New Braunfels City Council on Monday postponed consideration of a proposed rezoning for roughly 35 acres at the intersection of Hunter Road and FM 1102 after a lengthy public hearing and widespread neighborhood opposition.

The council opened the public hearing on a request to rezone the site from R1A-6.6 and M1A (light industrial with airport hazard overlay) to R3L-AH with a Type 1 special use permit to allow multiple detached single-family dwelling units to be sold individually. City planner Matt Green said staff and the applicant proposed development standards including landscaping, reduced setbacks and limits on height and density; the applicant’s representative said the product would be detached “for sale” homes, not traditional multifamily.

The rezoning matter drew more than a dozen speakers from the adjacent Greenfield neighborhood and other nearby residents, who cited traffic safety at the Hunter/306 intersection, reduced lot sizes, potential impacts to property values, and water-pressure and utility capacity concerns. Several residents said they favor single-family development consistent with existing R-1 zoning rather than the denser product proposed.

Shannon Mattingly of the Drenner Group, representing the applicant, told council the proposal was intended to create smaller, attainable single-family homes maintained by an HOA and that it would include design standards such as a 30-foot maximum height, a maximum of 6 units per acre, masonry screening on Hunter Road, gated access with emergency-only openings, and sidewalks. “That is not what the proposal is before you tonight,” Mattingly said when addressing confusion about apartments; she added the project would be a for-sale product, not for rent.

Council members and staff noted utilities and traffic remain outstanding issues. Matt Green said staff had mailed 27 public notices within 200 feet and had received responses representing roughly 9 percent opposition; the applicant confirmed guarantees such as an LOC for utilities had been submitted to New Braunfels Utilities (MBU/NBU) for review. Councilmember questions focused on whether additional outreach with the HOA might reduce opposition and whether the proposed base zoning and overlay approach was the correct regulatory vehicle.

Councilmember Lee Edwards moved to postpone consideration to the council’s first meeting in July (July 14); Mayor Pro Tem Spradley seconded. After a roll-call-style vote, the motion carried and the item was postponed to the July meeting so staff, the developer and the HOA could continue discussions and the developer could provide additional information requested by council.

The public hearing will be reopened at the later meeting; no final zoning change or permit was approved Monday.

What happens next: staff and the applicant indicated they will continue technical work (traffic impact analysis, utility availability letters and drainage studies) and conduct additional outreach to the Greenfield HOA. The zoning change cannot be implemented until any required utility approvals and engineering reviews are complete.

Speakers quoted above are from the public hearing and council discussion; the council did not adopt the rezoning ordinance Monday and took no final action on development approvals other than postponement.