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COUNCIL HAS RECONVENED FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN. OUR A SESSION IS NOW ADJOURNED AT 2:06 P.M. ON JUNE 6, 2024. WE'LL CALL OUR ZONING SESSION TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL.
>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WELCOME EVERYONE. WE HAVE ONE ITEM THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED TO JUNE 20TH TODAY. THAT IS ITEM 12. WE ALSO HAVE THREE ITEMS THAT WILL BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY, ITEMS 6, 13 AND 17.
ALL THE REMAINING ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA WILL BE HEARD ON CONSENT UNLESS I HEAR RECOGNIZE FROM MY COLLEAGUES AT THIS POINT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS TO BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY? OKAY. IF NOT, THEN I WILL -- LET'S MOVE OUR ITEM THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED TO JUNE 1ST.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM 12. SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR CONTINUING ITEM 12 TO JUNE 20TH SO IT WILL NOT BE HEARD TODAY.
WE HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 12, JACK FINGER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER. ITEM 12 IS ABOUT ESTABLISHING PRETTY MUCH A USED CAR LOT. YES, MS. ROCHA GARCIA, IT'S YOUR DISTRICT ON HAYDEN DRIVE. I'M JUST WONDERING, I MEAN, MS. ROCHA GARCIA, HAVE YOU EVER CHECKED TO FIND OUT HOW MANY OTHER USED CAR LOTS THERE ARE WITHIN JUST HALF MILE TO A MILE RADIUS THERE? LIKE WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER ONE THERE, YOU KNOW. WHY NOT, HEY, JUST FOR THE FUTURE, JUST TELL THE USED CAR LOT PROPOSERS, HEY, WE'RE TRYING TO CUT DOWN ON THIS STUFF, YOU KNOW.
YES, WE KNOW EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BUY A USED CAR AT TIMES, BUT DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM PRACTICALLY ON EVERY CORNER? LOOK AT SAN~PEDRO AT TIMES. WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA, YOU SEE. THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 12? HEARING NONE, THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL -- EXCUSE ME, FOR CONTINUING ITEM 12 TO JUNE 20TH. PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN?
>> VIAGRAN: AYE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO?
>> CASTILLO: AYE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MOTION CARRIES.
OKAY. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS THAT WILL BE TAKEN ON CONSENT. ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 67, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16 AND 18. I'LL ENTERTAIN A POSITION FOR THOSE.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 18. EXCEPT FOR ITEMS 12 AND 17, WHICH WILL BE TAKEN SEPARATELY. WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. JACK FINGER ON ITEMS 1 THROUGH 3, 11 AND 16.
>> YES, HERE WE GO AGAIN. MAYOR NIRENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER, AND I'M GOING TO SKIP AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
I SIGNED UP ON QUITE A FEW OF THEM HERE. ONE I THINK YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IS THIS, OH, 5, 10 YEARS AGO WE HAD A BIG CONTROVERSY IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT WAS CALLED THE LIGHT RAIL PROPOSAL. YES, LIGHT RAIL.
AND PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT A LITTLE CHOO-CHOO TRAIN STOPPING TRAFFIC AND EVEN STARTED A PETITION DRIVE. THE FIREFIGHTERS GOT INVOLVED WITH IT AND IT JUST --T
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FLOWED INTO THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICES. AND EVENTUALLY THE CITY COUNCIL SAID MAYBE WE MADE A BIG MISTAKE, WE'LL KIND OF PULL THAT ONE OFF.I DON'T THINK IT CAME TO A BIG VOTE, BUT THERE WAS A BIG CONTROVERSY.
WHAT IS, MS. ROCHA GARCIA, WHAT IS ITEM NUMBER -- LET'S SEE, YEAH, JUST TRY TO GET MY NUMBERS RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW. I THINK IT'S NUMBER -- QUITE A FEW OF THEM, GET REALLY MIXED UP HERE. NUMBER 11.
YEAH, NUMBER 11 IS, OH, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, AND COMMERCIAL, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, TO TOD, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS. OVER ON OLD PEARSALL ROAD. WHAT DOES TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STAND FOR? YEAH, IT'S IN THE AREA PROPOSED ZONING TOD, ENCOURAGES A MIX OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH IDENTIFIED LIGHT RAIL STATIONS, ET CETERA.
MS. ROCHA GARCIA, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE KNOWN AS THE YOUNG LADY WHO STARTED UP ANOTHER BIG HORN NET'S NEST WITH LIGHT RAIL? THAT'S WHAT THE WRITING TELLS US. DO ANY OF YOU VOTING ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA ITEM ON ITEM NUMBER 11 REALLY WANT ANOTHER LIGHT RAIL TO BE PLACED ON YOUR RESUMÉ THERE? PLEASE, WHY DON'T YOU JUST MAYBE AT THE VERY LEAST CONTINUE THIS DARN THING SO YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT A LITTLE MORE. LIGHT RAIL? OKAY. WHAT ELSE DO WE HAVE HERE? ITEM NUMBER 1 IS AN ALCOHOL VARIANCE AND IT'S OVER IN MS. KAUR, YOUR DISTRICT THERE.
AND IT'S OVER AT -- WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE PLACED? A CLOSE RIGHT CLOSE TO SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE. WITHIN 300 FEET OF IT. NOW, YOU WANT ALCOHOL SALES, MORE ALCOHOL SALES OFFERED RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. FINGER. ALL RIGHT.
ON ITEMS -- ACTUALLY I THINK THAT'S EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT ARE ON CONSENT. I MISS SPOKE, ITEM 13 WILL BE HEARD INDIVIDUALLY SO I'LL CALL FOLKS ON THAT IN A MOMENT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ALL ITEMS ON OFTEN SENT, 1 THROUGH 18 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 6, 13 AND 17 AS WELL AS NUMBER 12 WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN CONTINUED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN?
>> VIAGRAN: AYE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: AYE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO TO ITEM 6. >> CLERK: 28 NOTICES MAILED, ZERO IN FAVOR, 11 OPPOSED. THIS WILL REQUIRE NINE VOTES AS THE OPPOSITION EXCEEDS 20%. DENVER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION IS IN SUPPORT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS. WE'LL START WITH JOE REES.
MR. REES, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SHERRY REES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS JOE REES. MY WIFE SHERRY AND I OWN PROPERTY LOCATED AT 906HOFKIN AND 204 VIRGINIA AVENUE, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY WANTING TO -- REQUESTING THE REZONING. WE LEASE THE PROPERTY TO REES BROS BARBECUE WHICH IS A BARBECUE RESTAURANT AND FULL-SERVICE BAR AND MUSIC VENUE. THIS PROPERTY PROPOSING REZONING AT 206 VIRGINIA BACKS IMMEDIATELY UP TO THE RESTAURANT AND THE BAR AREA. IN MY OPINION, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING TOO THE PURPOSE OF THE REZONING IS TO FACILITATE A FOSTER CARE FACILITY WHICH WOULD -- AGAIN, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING , WOULD BE HOUSING CHILDREN WHO ARE LIVING IN THIS FACILITY ON THEIR OWN FOR THE FIRST
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TIME. IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A REALLY GOOD ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS. SECONDLY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS WAS TO TAKE PLACE WHERE THE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE MADE AWARE OF THIS BY THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS BY THE PERSON PROPOSING THE CHANGE TO DISCUSS WHAT WAS -- WHAT WAS TO BE HAPPENING, TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. I DID RECEIVE A CALL AFTER 7:00 P.M. LAST NIGHT, WHICH I DIDN'T TAKE BECAUSE IT WAS AFTER HOURS, BUT IT WAS FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OWNER TO DISCUSS IT, BUT I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS A LITTLE LATE TO BE BRINGING THIS UP. ANOTHER THING, FROM MY BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF ZONING CHANGES, TYPICALLY THERE'S A CHANGE IN THE AREA THAT CAUSES -- OR CHANGE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE CHANGE OF THE ZONING. AND WE'VE OWNED THAT PROPERTY FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS AND HAVEN'T NOTICED ANYTHING THAT HAS CHANGED THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT.AS SOMEONE JUST MENTIONED, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT CATCHING WHO, DENVER HEIGHTS WAS IN SUPPORT OF THIS CHANGE. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ISN'T IN DENVER HEIGHTS AND DON'T HAVE ANY REPRESENTATION FROM THERE. I REALIZE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD -- I DON'T BELIEVE HAS REPRESENTATION FROM ANYONE, BUT DENVER HEIGHTS CERTAINLY IS NOT IN THE TIME WE'VE OWNED THE PROPERTY HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY THEM OR, YOU KNOW, FOR ANYTHING. AND THEN FINALLY, PARKING IN THIS AREA, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN THERE, IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY DURING ALAMODOME EVENTS. THERE IS ONLY PARKING ALLOWED ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET. THERE ARE THREE HOMES WITH RESIDENTS AND THEN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, AND DURING THIS TIME -- THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THESE PEOPLE TO
PARK. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. REES.
>> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SHERRY REES, FOLLOWED BY GEORGE
CORTEZ. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT MY HUSBAND JUST SAID AS FAR AS OPPOSING THE ZONING CHANGE. I'D LIKE TO JUST ALSO NOTE THAT THERE WAS A PETITION THAT WENT AROUND THROUGH THE TWO OR THREE BLOCKS WITHIN THE LOCATION OF THE HOME FOR THE ZONING CHANGE WITH 50-PLUS SIGNATURES THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO SAMANTHA BENAVIDES. AGAIN, ALL OPPOSING THIS ZONING CHANGE. ALSO, THE OWNER OF 208 VIRGINIA RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THIS PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE, MARIA MARTINEZ, SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY, BUT SHE DID SUBMIT A LETTER TO SAMANTHA AS WELL DATED MAY 15 INDICATING SHE AND HER FAMILY HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WITH THE REZONING CHANGE.
SO JUST WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT WAS ALSO SUBMITTED IN ADDITION TO THE SIGNATURES.
THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MS. REES.
GEORGE CORTEZ. MR. CORTEZ, YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, YOUR HONOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M ALSO A PROPERTY OWNER RIGHT IN THE VICINITY RIGHT NEAR WHERE THE PROPOSED CHANGING OF THE ZONING IS TO TAKE PLACE. WE'VE BEEN IN THE AREA FOR MANY YEARS. IN FACT, ONE OF OUR BUSINESSES THERE, ONE OF OUR HOMES THAT WE HAVE THERE WE USE IT AS AN AIRBNB. AND WE'VE FOLLOWED ALL THE RESTRICTIONS AND THE CODES AND THE RULES AND LAW THAT THE CITY HAS PROPOSED SINCE DAY ONE FOR THIS AIRBNB. WITH THIS CHANGE AND THE PROPOSED USAGE, I JUST HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE UNANSWERED AS TO WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO WITH THIS PROPERTY. AND AS MR. REES STATED, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY ARE RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY AND WE'RE RIGHT NEXT DOOR AS WELL.
SO IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT MY OPPOSITION IS BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED. AND I THINK THERE'S SO MANY OTHER USES THAT THIS COULD BE USED FOR IN A BETTER SITUATION THAN WHAT'S PROPOSED.
SO I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT Y'ALL CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS AND -- AS WE
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MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU.>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. CORTEZ. JACK FINGER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL.
ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK FINGER AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RED FLOGS ON THIS ONE. THE BLACK-UP DOCUMENTS ORIGINALLY SAID OUT OF 2800 NOTICES IN THE 200-FOOT RADIUS, THESE FIVE CAME BACK SAYING WE DON'T WANT THIS.
THAT'S ABOUT 17%. IF YOU DO ANYTHING OVER 5 OR 10%, THAT'S QUITE AN OPPOSITION. I THINK I HEARD THE NUMBER, OPPOSED TO THIS NOW, THE FIGURES? THAT'S NEARLY HALF, HALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT SURROUNDING THAT AREA SAY DO NOT WANTED IT. NOW, WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE NOT WANT THIS PROPOSAL? WELL, BASICALLY BECAUSE IT'S ASSISTED LIVING.
WELL, THAT ALWAYS RAISES SOME EYEBROWS WHEN THEY HEAR THOSE WORDS.
I BELIEVE, MR. RODRIGUEZ, THIS IS IN YOUR DISTRICT. BUT ESPECIALLY THE AGENTS ARE FOR 18 TO 23, AGES 18 TO 23. AND THAT'S -- WELL, THOSE ARE THE AGES WHERE -- THAT ARE RIPE FOR CRIME. PEOPLE WHO -- PERSONS WHO CAUSE A LOT OF CRIME IN THE AREA. NOW, ADMITTEDLY THIS AREA WHERE IT'S BEING PROPOSED IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME INDUSTRIAL AREAS LIKE COMMERCIAL ZONE, AND THE QUESTION MIGHT BECOME, 8:, HOW MUCH HARM CAN THEY DO TO COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES VERSUS RESIDENTIAL.
WELL, ASK THE JUVENILE DIVISION OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THEY CAN TELL YOU WHAT THEY CAN DO. MAYBE THAT'S WHY SOME OF THE PEOPLE SAID NO, WE -- PLEASE PLACE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, NOT RIGHT HERE WHERE WE ARE VULNERABLE TO THESE THINGS. ANYWAY, I THINK MR. MCKEE RODRIGUEZ MAY WANT TO LISTEN
TO SOME OF SHOWS CONCERNS. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND IT'S VERY -- I SAY THIS, I WANT TO CONVEY THAT IT FEELS ALMOST LIKE WE'RE THIS THE TWILIGHT ZONE AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY. WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT YOUNG ADULTS AGING OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM FACE AN INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE. AND WE HAD SOME WONDERFUL ORGANIZATIONS HERE THIS MORNING TO HONOR THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING OUR FOSTER COMMUNITY. MANY OF US FORGET HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO MOVE INTO OUR FIRST APARTMENT OR HOME, START MANAGING OUR OWN FINANCES AND MEDICAL CARE AND GET A JOB. IMAGINE DOING THAT WITHOUT THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND THAT FEELING AND REALITY OF BEING ALONE CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO NEGATIVE OUTCOMES WE DON'T WANT TO SEE LIKE HOMELESSNESS.
YOU'LL NOTE ONE IN FIVE FOSTER YOUTH WILL EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR EMANCIPATION SO THIS IS A PREVENT ACTIVE MEASURE WE CAN TAKE.
I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME.
I WAS EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND I'M BAFFLED AND FRANKLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE OPPOSITION THAT REESE BARBECUE HAS ORGANIZED. AND I WONDER, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE COMING BEFORE US TODAY WITH A ZONING CHANGE, WOULD YOUR BUSINESS BE APPROVED. WE WOULD HAVE THIS OUTPOURING OF RAGE, THERE'S A LIVE MUSIC VENUE WITH A BAR AND RESTAURANT, THINK WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD. WHAT WOULD THEY SAY ABOUT YOUR AIRBNB? THEY SAY IT'S DIMINISHING THE QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, REMOVING THE CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY, CHANGING THE TYPE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND STRIPPING US OF THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PERMANENT RESIDENTS THERE. I'VE HEARD THIS FEAR FOR SAFETY AND CRIME AND I'D NOTE FOSTER KIDS ARE NO MORE DANGEROUS TO OTHERS THAN TYPICAL SYSTEMS NOT IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND I WOULD URGE EVERYONE NOT TO CONFUSE HAVING A HISTORY OF DRAMA TO HAVING A PROPENSITY FOR VIOLENCE OR CRIME. ALL OF THAT SAID, I MOVE TO
APPROVE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 6. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
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COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ. >> PELÁEZ: KIDS WHO ARE IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM ARE THERE, ACCORDING TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT 6, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
TODAY WE HEARD SOME PRETTY POWERFUL COMMENTS ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF THESE KIDS.
AND THEN TO COME IN A FEW HOURS LATER AND HEAR THEY ARE UNDESIRABLES, YOU KNOW, NEAR OTHER BUSINESSES, TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT WORD, BUT IT'S GROSS.
AND SO I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I'VE SAID IT AGAIN AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN TODAY, IF EVER THERE'S A PROJECT LIKE THIS IN DISTRICT 8, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL VOTE TO SUPPORT A PROJECT LIKE THE ONE THAT WE'RE SEEING PROPOSED TO US TODAY IN DISTRICT 2. AND THIS ONE GETS MY
ENTHUSIASTIC YES. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ.
HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER 6. PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN?
>> VIAGRAN: AYE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: AYE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM NUMBER 13. >> >> CLERK: CASE]. 25 NOTICES MAILED, ZERO IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE TWO RESIDENTS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 13.
DEVON RESENDEZ. YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JACK FINGER.
>> HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JUST HERE TO DISCUSS THE PLANS THAT WE HAD HAVE AREN'T REALLY PLANS. WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR MR. AND MRS. FLD FOUR DWELLINGS ON THE PROPERTY. THEY WEREN'T PROPERLY ZONED AT THE TIME. SHE USED IT FOR MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING WHICH IS COMMON IN THIS PART OF THE CITY. WHEN WE WENT BEFORE THE ZONING COMMISSION, WE WEREN'T AWARE THAT WAS THE SITUATION.
WE SHOWED UP UNPREPARED. WE REARTICULATED WHAT WAS THERE, TOOK TO THE ZONING COMMISSIONER TO SEE THESE HOMES ARE NOT ONLY THERE, THERE'S FAMILIES LIVING THERE, OCCUPYING THEM AND THERE'S ADEQUATE PARKING FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT ALTHOUGH NONE OF THESE PEOPLE DRIVE CARS. THIS LADY IS 67, HUSBAND ALMOST 70, AND THE COST OF TEARING THOSE HOMES DOWN THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING WOULD JUST BURDEN THESE FOLKS AND THIS ADDITIONAL DWELLING WOULD ALLOW THEM TO
STAY IN THIS HOME. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, MR. RESENDEZ. JACK FINGER. MAYOR NIRENBERG, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS SAN ANTONIO CITY COUNCIL. ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS JACK M. FINGER AND, MS. ROCHA GARCIA, HERE WE GO AGAIN. YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER JUICY ONE HERE. THIS ONE HAS A NUMBER OF RED FLAGS COMPARED TO OTHER THE OTHERS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. THE STAFF THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD IDEA.
THE ZONING COMMISSION THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD IDEA. AND WHAT ARE THEY THINKING IS A BAD IDEA? WELL, IT'S THE IDEA OF BASICALLY SHOE-HORNING ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT RESIDENCES -- NOT SO LITTLE, RIGHT INTO ONE LITTLE PLACE OVER ON -- AND WHERE IS IT? ON PEABODY AVENUE. YEAH.
ZONING STAFF'S COMMENTS, WERE, QUOTE, THE DENSITY IS OUT OF CHARACTER.
OUT OF CHARACTER WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA. NOW, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT -- THAT'S JUST IT, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT BIG THING THAT IS SO -- DOESN'T LIKE ANYTHING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT, DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT.
AND YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AMONG ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAY --
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AND WHICH IS ZONING STAFF SAYS IS COMPLETELY OUT OF CHARACTER.THE ZONING COMMISSION I'M SURE SAID THE SAME THING. WHY NOT SAY JUST FOR ONCE
REJECT THIS WHOLE BAD IDEA? THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK
YOU, MR. FINGER. COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. ON ITEM 13, I WILL BE MAKING A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
THE ADDITIONS WERE BUILT MANY YEARS AGO AND THEY WERE --L MAINTAINED AND IN VERY INTEREST SHAPE. MY STAFF TOURED THE PROPERTY WITH THE OWNER AND SPOKE WITH FAMILIES LIVING IN THE UNITS. WITH A NEED FOR HOUSING I'M NOT WILLING TO LEAVE THEM WITHOUT A HOME. FOR THOSE REASONS I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE ON MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 13. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 13. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO? >> CASTILLO: AYE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MOTION CARRIES. ITEMS 17.
FAVOR, ONE OPPOSED? >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 17 SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER PELÁEZ.
>> PELÁEZ: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I PULLED THIS NOT BECAUSE I NEED A PRESENTATION. THANKS FOR INDULGING ME. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE APPLICANT, GOOD HOMES. I'M HANDING THE LETTER TO OUR CLERK TO BE PART OF THE RECORD. JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE PROPERTY HAD BEEN DEVELOPED IN 1997. CURRENTLY IT HOUSES SENIOR CITIZENS AND IT SERVES AS A MEMORY CARE FACILITY. HOWEVER, THAT OWNER CLOSED SHOP, PULLED UP STAKES AND LEFT. THE PROPERTY IS IN DIRE NEED OF UPGRADES AND ENHANCEMENTS. GOOD HOMES IN THIS LETTER MAKES THE COMMITMENT TO UTILIZE THE EXISTING BUILDING ENVELOPE TO NOT ADD HEIGHT TO THE BUILDING, NOT TO ADD FOOTPRINT TO THE BUILDING, BUT INSTEAD TO RENOVATE IT AND ADD SOME HIGH-CLASS AMENITIES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE LIVING THERE.
THEY WILL BE INVESTING IN THIS PROPERTY AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S THEIR INTENT TO HOLD ON TO IT LONG TERM TO SERVE OUR HOUSING NEEDS.
I MAKE IT PART OF THE RECORD JUST BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW, I MIGHT GET RUN OVER BY A BUS SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE AND I KNOW ALL OF YOU WHO CARE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE RECORD THAT GOOD HOMES MADE THIS COMMITMENT AND I APPRECIATE
THEIR EFFORT. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THERE'S A MOTION AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM 17.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO.
>> CASTILLO: AYE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: MOTION CARRIES.
ALL RIGHT. THAT'S THE BALANCE OF OUR AGENDA TODAY.
THE TIME IS 2:35 P.M. ON JUNE 6, 2024 AND OUR MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.
THANKS, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.