Could SA learn something from. . . Boerne??
Panel votes down Boerne historic district expansion
By Linda Byrne - Staff Writer/Northwest Weekly
A proposal to expand Boerne's historic district faces a high hurdle following a vote against the idea by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday.
The vote means a supermajority of four out of five City Council members would have to approve the idea when the matter comes before it in the next month, rather than a simple majority of three votes.
At issue is whether to expand the historic district along Main Street to include a mostly residential area just east of the current district and north of Cibolo Creek.
There were five votes to support a motion by commissioner Larry Woods, seconded by Israel Pena, to decline to recommend the expansion.
The vote came after a public hearing in which more than a dozen speakers pleaded with the panel to deny the expansion, with only one homeowner speaking for the proposal.
“This is a momentous occasion for galvanizing some disgruntled and disenfranchised property owners,” said Skip Schumpes, who owns property in the 300 block of River Road. “The lack of rules and lack of consequences for this action has all of us very concerned.”
“The current apparent mode of national government is to assume that the government is brighter and smarter and more capable than all of its collective citizens. … I would hold that many of us cherish our rights as individuals to make those decisions. … This is not Fredericksburg; this is not New Braunfels (and) …these aren't limestone buildings that are going to withstand the passage of centuries.
“Many of the newer structures in this district are a lot better than what was there. …The history of Boerne is not fully written. Don't encumber the current owners with such handcuffs that they cannot improve what we have inherited.”
Expansion district resident Rebecca Jones noted she was in a minority on the issue, but told the commissioners she was concerned about future land uses.
“I live across the street from the house that's being removed by the Methodist Church,” Jones said. “Once these homes are taken, they're gone forever and it does change the look of the neighborhood. … My fear in all this is what comes next. If there's no controls within the neighborhood, what's going to be there in one year, five years, 10 years?”
Prior to the public hearing, acting chairman Doug Hartzler announced that three commissioners, Paula Hayward, Lad Mingus and Scott Billingsley, would leave the dais under provisions of Boerne's new ethics ordinance that prevents public officials from discussing or voting on matters where they have a conflict of interest as defined by the ordinance. Hayward and Mingus own property in the subject area, while Billingsley said he serves on a board of an organization affected by the decision.
That left only Hartzler, Pena, Woods and commissioners Robin Stauber and Kevin Thompson to cast votes on the issue that has been on Boerne's front burner since last summer, when the City Council first approved a demolition moratorium in the area and commissioned an inventory and study by the UTSA School of Architecture.
Pena said that, while he supports the concept of historic preservation, he had concerns about the process that has been unfolding.
“I don't agree with what has been done thus far. … I do believe there are structures and properties in this district that are worthy of being designated and worthy of protecting, but I also note there are others that aren't worthy of protection,” Pena said before the vote.
The proposal now goes to Boerne City Council, which will schedule its own public hearing prior to voting on the expansion
Prev
Linear Mode
