San Antonio HDRC approves several certificates, denies conceptual plan for 626 Nolland Street

The Historic and Design Review Commission on May 7, 2025, approved meeting minutes and a series of certificates of appropriateness and design stipulations, and voted to deny a conceptual application for 626 Nolland Street that proposed subdividing the lot into multiple residential addresses.

The commission, chaired by Jay Maurice Gibbs and with Jeffrey Fézer serving as vice chair, approved the April 16, 2025, minutes and a consent agenda covering multiple routine cases. Commissioners also approved a sign application for 110 S. Saint Mary’s, design approvals for additions and window modifications at 412 North Olive Street (including a 660-square-foot rear addition), and separate accessory dwelling unit (ADU) proposals including 319 Mission Street. After lengthy public comment and commissioner deliberation, the commission voted to deny the conceptual submission for 626 Nolland Street, citing insufficient site and zoning information and concerns about density and pattern compatibility in the historic district.

Why it matters: HDRC decisions set design requirements and conditions that affect rehabilitation, new construction and demolition within San Antonio’s historic districts. Approvals grant applicants certificates of appropriateness subject to staff stipulations; denials at the conceptual stage can require applicants to substantially revise projects before returning to zoning or the commission.

Most significant votes and outcomes

- Approval of the April 16, 2025 minutes: Commission vote recorded in the meeting (roll call in the transcript), motion passed.

- Consent agenda: The commission removed items 2, 4, 9 and 12 for separate consideration and approved the remaining consent items (cases listed in the staff packet). The chair read the list of addresses on the approved consent agenda and the commission’s motion passed by roll call.

- 110 S. Saint Mary’s (sign): Applicant Brandon Sunner, identified in the record as manager of operations for the applicant, presented a proposal for exterior signage. Sunner agreed to scale the logo and lettering to match adjacent sign proportions. The commission approved the sign with the staff stipulation that the logo/text proportions be consistent with other nearby signs; roll-call vote recorded as unanimous among members present.

- 508 & 500 bis Booker Ali (applicant Félix Siga): Félix Siga, the project architect, answered commissioner questions about site plans, setbacks (noted in the record as 5 feet), garage doors and material selections. Commissioners pressed the applicant on roof color, window proportions and compatibility with adjacent two-story examples. After discussion the commission moved to accept staff recommendations with stipulations; the motion passed with a roll-call vote in which a minority of commissioners recorded no votes but the motion carried.

- 319 Mission Street (applicant Nathan Manfred): The applicant discussed ADU height and massing relative to adjacent properties; staff recommended approval with conditions. Commissioners noted the broader policy context of increasing ADU applications and compared the proposal to surrounding lot patterns. The commission approved the staff recommendations by roll call.

- Fire station property (agenda item 12): Commission discussed the city-owned fire station and staff explained the demolition approvals previously processed; the commission voted to approve the staff recommendations for the city-owned project.

- 412 North Olive Street (applicants David and Dalia Pérez): Staff recommended approval of window modifications and a 660-square-foot rear addition with multiple stipulations (retain existing window sizes, install wood sash windows, use appropriate exterior doors and siding exposure similar to the historic profile). The applicants confirmed agreement with the stipulations. Commissioners voted to approve the project; the motion passed by roll call.

- 626 Nolland Street (applicant Adam Ochoa): The applicant requested conceptual approval for a multi-unit plan that the staff packet described as five new two-story residential structures at the rear of the existing parcel and a parcel reconfiguration into multiple addresses. Multiple public commenters, including representatives of neighborhood groups, urged denial. Commissioners and staff raised repeated concerns that the submission lacked critical information (detailed lot subdivision/planimetry, exact lot coverages, final number of addresses, and a clear zoning pathway) and that conceptual approval would be premature and could create a precedent inconsistent with the existing historic pattern. After extended discussion the commission voted on a motion to deny the application (a motion to deny prevailed in the roll-call vote).

What the approvals mean and next steps

Approved items will be issued as certificates of appropriateness or approval with staff-stipulated conditions; the chair said certificates are emailed to applicants within 10 days and that no work may begin without required municipal permits. Applicants who received conceptual approval or conditional approval may still need additional approvals from zoning or other city departments before building permits are issued. The denial of the 626 Nolland Street concept requires the applicant to revise the submission (including site plan/lotting and zoning strategy) before returning to the commission.

Meeting context and notable discussion points

Chair Jay Maurice Gibbs opened the meeting and reminded attendees that the commission’s guidance is based on the City Unified Development Code and the city’s adopted design guidelines; decisions may be appealed under the Unified Development Code. Commissioners spent notable time on design compatibility (roof color, window proportions, siding exposure) and on process questions about whether conceptual approvals should be given absent complete lot‑subdivision and zoning information. Several neighborhood organizations (identified in the record) spoke during public comment on multiple items, urging stricter adherence to district guidelines.

The commission adjourned after completing the published agenda.