Shannon Mattingly, director of land use and entitlements for the Drenner Group, representing Rockspring Saur, requested a rezoning from a multifamily low-density district to a single-family, small-lot residential district.
What happened
The rezoning allows for smaller, single-family homes on 4,000-square-foot lots, accommodating a housing model that aligns with market demand, Mattingly said.
This change reduces the density allowed under the current zoning, which permits up to 12 dwelling units per acre, New Braunfels' Senior Planner Mary Lovell said.
What city staff is saying
Lovell said the rezoning was "inconsistent" with Envision New Braunfels and the Airport Master Plan.
Envision New Braunfels is the city's comprehensive plan guiding growth and development. The Airport Master Plan focuses on future infrastructure and operations to support aviation and surrounding land use.
"It does not meet the goals or strategies in the strategic plan," Lovell said.
Proposed single-family homes would be affected by noise and air quality issues from the nearby airport, making them incompatible with the surrounding land use, Lovell added.
What commissioners are saying
Commissioners considered factors such as the potential for different housing options and the compatibility of the rezoning with existing residential developments in the area.
"It's already got a lot of R-1, R-2 and other single-family residential zoning, so the proposed rezoning would be more consistent with the existing neighborhood character,” Chad Nolte, vice chair of the planning commission, said.
Commissioner Jessica Schaefer emphasized the importance of diverse housing options, including duplexes and triplexes, to serve a range of affordability needs in the community, since missing middle housing types can provide more accessible pathways to homeownership.
Digging deeper
Notices were sent to 12 property owners within 200 feet of the requested rezoning, and city staff received 20% of votes in opposition.
Steven Harlow, an adjacent property owner and member of the Saengerhalle Homeowners Association Board of Directors, said he was against the current rezoning request and suggested the property be rezoned to small commercial business park zoning.
“Zoning in the area as multifamily or small lot residential are both bad choices for the community,” Harlow said in an email to the city. “Multifamily will increase the likelihood of overloading the infrastructure in that area. Specifically, I am talking [about] the roads which have limited capacity.”
Harlow also expressed concerns with the area bordering a Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain.
Another viewpoint
Pam Kraft—a longtime New Braunfels resident who supported the rezoning— said she preferred single-family homes as neighbors instead of more rental or multifamily housing. She also thought the rezoning would reduce traffic in the area.
“It's going to lower the amount of cars on our road, and that was everybody's major concern,” Kraft said.
Looking ahead
The rezoning is anticipated to be presented to city council on Jan. 27, according to an email from Communications Manager David Ferguson. However, the applicant can decide to delay if they choose to have additional discussions with neighbors, he noted.
