Staff and Zoning Commission (7-0) recommend approval.

The Master Planned Community zoning district is encouraged when properties consist of large acreages and are intended for mixed land uses within a comprehensive development.  This district is a special district that promotes compatibility within mixed use developments, allowing a more efficient arrangement of land uses, structures and inner-connectivity, characteristics that may be difficult to achieve when adjacent lands are zoned and developed independent of each other.

The project site, known as Steubing Ranch and consisting of about 389 acres, was annexed in December 1997 and zoned "R-A" Residence Agricultural District in January 1998 (Ord. 87259.)  A small portion of the subject property was rezoned to "QD CC ERZD" Quarry Edwards Recharge Zone District with City Council approval for Blasting in November 1998 (Ord. 88788.)  Upon adoption of the 2001 Unified Development Code, the existing zoning districts converted to "NP-10 ERZD" Neighborhood Preservation Edwards Recharge Zone District and "QD S ERZD" Quarry Edwards Recharge Zone District with a Specific Use Authorization for Blasting.  The “MLOD-1” Camp Bullis Military Lighting Overlay District was applied to the subject property on April 2, 2009.  Most of this acreage is undeveloped with the exception of family residences and a family cemetery.

Property to the north is zoned multiple residential districts, including R-5, R-6, MF-33, and PUD R-6.  Property to the south of the subject property is zoned NP-10 and property immediately to the west is zoned R-6.  Property to the east is zoned “QD S” Quarry District with a Specific Use Authorization for Blasting.  All properties in the surrounding area are within the Edwards Recharge Zone and the Camp Bullis Military Lighting Overlay District-1.

There is a significant amount of single family residential development to the north, west and south of the subject property.  Ronald Reagan High School is located southwest of the subject property and has primary access to East Sonterra Boulevard and secondary access at the existing terminus of Huebner Road.  Stone Oak Park is located northeast of the subject property along West Elm Creek.  The property directly to the east is an active quarry, with access to Highway 281 South.  Huebner Road, a Secondary Arterial Type A, provides direct access to Stone Oak Parkway, while Hardy Oak, also a Secondary Arterial Type A, provides connectivity to Loop 1604.  The streets within the proposed development may be either public or private.

The applicant has submitted the required MPCD site plan with the zoning application.  As the site plan is a component of the MPCD zoning district, the City Council must also consider and take action on the site plan.  Language that reflects a mandatory adherence to the site plan must be contained in the zoning ordinance.  The minimum requirements of a site plan are that proposed land uses, including single and multi-family residential uses, office uses and commercial uses must be identified on the plan by location, type, density and size.  Should an applicant request an amendment to an approved MPCD site plan, they may do so administratively if the amendment is a minor one.  Should the amendment be a major one, the criteria being listed in Section 35-345(e)(2) of the Unified Development Code, the proposed amendment must be returned to the Zoning Commission and City Council for recommendation and approval.

The MPCD allows uses permitted in all residential, office and commercial zoning districts as illustrated in the site plan.  The proposed development is to consist of about 152.22 acres of office and commercial uses, with 59.53 acres of single-family residential uses.  Approximately 155.63 acres of the subject property will be designated as open space.  The amount of open space is determined, by percentage, based on the acreage of residential and non-residential land uses.  Most of the non-residential uses will be located along the frontages and at the intersection of the proposed extensions of Hardy Oak Boulevard and Huebner Road.  The majority of the single-family residential uses will be oriented along the west side of the proposed extension of Hardy Oak Boulevard, north of the proposed Huebner Road extension.  The remaining single-family residential uses are located at the southwest quadrant of the subject property and may continue to be used by Steubing Ranch as the family residence.

There are currently no major thoroughfares or streets running through the property.  The developer of the Steubing Ranch property will be required to build thoroughfares in accordance with the City of San Antonio Major Thoroughfare Plan.  If allowed to build according to the site plan, Hardy Oak would extend to the northern property line of the subject property and would end in a turn around.  Hardy Oak would not connect to Knight’s Cross unless the paper street between the Steubing Ranch property line and Knight’s Cross is built out by the City of San Antonio.  If allowed to build according to the site plan, Huebner Road would extend to the southeast property line of the subject property and would end in a turn around.  Huebner Road would not connect to Highway 281 North until the existing quarry ceases operations and is developed in accordance with the major thoroughfare plan.  Until connectivity to Knight’s Cross and Highway 281 North are achieved, commercial traffic will bleed into abutting residential neighborhoods to gain access to Stone Oak Parkway or Loop1604.

Staff believes that an MPCD zoning designation is appropriate for the subject property and that the site plan as submitted depicts a suitable mix of uses for the neighborhood.  A successful MPCD site plan should allocate an appropriate balance of commercial and residential uses within the site plan.  Although the property is surrounded by multiple established single-family neighborhoods and Ronald Reagan High School, the submitted MPCD site plan does indicate areas proposed for mixed uses, which are encouraged within an MPCD to promote compatibility between uses and inner-connectivity.  The proposed site plan indicates that a high concentration of commercial uses will be located west of the proposed extension of Hardy Oak and south of the proposed extension of Huebner Road.  Commercial uses are most appropriate along the frontage of highways or at the intersections of major thoroughfares; consequently allowing land uses that rely on a high traffic count and major visibility in order to remain viable.  Staff believes that the site plan provides for appropriate transitions between the existing residential neighborhoods and more intense commercial uses.

The subject property is located within the Camp Bullis Awareness Zone/ Military Influence Area.  On May 15, 2009, in accordance with the signed Memorandum of Understanding between Fort Sam Houston and the City of San Antonio, Staff provided the Military with a copy of the rezoning request for review and comment.  The Military’s concerns on this proposed development’s compatibility with the Camp Bullis installation would be addressed if:

1.  The developer provide appropriate documentation of recent endangered species surveys (not older than three years) conducted by a professional biological consultant using IAW USFWS protocols showing no endangered species occupy the subject property.

2.  The developer sends the surveys described in #1 above to US Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services Office in Austin.

3.  The developer commits to comply with dark sky lighting requirements in the City's Military Light Overlay District regardless of whether they are grandfathered.

SAWS Summary

1.  SAWS recommends approval of the proposed land use.

2.  SAWS currently identifies the subject property as a Category 2 property.

3.  SAWS does not have an impervious cover recommendation for the subject property, however, they recommend a maximum impervious cover of 43.2% for the entire site - 651 acres as described in the approved Steubing Ranch Master Development Plan.