Members of the San Antonio Chapter of the Sierra Club and Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance are calling for two portions struck from the SA Tomorrow Plan by the San Antonio Planning Commission to be reinstated.
The commission is recommending removing proposals to enhance the Dark Skies ordinance which limits the amount of light pollution to the benefit of military bases, and impervious cover which affects storm water drainage.
Analisa Peace with the Alliance says the commission caved to real estate developer requests.
"People are going to really lose faith in the process and when the next time they calls to serve on one of these committees nobody is going to want to do it," Peace says.
Peace says the groups are calling for the San Antonio City Council to reject the Planning Commission’s vote and replace its members.
District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg says he was surprised to see the commission strike the two items.
“But we’re going to put that back in there because I think that the citizens of San Antonio in guiding the plan and all of the stake holders who have been involved in creating understand that our military and water security are fundamental economic assets to this city," Nirenberg says.
During Wednesday’s City Council work session to discuss the entire SA Tomorrow plan, city staff recommended talking with stake holders to re-introduce another version of Dark Skies and Impervious Cover. Mayor Ivy Taylor agreed.
