Request from Denver Heights’ resident, Alan Neff, asking for neighborhoods support against this zoning case that will be heard Tuesday, April 2ndat 1 p.m at One Stop.
Update: Case postponed
Addition based on letter sent by Cynthia Spielman (the next two paragraphs): Inner-city neighborhoods face extraordinary challenges as they become “hot” real estate and speculators and developers purchase property to build. We face issues of unaffordability and displacement, degradation of once resilient neighborhoods and the destruction of legacy homes some more than a hundred years old. And like any crises, the challenges we face has created opportunities for revelation and visioning. Inner city neighborhoods do not oppose growth and change, but they want change and growth that is compatible, affordable, sustainable, and honors the existing culture. It seems like this quality is what the City of San Antonio has promoted through it SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan.
I am asking that you think of this as developers, like this one, come with their requests. Developers don’t lie to us: their interest is strictly monetary. They exist to make money for themselves and their investors. There is nothing wrong with that. It is up to you to find that balance between a developer’s interest and the interests of the community in which they build. How much is enough? That is for the neighborhood residents and the developer to work out, but if they can’t, it is up to you to define what intensity of development creates good in a neighborhood and which helps to destroy its fabric. In this case it is clear that the proposed development is not compatible in its intensity. Maximizing profit is simply not reason enough to burden a neighborhood. The following are good reasons to deny the applicant’s request:
- The request to change zoning from RM-4 to IDZ-2 at the 422 S Hackberry St property is not compatible with the existing neighborhood context.
- This development is proposing four dwellings that are three stories tall with roof terraces. The property is a generous size for what was originally intended for a four-plex to set on an historic inner city neighborhood.
- This developer is requesting a change to IDZ-2 zoning not because this is a difficult to develop infill lot, but because they want to maximize profit by building to the maximum potential lot area to the detriment of the surrounding community.
- The reduction of the 20- foot setback required by the RM-4 zoning to a 5-foot setback as allowed in the IDZ-2 zoning would allow a density and scale greater than anything around in the neighborhood.
- This combined with the requested parking reduction would add stress to an already stressed parking situation in the area.
- The garages are proposed at the ground level to face S Hackberry setting up a dangerous vehicular and pedestrian situation on this major thoroughfare.
- The proposed zoning change requested to support these $450,000 and up luxury homes is not supporting the master plans of the community nor is it supporting the community itself.
- Staff has recommended denial.
Please support Denver Heights by writing or speaking against this requested zoning change.
If you can’t attend the meeting you could write a letter/ email to the Zoning Commission.
Send to
Re: ZONING CASE # Z-2019-10700012
412 S Hackberry