, and 5
SUBJECT:
The Downtown Area Regional Center Plan
SUMMARY:
Consideration of a resolution recommending the Downtown Area Regional Center Plan to City Council to become a component of the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan is one of three growth-related plans addressing how the City of San Antonio’s expected population growth will be balanced with social, economic, and environmental resources. The Comprehensive Plan provides strategic direction for decision making and public investment to prepare our communities for anticipated growth at the citywide level. The major “building blocks” of the Comprehensive Plan include:
• Regional Centers
• Urban Centers
• Corridors
• Neighborhoods
The Downtown Area Regional Center Plan aims to create a realistic and implementable strategy to address projected growth in the Downtown Area Regional Center, one of the thirteen (13) Regional Centers identified in the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan. Downtown is the historic and cultural center of the city and home to the world renowned Riverwalk. It is the center of San Antonio’s traditional economy, anchored by our multi-billion-dollar tourism, education, and healthcare industries. The urban core is revitalizing and experiencing a growth renaissance, supported by the “Decade of Downtown” movement. The City Center is evolving into a vibrant mixed-use area with a range of employment, services and housing, all centered around great historical and cultural destinations. The main topics covered by the Plan include Land Use, Mobility, Amenities and Infrastructure, Focus Areas, Catalytic Projects, Economic Development, Housing, and Neighborhood Priorities.
As success of the Sub-Area Plan depends on broad participation from area stakeholders, Planning Department staff worked with a wide range of community members throughout the planning process. These included neighborhood associations, business and property owners, residents, employers, educational and cultural institutions, public and nonprofit organizations, and other City departments.
ISSUE:
A Public Draft of the Plan was released to the public for comment on June 14, 2019 and public input was gathered through August 12, 2019. Comments received were considered for incorporation in the Administrative Draft for the adoption process, which is currently available online: <https://downtown.sacompplan.com/>.
On October 14, 2019, the Planning Department presented the Downtown Area Regional Center Plan to the Planning and Community Development Committee of City Council where the committee voted unanimously to forward the plan to the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission received a briefing on October 9, 2019. The item is tentatively scheduled to be considered by City Council on December 5, 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of a resolution recommending the Downtown Area Regional Center Plan, with all staff recommended revisions, to City Council to become a component of the City’s Comprehensive Master Plan.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Recommend Denial of the proposed resolution recommending the Downtown Area Regional Center Plan to City Council.
2. Make an alternate recommendation.
3. Continue to a future date.