Planning Commission approves community-commercial designation for 0.992-acre site near San Antonio International Airport

On Aug. 13, 2025, the San Antonio Planning Commission voted to approve staff’s alternate recommendation to designate a 0.992-acre property in the San Antonio International Airport vicinity as community commercial rather than the regional commercial land use requested by the applicant.

Staff told the commission the requested regional commercial designation would be out of character with nearby medium-density residential and community-commercial designations. Alexa Ratana, planner with Development Services, said the alternate community-commercial designation would allow commercial uses more in keeping with surrounding properties and would permit a rezoning to C-2 CD (commercial with a conditional district) to allow office-warehouse flex space with no outside storage.

Applicant Otaviramontes addressed the commission and said the proposal envisions office space combined with warehouse space. He said the applicant requested C-3 (General Commercial) to provide flexibility for potential future uses, including contractor or automotive uses similar to others on Bulverde Road, and that he had letters of consent from neighboring property owners.

Commission discussion centered on scale and compatibility. Commissioner Prophet said regional-center or regional-commercial intensity was too large for the site and voiced support for the staff alternate. Commissioner Orian asked whether a neighboring church owned adjacent parcels; staff said the larger parcel nearby is church-owned but the medium-density residential area adjacent to the site is owned by a different party who had previously attempted rezoning. Commissioner Garcia confirmed the Aviation Department had been sent the application and that any comments received would be included in the staff report.

Commissioner Prophet moved to approve the alternate recommendation of community commercial; Commissioner Sanchez seconded. The commission approved the motion on a roll-call vote with eight votes in favor and one opposed (Commissioner Bustamante voted no). The motion language recorded at the meeting was: “Motion to approve the alternate recommendation of community commercial.”

The decision sets the Comprehensive Plan/land-use designation to community commercial for the subject parcel and enables the applicant to pursue a C-2 CD rezoning with the conditional use limitations described by staff. No development application or conditional-district ordinance was adopted at the meeting; the action was a land-use designation recommendation by the Planning Commission.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve staff’s alternate recommendation of community commercial — Mover: Commissioner Prophet; Second: Commissioner Sanchez; Outcome: approved; Tally: Yes — Prophet, Sanchez, Garcia, Lopez, Lehi, Orian, Siegel, Chair Peck; No — Bustamante. (As recorded on the Aug. 13 roll call.)

The Planning Commission record shows 16 mailed notices for the case, two responses in favor and none opposed within 200 feet, and no registered neighborhood association responses within 200 feet, according to staff. The property is within the airport hazard overlay district and measures 0.992 acres.

Next steps: The Planning Commission’s action was a recommendation consistent with the local process for plan amendments and zoning. Any subsequent rezoning application (C-2 CD or otherwise) would be processed separately and would include the conditional-district ordinance and associated public notice and hearings.