SAN ANTONIO – While the San Antonio Zoning Commission voted against a proposed buffer zone around the Toyota plant on the South Side, one thing was made clear: City Council will have the final say.
During a meeting on Tuesday, the zoning commission heard from residents and the city about the new zone, which would cover nearly 31 square miles and 2,843 individual properties, most currently zoned for residential use.
The proposed “Industrial Compatibility Overlay District” (ICOD) would be the first of its kind in the city. It would heavily restrict commercial and residential development around one of the city’s largest manufacturers.
While people could remain in their existing homes, the construction of new houses would generally not be allowed — with some specific exceptions.
Instead, the area within a mile of the Toyota plant would be used for industrial purposes, and the area between one and two miles out would be used for commercial or industrial development.
“The concern is we don’t think that residential is appropriate in a burgeoning industrial district. And so the point of the Industrial Compatibility Overlay District is to ensure that we don’t have those land use conflicts,” Assistant Planning Director Rudy Niño said in an interview with KSAT earlier this month.
However, the proposal has created a conflict of its own, drawing a frustrated crowd to the May 21 meeting of the zoning commission.
Two dozen speakers voiced concerns over how the change might affect their property values, how they could continue to use their land, and what they saw as the city performing a favor for a big company.
Zoning commissioners put off deciding on the new overlay district until Tuesday’s meeting.
City staff had recommended delaying the commission’s decision to October, but landowners wanted answers tonight.
While the commissioners did not reach a unanimous vote, their action is merely a recommendation to the city council.
It is unclear when the council will take up the proposal.