San Antonio historic board denies berm terracing, approves several landscape changes and orders paint removal

SAN ANTONIO — The Historic Compliance Technical Advisory Board on Monday considered multiple applications for certificates of appropriateness across the city’s historic districts and took actions on four contested properties, including a denial for terracing that would remove a historic front-yard berm in Monte Vista and an order to remove paint from a contributing brick house in Monticello Park.

The board denied an application to terrace the front-yard berm at 112 West Hollywood in Monte Vista after neighbors and the Monte Vista Historical Association objected, and after staff and the applicant debated whether the proposed low-profile steel edging and terracing would preserve the historic sloped character. The applicant, Victoria Gough of Lush Greenscape Design, told the board the design preserves the natural slope and uses 10-inch steel edging in repeated courses that will be softened by plantings. Ryan Reed, speaking for the Monte Vista Historical Association’s Architectural Review Committee, said the berm is a character-defining feature and opposes removing it. After a roll-call vote the motion to deny the application carried, with the chair voting no and the remainder voting to deny.

Why it matters: Berms and historic topography were central to the debate, with opponents citing the City of San Antonio historic design guidelines (site elements, topography) that discourage altering character-defining slopes. Supporters of the applicant’s design cited erosion control and stormwater management needs.

Other votes at the meeting included:

- 219 West Ellesmere (case 2025-140219): Approved with staff stipulations. The Monte…