Residents urge council to block or redesign four‑story Nuestra Tierra project near Braun Station

Several residents told the Planning & Community Development Committee on Feb. 24 that a proposed four‑story, 65‑unit apartment development called Nuestra Tierra, planned directly behind homes in Braun Station, would harm neighborhood safety, privacy and property values.

David Martinez (identified by the chair as a registered commenter) said the project sits “behind my backyard fence” and warned the State’s SB 840 process enables administrative approvals that bypass local zoning and community input. He asked who determines what qualifies as an “underutilized commercial area” and whether city or developer will pay for upgrades to water, sewer and roads.

Jonette McCart, president of Bronx Station West, said she appreciates the city’s need for housing but that residents expect local participation. “We do realize that San Antonio’s need of housing, but I have so many people that are contacting me,” she said, adding her group collected more than 280 homeowner signatures opposing the four‑story plan.

Laura Butterfield, vice president of her homeowners association, urged developers and the city to involve neighborhoods in design decisions and suggested lowering building height, adding buffering and improving fences so new residents and long‑time neighbors can interface positively.

James Stoppard, a Braun Station resident, said the scale of the project is inappropriate for the corridor, raising concerns about traffic on Gilbo/Gilbel Road, safety near nearby schools and the loss of privacy for backyards facing a four‑story façade.

Committee members acknowledged residents’ concerns and pointed to a state law referenced by speakers that limits local zoning control in some cases; they encouraged neighbors to attend the developer’s community meeting scheduled later that week and to stay in contact with their council representatives. No formal action on the project was taken by the committee at this meeting.