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Commission approves variance to watershed protection (DPZ) for Johns Road PUD after applicant pledges culvert design
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6–0 to approve a variance to Chapter 8 DPZ restrictions for a proposed PUD at 7278/727A Johns Road, conditioned to the specific PUD approval and subject to a subsequent design/flood study.
The Boerne Planning and Zoning Commission approved a variance to the city’s drainageway protection zone (DPZ) standards for a planned unit development (PUD) at 7278/727A Johns Road, tied explicitly to the PUD and subject to further design and flood analysis.
City Engineer Abigail Knott summarized the DPZ history and rules, noting DPZ1 (35 ft) and DPZ2 (55 ft) buffer widths and explaining the city manager’s exception for certain local road crossings if they are not within 1,000 feet of an existing or proposed crossing and do not impact the ordinary high watermark. Knott told the commission the property has not yet been annexed and the DPZ variance request is specifically to allow a local street crossing as part of the approved PUD; staff recommended the variance be effective only for this PUD.
An applicant representative described a plan to use box culverts for the local crossing to minimize disturbance within the DPZ and said a full drainage study will define final culvert sizing. The applicant gave a preliminary description: "2 to 3 barrels of 3 by 5 box culverts" (about 15 feet of barrels) sized to avoid impacts to water flow; the representative added that the alternative would be a bridge. When asked about cost differences, the applicant said the estimated cost "on a 2 lane bridge for there is $1,000,000 dollars compared to a few tens of thousands for a culvert."
Commissioner Cates—who participated in drafting the DPZ rules—said he would support granting the variance in this case because the developer had worked with the Hampton Way neighborhood and because the option preserved neighborhood buffering; he emphasized the variance bar remains high and this circumstance involved tradeoffs the commission found acceptable. Commissioners asked whether a failure to secure required school district (ISD) approvals or other PUD conditions would affect the variance; staff and the applicant confirmed the variance is tied to the PUD and would lapse if the PUD’s conditions were not met.
The commission approved the variance 6–0 after a motion by Commissioner Heiler and a second by Commissioner Byrd.
What’s next: staff said a detailed flood and drainage study must show the crossing produces no upstream or downstream rise in flood levels; design, culvert sizing and final mitigation measures will be established through that study and during construction permitting.
