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Schertz council orders enforcement of paved‑parking rules; businesses given 12 months to comply
Summary
After a staff presentation on illegal expansions using unpaved parking and storage areas, Schertz council directed enforcement of the city’s Unified Development Code for paved parking and storage and gave staff authority to require compliance within 12 months while offering technical assistance to affected businesses.
Schertz City Council on June 3 directed staff to enforce the city’s Unified Development Code requirement that driveways, off‑street parking and outdoor storage areas be paved concrete or asphalt, and set a 12‑month compliance expectation for businesses with existing violations.
Planner Daisy Marquez opened the workshop by showing photographs of active code cases in which businesses had expanded parking or storage onto gravel or bare ground without permits. She cited UDC Section 21‑10‑2, which requires drive aisles and required parking spaces to be paved, and noted potential secondary impacts including dust, stormwater quality concerns under the city’s MS4 permit and damage to public streets and storm drains.
"Staff is seeking direction on how city council would like to proceed with the enforcement of unimproved surfaces and if there's a desire to change the current UDC regulations for parking and storage areas," Marquez told council. Members discussed aesthetic standards, costs to businesses, grandfathering and enforcement mechanics.
City Manager Steve Williams told council staff would work with affected property owners but recommended a compliance timeline. "If I'm hearing correctly, the consensus of the council, we do have an ordinance in place. It's been in place for some time. We will work within that ordinance… we will require compliance within 12 months," Williams said.
Council members emphasized assistance and phased implementation for businesses that make good‑faith efforts, while also saying repeat or noncompliant violators would face enforcement action, including prosecution. The city prosecutor (unnamed in the record) said the office prefers an education‑first approach but will pursue legal remedies where necessary. Public works staff provided a cost context for paving, noting asphalt pricing typically runs about $120 per ton and base material is often measured and priced by cubic yard.
Staff said they will prepare outreach materials, document each case (mail, in‑person contact, certified notices where appropriate), and return updates to council on enforcement progress.
