Boerne planning commission backs broad UDC amendments — rainwater capture, dark‑sky rules and data‑center limits among changes

On Sept. 14 the Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend a broad set of Unified Development Code (UDC) amendments to City Council after a lengthy staff workshop and commission discussion. The amendments reach across chapters — from procedural changes to the platting process to use definitions and environmental design rules — and include several notable policy shifts.

Key policy proposals the commission supported include: requiring rainwater harvesting for nonresidential developments sized to supply at least 50% of on‑site landscape irrigation demand (with exemptions for small buildings and limited remodels); integrating HVAC condensate capture into irrigation systems for nonresidential buildings and seeking up to 80% on‑site reuse for larger facilities; modernizing dark‑sky lighting standards by adopting the International Dark Sky model lighting approach (foot‑candle limits, pole‑height limits, curfews and color‑temperature limits); and requiring data centers to come forward on a Special Use Permit in I‑2/I‑3 districts with an added 1,000‑foot recommended buffer from residential zones and required noise and water‑use reports as part of the SUP.

Commissioners debated the specifics — several asked staff to explore nonresidential incentives for rainwater/capture systems and to make the data‑center buffer more protective (the commission agreed to recommend 1,000 feet). Dark‑sky staff explained technical measures such as a 0.5 foot‑candle allowance into public right of way for commercial sites and a 0.3 foot‑candle limit for residential areas, a 20‑foot maximum pole height for interior lots and tighter lighting‑curfew provisions. After capturing commission revisions in a feedback spreadsheet, the commission voted to forward the amended UDC text to City Council for final action.