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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the procedural status of ongoing litigation related to Brackenridge Park and the factors affecting the project timeline.
After legal rulings in the city’s favor, San Antonio plans to move forward with upgrades to Brackenridge Park, though additional legal and permitting steps remain.
The project was initially approved in a bond package in 2017, but the planned removal of several trees in the Lambert Beach area of the park prompted a lawsuit from Lipan Apache Native American Church, which uses the area for its ceremonies.
The group claimed that the removal of the trees was a violation of their civil rights. The Texas Supreme Court and an appeals court sided with the city on the lawsuit last year.
The project, approved by the Historic Design and Review Commission in 2023, has not moved forward amid ongoing litigation and permitting requirements.
Now that 18 months have passed without starting construction, the city will submit for re-approval. The HDRC will reconsider the project on January 21st.
The Brackenridge Park bond project is divided into two phases. Phase One covers river-related and structural work, including repairs to the historic river wall and stabilization of the Pumphouse. Phase Two focuses on park-level improvements, such as trails, landscaping, river access, and upgrades around Lambert Beach.
According to Brian Chasnoff, San Antonio’s assistant director of communications, the city is still waiting on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits for portions of Phase One, and there is no court order currently blocking it from moving forward while litigation remains pending before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Chasnoff added that Phase Two does not require federal permits and is moving through the city’s historic review process.
City officials say there is still no timeline for when the Brackenridge Park bond project will be completed.
