Planning commission approves Commons of Menger Creek Unit 10 preliminary plat along Herff Road

Lucas Heiler, executive chair of the Boerne Planning and Zoning Commission, and planning staff reviewed the Commons of Menger Creek Unit 10 preliminary plat during the June 1 meeting. Ben Simmons, a member of the planning department, said the property lies along Herff Road southwest of Old San Antonio Road, is within the city limits and totals 4.882 acres. Staff recommended approval subject to standard stipulations and asked that the recorded plat substantially conform to the submittal stamped May 18, 2026.

Simmons said the plat divides the site into two lots with one lot reserved as 1.23 acres of open space to be dedicated to the city as parkland and identified one heritage legacy tree on the property. He noted the property is zoned C‑2 (transitional commercial) and designated in the future land use map for auto‑oriented commercial uses.

Commission discussion centered on vehicular access and the maps presented. Several commissioners noted the plans showed what looked like a cul‑de‑sac and asked whether that road was approved or would be built now. Planning staff and Mr. Carroll explained the cul‑de‑sac in the master plan is part of a separate, future project; for this preliminary plat the parcel will rely on a fire lane turnaround for access until the other road is designed and constructed as a separate plat. Carroll clarified the fire lane functions as a turnaround for emergency vehicles and that a future cul‑de‑sac in the master development plan would be designed and built separately.

Commissioners pressed staff on fire‑lane width and whether using a fire lane as an access point alone was sufficient for safety. Carroll said Boerne requires fire lanes to meet minimum widths, and staff noted fire‑lane dimensions will be confirmed at the final‑plat and infrastructure review stages. Chair Heiler suggested including a condition to require a precise measurement of the access at a later stage; commissioners agreed that would help move the application forward.

Commissioner Burrow moved to approve the plat; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Keller. The item was approved unanimously with the condition that staff receive precise measurements of the access as part of later review and that the recorded plat substantially conform to the May 18, 2026 submittal.

Next steps: with the preliminary plat recommendation approved, the applicant will proceed to final‑plat and infrastructure plan submittals, where staff will again review access dimensions, fire‑lane design and other construction details.