Commission recommends UDC amendment to align protest-vote language with charter change

The Schertz Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0 on March 5 to recommend City Council approve PLUDC20250035, an amendment to Part 3 of the Schertz Code of Ordinances (Unified Development Code) that revises how protest votes are counted following a charter amendment that reduced required zone-change hearings from two to one.

Senior Planner Samuel Haas explained that the amendment updates UDC section 21.5.4(e)(4) and related language so the protest vote calculation refers to “the Friday before consideration” rather than “the Friday before each reading.” Haas said the change is a direct result of a charter amendment voters approved on Nov. 5, 2024, which eliminated the second public hearing for zone changes.

Haas told commissioners staff evaluated the draft amendment against the UDC criteria and found it consistent with the code’s goals and the city charter. He said the edits remove obsolete references to a second reading and clarify the timing language on the protest form and associated procedures. No members of the public spoke for or against the amendment at the hearing.

Commission discussion was brief; commissioners characterized the amendment as largely technical and aimed at aligning the UDC with the charter change. Commissioner Walls moved to recommend approval of PLUDC20250035; Commissioner Carbone seconded. The clerk recorded six ayes, none opposed, and staff will forward the ordinance change to City Council for consideration.

The staff report and redlined ordinance language shown at the meeting remove the second-reading subsections and adjust the protest form wording to reference the single consideration date. The amendment is advisory until City Council adopts an ordinance to amend the Unified Development Code.