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Committee discusses new state law enabling cemeteries inside San Antonio limits; members recommend study and stakeholder subcommittee
Summary
Following a state law change, staff walked the committee through zoning and subdivision requirements for new cemeteries; councilmembers asked for a detailed study, stakeholder involvement and a possible subcommittee to guide policy and siting decisions.
The Planning and Development Committee reviewed city regulatory steps for approving new cemeteries inside San Antonio following a state law that took effect in September 2023. Staff explained that under the new law the city may establish requirements for new cemeteries, including subdivision and special-zoning procedures, and that the municipal secretary must receive a cemetery map as part of the approval process.
Why it matters: Council and staff said the change could prompt requests to establish new cemeteries inside city limits; committee members said they want a coordinated approach that addresses proximity to residences and schools, traffic and access, acreage, and equitable access to burial sites for lower-income families.
Mike Shannon (staff) briefed the committee on recent practice in comparable Texas cities and said Austin, Dallas and El Paso have similar processes or considerations; Houston, which does not have citywide zoning, has not implemented an equivalent procedure. Shannon said the city’s current cemetery regulations dated to 2001 and that subdivision, a cemetery map filed with the municipal secretary, and appropriate zoning would be required for new cemeteries under the new state law (identified in the meeting as HB 783, effective Sept. 2023).
Councilmembers said they want a stakeholder-driven analysis and suggested creating a subcommittee or task team to advise staff on siting criteria, acreage, impacts on nearby districts and school boundaries, traffic and access, and whether to engage outside cemetery specialists. One councilmember asked whether the city has an internal “expert” on cemetery planning; staff said the city would likely consult outside specialists and industry experts if needed.
Staff and councilmembers discussed timing: some asked for a staff analysis and outreach to stakeholders, with the committee returning in March to review options and potential subcommittee membership. No formal policy or zoning change was adopted at the committee meeting excerpted here.
