Board grants short‑term rental exception at 247 Princeton despite staff opposition

The San Antonio Board of Adjustment voted to grant a special‑exception request for a short‑term rental at 247 Princeton on a 9–0 vote with one abstention.

Chel Adams, the city planner presenting the case, told the board the request would raise short‑term‑rental density on the block from 6.6% to about 13.3%, exceeding the 12.5% limit in the Unified Development Code. Adams said staff recommended denial and reported that 29 notices were mailed with no returned comments for or against.

Applicant Albert Treviño told the board he owns the house and described on‑site parking, a separate garage and recent outreach to neighbors. “Estoy disponible para abordar cualquier preocupación o cualquier problema que pueda surgir,” Treviño said, asking the board to consider neighbor support and his plan to comply with city rules.

Commissioners questioned how close other short‑term units were, whether the owner would face financial hardship if the request were denied and whether the character of the block would change. Commissioner Bregman moved to approve, stressing that the density increase was small and that the neighborhood and an owners association within the 200‑foot notice radius had shown support. The motion carried with the tally reported as nine in favor and one abstention.

The board’s written findings said the special exception would not endanger public safety and that literal application of the code would create unnecessary hardship for the property owner. The board instructed the owner to work with city staff on any conditions or compliance steps.

Because the board treated the matter as a special‑exception grant, no further city council action is required, though enforcement of operating standards remains under city staff authority. The applicant indicated he intends to maintain local ownership and to follow permit rules and operation standards.

The board moved on to other agenda items following the vote.