Neighbors urge denial of rezoning along Blanco corridor, zoning board approves plan

At the Sept. 3 City of San Antonio zoning board meeting, multiple neighborhood residents urged the board to deny proposed rezonings along the Blanco corridor and nearby streets, citing increased density, traffic, noise and threats to the character of long-standing single-family blocks.

"Yo respetuosamente solicito que la comisión de planificación deniegue la el cambio de zonificación," said Janet Parra, a resident of the affected area, who asked that the proposal be considered individually rather than as part of a broader package. Parra said families have lived in the neighborhood for generations and that a shift to higher-density zoning would undermine the area's low-density character.

Other residents repeated those concerns. "Este vecindario en especial, el espacio entre las casas, queremos mantener la estética," said Sheper Maldonado, a real-estate agent and long-time resident, arguing the proposal contradicted the center-north plan and that residents had not been adequately consulted. Kendra Schwarz said the changes would allow multi-story, multi-family structures that would be inconsistent with the neighborhood's purpose as stable single-family housing.

Staff told the board they conducted outreach including walk-throughs, meetings and office hours and reported a mix of responses; staff also clarified zoning standards that constrain how dense development can be. After public comment and staff presentation, the board voted to approve items 1 and 2 as presented. The transcript shows staff moved, the motion was seconded and "La moción pasa." The record does not include a roll-call tally in the transcript.

The meeting record shows 306 notices were sent for the proposal, with 10 in favor and 24 in opposition within the 200-foot notice area, and additional returns from beyond 200 feet. Residents and association leaders said those numbers understate neighborhood concern and asked for more direct engagement.