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Board upholds notice of accumulation of rubbish at 1517 East Crockett after owner appeals
Summary
A San Antonio homeowner appealed a notice that his property had accumulated rubbish. The Building Standards Board found the notice was properly given and upheld it by unanimous 6‑0 vote. The owner disputed that trash came from a nearby H‑E‑B store but the board limited its review to whether notice was proper.
The City of San Antonio Building Standards Board on April 3 upheld a notice alleging accumulation of rubbish at 1517 East Crockett Street, concluding the notice had been properly issued.
Joseph Martinez, a code enforcement supervisor, presented photos showing rubbish and debris accumulated along the rear fence line and said a 311 report prompted the initial inspection. "Photos were taken for the appeal case review," Martinez told the board, describing repeated re‑inspections in February and March and staff’s offer of clean‑up assistance that the owner declined.
Thomas McVay, the property owner, argued at length that trash blowing from a nearby H‑E‑B store—not his property—caused the accumulation. "I demand that this notice evaporates," McVay said during public testimony, arguing multiple neighbors were similarly affected and that enforcement singled out certain homeowners.
Legal counsel and staff repeatedly clarified the narrow scope of the appeal: the board must decide only whether notice was properly given for the property listed, not whether the owner or a third party was responsible for the trash. After discussion, a board member moved to uphold the notice; the motion was seconded and passed by roll call, 6‑0.
The board’s action leaves in place staff’s requirement that the property be cleared of rubbish, with the owner able to coordinate with Development Services on abatement or corrective steps. Staff recorded the timeline for inspections and photos and noted the property’s rear faces Canton Street; some commenters asked staff to review related properties, but the board limited its ruling to the notice for 1517 East Crockett.
