Planning Commission approves rezoning and IDZ2 designation for Warehouse 5 at 1333 Buena Vista

SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Planning Commission on April 9 approved a plan amendment and rezoning package that will allow new infill uses at Warehouse 5, a mixed-use building at 1333 Buena Vista Street on the city’s West Side.

Staff presented item 16 as a request to amend the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan from community commercial to high density mixed use and to rezone the property to IDZ2 (medium intensity infill development zone) with conditional uses drawn from the C2 commercial district. Planner Samantha Benavides told the commission that staff mailed 19 notices, with zero in favor and one opposed within 200 feet.

The owner, Jennifer Nager, described Warehouse 5 as a rehabilitated sewing-factory building that now houses small entrepreneurs and creative businesses. Nager said the building supports a cluster of small tenants and that the proposed conditional uses — which include a boutique winery tasting room, tattoo artist studios and coffee roasting — are intended to sustain and diversify tenants. She told commissioners the site currently provides 16 parking spaces and that the city had indicated 11 spaces would be required; she said there was room to add additional spaces.

Leticia Sanchez, co-chair of the Historic Westside Residents Association, opposed the staff recommendation to use the older “high density mixed use” land-use category. “Choosing to approve a land use category that is obsolete today when a new Westside Community Plan will be adopted in less than a year is not good planning,” she told the commission. Sanchez asked commissioners to rely on land-use categories in the 2023 Unified Development Code and the forthcoming SA Tomorrow Westside Community Plan.

Staff and the applicant told the commission the Historic Westside plan update is nearing completion but not yet adopted; staff said the existing Guadalupe Westside Community Plan remains the governing plan for review. Commissioners discussed whether approval now would conflict with the forthcoming West Side plan; staff said an adopted community plan would alter the land-use map going forward but would not retroactively void zoning that a property owner obtains in the interim.

Commissioner Milam moved to accept the applicant’s request; Commissioner Siegel seconded. The roll-call vote was unanimous in favor as recorded (motion passes). The approval allows rezoning to IDZ2 and enables the specified conditional uses to proceed through required permitting and any conditional-use processes.

The commission’s action enables Warehouse 5 to expand uses intended to support small, local businesses while prompting opposition from at least one neighborhood association concerned about using an older plan category ahead of the West Side plan’s adoption.