Council approves property acquisitions for District 9 transit and greenway projects

The San Antonio City Council on April 3 approved ordinances authorizing acquisition by negotiation or, if necessary, eminent domain for multiple parcels needed for transit and mobility improvements in District 9 and for a greenway connection along Watson Road. The measures implement projects included in the 2022 bond program.

Councilmembers described the actions as efforts to address traffic and mobility in District 9 and to build a linear greenway connection. The ordinance tied to District 9 identified six rights‑of‑way for mobility improvements; a separate ordinance covered acquisition of three permanent easements and related rights in the Brookside subdivision as part of bond‑funded improvements; a third ordinance authorized acquisition of temporary easements across multiple properties along Watson Road for phase 1 of a greenway project, a total of roughly 2.878 acres as described in staff materials.

Councilmember Courich (as read by staff) said negotiations with property owners had not succeeded in all cases and urged the council to exercise the city’s authority to acquire needed rights to complete mobility projects. For the Watson Road greenway, staff described the parcels as variable‑width rights of way totaling about 125,366 square feet to connect the León greenway through San Antonio.

Each ordinance was moved, seconded and approved on the consent/regular agenda; the transcript records the motions and that the motions passed. Staff and council did not record roll‑call tallies in the public transcript excerpt.

Councilmembers said the projects are part of the FY2022 bond program’s transit and mobility improvements and emphasized the need to finish long‑planned street and greenway connections to relieve congestion and improve safety. Staff will proceed with acquisition steps and return any required property‑related documentation to the council.