Council approves conditional rezoning for funeral home and cemetery amid heavy neighborhood opposition

The San Antonio City Council approved a conditional rezoning to allow a funeral home, cemetery and mausoleum on land near FM 1937 after public comment from dozens of residents opposing the project.

Opponents told the council the proposal would reduce the city's tax base because cemeteries are tax-exempt, lower nearby property values, increase traffic and pose environmental risks; the applicant and its representatives said the development would include community benefits such as donated acreage and scholarship funds.

Residents from the Mission del Lago area and other south San Antonio neighborhoods packed public comment, telling the council they opposed siting another cemetery in the area. "Nuestra oposición es basada en 3 preocupaciones," said Meryem Smith, summarizing tax, saturation and environmental worries. Several speakers said existing nearby cemeteries and funeral homes already provide capacity for the foreseeable future and that cemetery property would not generate property tax…