Another housing development could be in the works for the city of New Braunfels.
The New Braunfels Planning Commission held a public hearing for a proposed 38-acre rezoning request for a new development Feb. 3.
The details
The property, owned by Alice Schwanz, is located Southwest of Hwy. 46 near Hueco Springs Loop Road. Roughly 26 acres of the property are zoned for agricultural use, with the remaining 12 acres zoned for residential use. Under the existing zoning, developers are allowed to create 5,500-square-foot lots, according to agenda documents.
The rezoning would allow for a maximum of 131 homes, down from 156 under the earlier proposal, said Ashley Farrimond, a lawyer with Killen, Griffin & Farrimond representing KB Home.
KB Home, the potential developer of the property, has requested that the land be rezoned to allow for larger, 6,600-square-foot lots, according to agenda documents.
Digging deeper
The proposed zoning is a change from a separate request to the planning commission May 5, 2025, which asked the city to rezone the land to all 5,500-square-foot lots. The commission did not push the 2025 request forward, said Amanda Minski, a planner with the city’s neighborhood and community planning department.
Development of the property would also require the extension of Old Mission Lane, which is designated as a minor collector in both the city’s thoroughfare plan and the Mission Hills Ranch Master Plan, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Public input
Public hearing notices were mailed to 63 property owners within 200 feet of the property, as required by state law. Eight property owners were against the development, and the remaining property owners did not respond, according to the presentation to the planning commission.
Michella Smith, a resident of the subdivision, said the change would not reflect the character of the neighborhood and that the current infrastructure could not sustain the additional traffic.
“I oppose this zoning change because it would introduce a dense housing development that does not align with the character or infrastructure of our neighborhood,” Smith said in her comment to the planning commission. “I urge the planning commission and City Council to deny this request and protect the quality of life existing for current residents.”
What’s next
The proposed rezoning is expected to be presented to the City Council on Feb. 23, Minski said.
