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Five members of the San Antonio City Council have signed a Council Consideration Request calling for a comprehensive review of planning and development practices in Northwest San Antonio. It includes the Helotes Creek Watershed where Lennar Homes is planning to build a controversial subdivision.
The request was initiated by District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza-Gonzalez. She says the request is a way to sharpen the tools that the city has to regulate growth and start important conversations.
“The conversation is that first step. And so, again, I'm really happy that council members read the CCR thought it was worthy of signatures, and, and, here we are. So, we're just gonna take that next step and wait for it to get to governance, and then go from there,” she told TPR.
Others signing the CCR include Marina Alderete Gavito, District 7, Edward Mungia, District 4, Phyllis Viagran, District 3, and Ric Galvan, District 6.
The Scenic Loop Helotes Creek Alliance, a group fighting the proposed Guajolote Ranch Subdivision in far northwest Bexar County, applauded the move. In a press release, the group said “The CCR demonstrates a meaningful commitment to responsible stewardship, and the alliance is encouraged to see city leaders taking decisive action.”
Michael Schick is with the Scenic Loop Helotes Creek Alliance.
“We're really hopeful that the CCR will result in policies and practices that will prevent situations like the Guajalote ranch blunder from ever happening again,” Schick said.
The Scenic Loop-Helotes Creek Alliance outlined their expectations for the city of San Antonio, Bexar County and the state of Texas including all levels of government to collaborate on land‑use strategies, stronger, science‑driven protections for the Helotes Creek watershed, transparent decision‑making and meaningful public engagement, investment in conservation and permanent open‑space protection and infrastructure planning that aligns with environmental realities
Lennar Homes plans to build around 3,000 homes on about 1,100 acres near Scenic Loop and Babcock Roads. Their plan includes a wastewater treatment plant that would dump at least a million gallons of treated sewage into Helotes Creek, which opponents say could harm the Edwards Aquifer, a source of drinking water for around 2.5 million people.
