The San Marcos City Council approved a zoning change that will accommodate more accessible parking for patients at a new Veterans Affairs, or VA, hospital development on Oct. 20.
The gist
Developers submitted a request to rezone approximately 4.6 acres of land located near the intersection of Wonder World Drive and State Highway 123 from Commercial, or CM, to Business Park, or BP.
While the CM zoning distinction would allow for the hospital’s development, it features parking location restrictions. The BP distinction does not carry those restrictions, according to agenda documents.
More flexible parking options would make it easier for older patients or those with serious medical conditions to access the clinic, said Shannon Mattingly, director of land use and entitlements with Drenner Group.
The details
The property has no significant environmental concerns. It is not located within a floodplain or floodway, the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone or the San Marcos River corridor, according to agenda documents.
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the requested zoning change for approval with a unanimous 9-0 vote on Sept. 22. The City Council approved the change with a unanimous 7-0 vote, voicing its support for the project.
Quote of note
“What do we do as a city to get people to San Antonio? What do we do about getting them to other VAs?” said Council Member Amanda Rodriguez. “This right here is a dream project for us, and for our people, so we deeply appreciate everybody involved.”
