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Votes at a glance: San Antonio Board of Adjustments (March 10)
Summary
A roundup of the Board of Adjustments’ decisions, including approvals, denials and continuations. Notable outcomes: H‑E‑B fence variance approved unanimously; two contentious short‑term rental requests were denied; several setback variances approved or continued.
The San Antonio Board of Adjustments took action on a dozen agenda items at its March 10 meeting. Below are the meeting’s formal actions and outcomes drawn from the transcript and staff presentations. Motions listed match the board’s roll calls where recorded.
Votes at a glance
- BOA‑25‑10300023 — 7730 N. Loop 1604 W (HEB fence): Motion to grant a 2‑foot variance to permit a 10‑foot commercial privacy fence along the south property line. Result: Approved unanimously, 11–0. Supporters included neighbors and the applicant; staff recommended approval. (Mover: Commissioner Manna.)
- BOA‑25‑10300018 — 15407 Lookout Road (parking/front setback): Motion to grant a 16‑foot variance from a 20‑foot front parking setback to allow parking and drives 4 feet from the front property line. Result: Approved, 10–1. Staff cited floodplain and utility easement constraints; no public opposition was recorded. (Mover: Commissioner Ozuna.)
- BOA‑25‑10300022 — 9760 Braun Road (rear/side setback for office/warehouse): Motion to grant a 15‑foot variance from a 30‑foot setback to allow a 15‑foot rear setback. Result: Approved unanimously. Staff noted surrounding easements and buffering; one mailed opposition flagged concerns about trees. (Mover: Commissioner Ozuna.)
- BOA‑25‑10300024 — 410 Ogden Street (Methodist hospital parking garage, UC‑5 overlay setback): Motion to grant an 11‑foot variance from the overlay’s side setback to allow a 4‑foot side setback along East Laurel Street for the first 150 feet of frontage. Result: Approved unanimously. The Tobin Hill neighborhood association supported the project; staff recommended approval. (Mover: Commissioner Manna.)
- BOA‑25‑10300016 — 3019 Quakertown Drive (Type 2 STR special exception): Motion to grant a special exception to allow one additional Type 2 STR on the block face. Result: Denied, 8–3. Staff recommended denial and the board cited the ordinance’s block‑face density limit. (Mover: Commissioner Manna.)
- BOA‑25‑10300017 — 118 Callahan Ave (two Type 2 STRs/parking waiver): Applicant requested a parking adjustment and a density special exception. Result: Continued to April 7 at applicant’s request to allow neighborhood outreach; staff had recommended denial. (Motion to continue passed.)
- BOA‑25‑10300023 (duplicate numbering in docket for 602 Mason St) — 602 Mason Street (Type 2 STR special exception): Motion to grant a special exception to allow an additional Type 2 STR on the block face. Result: Denied for lack of required supermajority (8 votes in favor, 3 opposed; nine required). Staff recommended denial despite neighborhood association support; applicant argued the property had previously held a permit. (Mover: Commissioner Manna.)
- BOA‑25‑10300021 — 12965 Reed Ranch Road (sign master plan variance): Motion to grant a 75‑foot variance from the minimum 150‑foot sign separation to allow a 75‑foot separation distance for a ground sign location. Result: Approved (unanimous). Staff initially recommended denial but the board found the requested change acceptable given site constraints.
- BOA‑24‑10300237 — 2703 West Woodlawn Ave (carport front setback): Motion to grant a 3 ft 6 in variance from the 10‑foot front setback to allow a carport 6 ft 6 in from the front setback. Result: Approved unanimously. Staff had recommended denial; commissioners said the structure was consistent with the block’s character and fit NCD requirements.
- BOA‑25‑10300014 — 306 Odell Street (side setback for container homes): Applicant requested a 4 ft 11 in variance to allow a structure to be 1 inch from the side property line. Result: Continued to April 7 at applicant request to allow easement/plat options and follow‑up with staff on utilities and access.
- BOA‑25‑10300019 — 115 Helena Street (attached accessory dwelling side setback): Motion to grant a 2‑foot variance to allow an attached ADU 3 feet from the side property line. Result: Denied by roll call, 3–8. Staff recommended denial citing available placement alternatives and fire/spacing concerns; neighbors opposed.
- BOA‑25‑10300020 — 222–2230 Chihuahua Street (three small single‑family homes): Applicant sought multiple side‑setback variances and a driveway clear‑vision variance. Result: Postponed (no action) to allow the applicant to rework lot siting; staff had mixed recommendations (denial for side setbacks; approval recommended for driveway clear vision).
What to watch next
- The board repeated its procedural requirement that certain appeals and special exceptions require a supermajority (9 of 11) to pass; two STR requests failed when they did not reach that threshold despite receiving majority support in roll calls.
- A number of cases were continued to allow applicants to pursue neighborhood outreach, plat or easement changes, or follow‑up with Development Services (notably 118 Callahan and 306 Odell). Those items are likely to return to the board’s agenda in April.
