PZ 2-07-24 Agenda with Associated Documents
MEETING AGENDA
Planning & Zoning Commission
REGULAR SESSION PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
February 7, 2024
HAL BALDWIN MUNICIPAL COMPLEX COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY BUILDING #4
SCHERTZ, TEXAS 78154
CITY OF SCHERTZ CORE VALUES
Do the right thing
Do the best you can
Treat others the way you want to be treated
Work cooperatively as a team
AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold the regularly scheduled meeting at 5:30p.m., Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at the
City Council Chambers. In lieu of attending the meeting in person, residents will have the opportunity to watch the meeting via live
stream on the City's YouTube Channel.
1.CALL TO ORDER
2.SEAT ALTERNATE TO ACT IF REQUIRED
3.HEARING OF RESIDENTS
This time is set aside for any person who wishes to address the Planning and Zoning Commission. Each person should fill out the Speaker’s
register prior to the meeting. Presentations should be limited to no more than three (3) minutes. Discussion by the Commission of any item not
on the agenda shall be limited to statements of specific factual information given in response to any inquiry, a recitation of existing policy in
response to an inquiry, and/or a proposal to place the item on a future agenda. The presiding officer, during the Hearing of Residents portion
of the agenda, will call on those persons who have signed up to speak in the order they have registered.
4.CONSENT AGENDA:
A.Minutes for the January 31, 2024 Special Meeting.
5.PUBLIC HEARING:
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing related to zone change requests, specific use permit
requests, and Unified Development Code Amendments within this agenda. The public hearing will be
opened to receive a report from s taff, the applicant, the adjoining property owners affected by the applicant’s request, and any
other interested persons. Upon completion, the public hearing will be closed. The Commission will discuss and consider the application, and
may request additional information from staff or the applicant, if required. After deliberation, the Commission is asked to consider and act
upon the following requests and make a recommendation to the City Council if necessary.
A.Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee #4
Planning & Zoning February 7, 2024 Page 1 of 2
B.PLZC20230223 Hold a public hearing, consider and make a recommendation on a request to rezone
approximately 26.11 acres of land from Single - Family Residential / Agricultural District (R-A) to
General Business District (GB), a portion of 11209 E FM 1518 generally located 600ft northwest of
the intersection of Lisa Meadows and FM 1518, Parcel ID: 308363, City of Schertz, Bexar County,
Texas.
C.PLUDC20230222 - Hold a public hearing, workshop and discussion and possible action to make a
recommendation on amendments to Part III of the Schertz Code of Ordinances, Unified Development
Code (UDC) to Article 16 - Definitions.
6.REQUESTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A.Requests by Commissioners to place items on a future Planning and Zoning Agenda
B.Announcements by Commissioners
City and community events attended and to be attended
Continuing education events attended and to be attended
C.Announcements by City Staff.
City and community events attended and to be attended.
7.INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
PACKETS- NO DISCUSSION TO OCCUR
A.Current Projects and City Council Status Update
8.ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR MEETING
CERTIFICATION
I, Samuel Haas, Senior Planner, of the City of Schertz, Texas, do hereby certify that the above agenda was posted on the official bulletin boards on this the 1st
day of February 2024 at 5:00 p.m., which is a place readily accessible to the public at all times and that said notice was posted in accordance with chapter 551,
Texas Government Code.
Samuel Haas
Samuel Haas, Senior Planner
I certify that the attached notice and agenda of items to be considered by the Schertz Planning & Zoning Commission was removed from the official
bulletin board on _____day of _______________, 2024. _______________title:_____________
This facility is accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Handicapped parking spaces are available. If you require special assistance
or have a request for sign interpretative services or other services please call 619-1030 at least 24 hours in advance of meeting.
The Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Schertz reserves the right to adjourn into executive session at any time during the course of this meeting
to discuss any of the matters listed above, as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Executive Sessions Authorized: This agenda has been reviewed and approved by the City’s legal counsel and presence of any subject in any Executive
Session portion of the agenda constitutes a written interpretation of Texas Government Code Chapter 551 by legal counsel for the governmental body and
constitutes an opinion by the attorney that the items discussed therein may be legally discussed in the closed portion of the meeting considering available
opinions of a court of record and opinions of the Texas Attorney General known to the attorney. This provision has been added to this agenda with the intent
to meet all elements necessary to satisfy Texas Government Code Chapter 551.144(c) and the meeting is conducted by all participants in reliance on this
opinion.
Planning & Zoning February 7, 2024 Page 2 of 2
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING: 02/07/2024
Agenda Item 4 A
TO:Planning and Zoning Commission
PREPARED BY:Tiffany Danhof, Administrative Assistant
SUBJECT:Minutes for the January 31, 2024 Special Meeting.
Attachments
Draft Minutes for the January 31, 2024 Regular Meeting
D R A F T
PLANNING AND ZONING MINUTES
January 31, 2024
The Schertz Planning and Zoning Commission convened on January 31, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Municipal
Complex, Council Chambers, 1400 Schertz Parkway Building #4, Schertz, Texas.
Present: Richard Braud, Vice Chairman; Roderick Hector, Commissioner; Danielle Craig,
Commissioner; Judy Goldick, Commissioner; Tamara Brown, Commissioner; John
Carbon, Commissioner; Patrick McMaster, Commissioner
Absent: Glen Outlaw, Chairman
Staff
present:
Lesa Wood, Director of Planning & Community Development; Brian James, Deputy City
Manager; Emily Delgado, Planning Manager; Tiffany Danhof, Administrative Assistant
1.CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Braud called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
2.SEAT ALTERNATE TO ACT IF REQUIRED
Mr. McMaster and Mrs. Craig were seated as alternates.
3.HEARING OF RESIDENTS
This time is set aside for any person who wishes to address the Planning and Zoning Commission. Each person should
fill out the Speaker’s register prior to the meeting. Presentations should be limited to no more than three (3) minutes.
Discussion by the Commission of any item not on the agenda shall be limited to statements of specific factual information
given in response to any inquiry, a recitation of existing policy in response to an inquiry, and/or a proposal to place the
item on a future agenda. The presiding officer, during the Hearing of Residents portion of the agenda, will call on those
persons who have signed up to speak in the order they have registered.
No one spoke.
4.CONSENT AGENDA:
A.Minutes for the January 10, 2024 Regular Meeting.
Motioned by Commissioner Patrick McMaster to approve, seconded by
Commissioner Judy Goldick
Vote: 7 - 0 Passed
5.PUBLIC HEARING:
5.PUBLIC HEARING:
The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing related to zone change
requests, specific use permit requests, and Unified Development Code Amendments
within this agenda. The public hearing will be opened to receive a report from staff, the
applicant, the adjoining property owners affected by the applicant’s request, and any
other interested persons. Upon completion, the public hearing will be closed. The
Commission will discuss and consider the application, and may request additional
information from staff or the applicant, if required. After deliberation, the Commission is
asked to consider and act upon the following requests and make a recommendation to
the City Council if necessary.
A.PLSPU20240014 - Conduct a public hearing and make a recommendation on a Specific
Use Permit to allow Automobile Repairs & Service, Major on approximately 1.5 acres of
land, located 250 feet east of the intersection of FM 3009 and Borgfeld Road, also
known as Guadalupe County Property Identification Number 129949, also known as
1205 Borgfeld Road, City of Schertz, Guadalupe County, Texas.
Mrs. Delgado provided a presentation.
Mr. Braud opened the public hearing at 6:12 P.M.
Mark Roberts- Owner of property -1205 Borgfeld
Mr. Braurd closed the public hearing at 6:15 P.M.
Motioned by Commissioner Judy Goldick to recommend approval with conditions as
identified by staff to the City Council, seconded by Commissioner John Carbon
Vote: 7 - 0 Passed
6.REQUESTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A.Requests by Commissioners to place items on a future Planning and Zoning Agenda
There were no requests by Commissioners.
B.Announcements by Commissioners
City and community events attended and to be attended
Continuing education events attended and to be attended
There were no announcements by Commissioners.
C.Announcements by City Staff.
City and community events attended and to be attended.
There were no announcements by City staff.
7.INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
PACKETS- NO DISCUSSION TO OCCUR
A.Current Projects and City Council Status Update
8.ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR MEETING
8.ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR MEETING
Mr. Braud adjourned the regular meeting at 6:20 P.M.
____________________________________
Chairman, Planning and Zoning Commission
______________________________
Recording Secretary, City of Schertz
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING: 02/07/2024
Agenda Item 5 A
TO:Planning and Zoning Commission
PREPARED BY:Samuel Haas, Senior Planner
SUBJECT:Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee #4
BACKGROUND
Staff along with Freese and Nichols will hold the final Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee meeting.
Attachments
CPAC Presentation #4
Comp Plan DRAFT
Comprehensive
Plan Update
February 7, 2024
City of Schertz
CPAC Meeting #4
Meeting
Agenda Project Process Update
Review Full Document
Review Final FLUP
Final Steps
Mar-May
2023
Date
Project Initiation
& Kickoff
Project Timeline
May-Jul
2023
Date
Snapshot, Analysis &
Existing Conditions
Market Analysis
Jul-Sep
2023
Date
Sep-Oct
2023
Date
Oct-Nov
2023
Date
Preparation of Final
Documents
Nov-Dec
2023
Ma
r
c
h
2
0
2
4
PL
A
N
A
D
O
P
T
I
O
N
Future Land Use Transportation
CPAC: 5/24
CPAC: 7/26
Stakeholder
Meetings
Community
Survey
CPAC: 9/27
Kickoff Meeting
& Tour: 3/27
Dunkin for Pumpkins
Community Event:
10/07
CPAC: 2/07
Jan-Feb
2024
Vision & Guiding
Principles
Implementation &
Fiscal Impacts
Project Engagement
4 CPAC Meetings
1 Public Survey
(409 responses)
1 Community Event
Project Website & Online
Mapping Exercise
5 Focus Group Meetings
Safe Neighborhoods
More Retail Restaurants
& Entertainment
Responsible Growth
Diverse Housing Options
Flood Control
Document Review
City of Schertz
Snapshot
•Planning Context
•Demographics
•Physical Features
•Market Snapshot
•Strengths, Weaknesses,
Challenges, Opportunities
Policy Statements
Promote Mixed-Use Development
Encourage the development of mixed-use development to create vibrant,
walkable neighborhoods and commercial and retail areas with access to
amenities within close proximity.
Enhance Transportation Networks
Invest in a comprehensive transportation system that includes roadways,
public transit, pedestrian pathways, and cycling lanes to improve
accessibility, reduce congestion, and support diverse mobility options.
Encourage Main Street Development
Support the growth of main street as a cultural and economic hub by
encouraging small businesses, preserving historical character, and creating
inviting public spaces.
Preserve Green Spaces and Natural Areas
Protect and preserve natural landscapes, parks, and green spaces to
maintain the City’s natural aesthetics, promote outdoor recreational
activities, and enhance overall community well-being.
Support Sustainable Development Practices
Advocate for sustainable building design, energy-efficient infrastructure,
and responsible land use practices to minimize environmental impact and
foster long-term resilience.
Collaborate with Stakeholders
Foster partnerships and collaboration among City officials, developers,
businesses, residents, and other stakeholders to ensure current and future
land use decisions reflect the needs and vision of the community.
Encourage Economic Diversity
Promote a diverse economy by attracting various businesses, industries,
and employment opportunities, fostering innovation, and supporting local
entrepreneurship.
Focus Areas
•Existing Conditions
•Proposed Land Use
and Character
•Recommendations
Land Use
Input
Complete
Communities
•People should be able to go
about all of their essential
daily activities and needs
within a short distance of
their home
•Main Street, Complete
Neighborhoods, and Mixed
Use Centers
Innovative Stormwater Management
& Green Infrastructure
Future Land Uses
Transportation
•The future thoroughfares already
planned should be adequate for
future growth.
•As focus areas 1 and 5 start to
build out, the City may need to
consider additional residential or
commercial connectors.
Fiscal Impacts
The proposed scenario is
projected to result in over
$2.1B of net new
fiscal benefits
over the 3-year Plan
horizon.
Implementation
•Using the Document
•Best Practices
•Decision Makin g
•Actions Matrix
Future Land Use Plan
City of Schertz
Future Land
Uses
Final Steps
•Final Document Revisions, as necessary
•Adoption Meetings: P&Z and City Council
JANUARY 2024
City of Schertz, Texas
COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN
[DATE TO BE UPDATED UPON ADOPTION]
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
City Staff
Lesa Wood, Director of Planning & Community
Development
Emily Delgado, Planning Manager
Samuel Haas, Senior Planner
Ameriz Gamez, Planner
Daisy Marquez, Planner
Tiffany Danhof, Administrative Assistant
Consultant Team
City Council and Comprehensive
Plan Advisory Committee
Ralph Gutierrez, Mayor
Mark E. Davis, Councilmember
Michelle Watson, Councilmember
Paul Macaluso, Councilmember
Tiffany Gibson, Councilmember
Robert Westbrook, Councilmember
Allison Heyward, Councilmember
Tim Brown, Councilmember
Planning and Zoning
Commission
Glen Outlaw, Chair
Richard Braud, Commissioner
Tamara Brown, Commissioner
Judy Goldick, Commissioner
Roderrick Hector, Commissioner
John Carbon, Commissioner
Patrick McMaster, Commissioner
Danielle Craig, Commissioner
1
Land Use & Economic Strategy 3
4 Appendices
Community Snapshot 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Image
Image
2 Focus Areas & Engagement
Image
Image
2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Schertz’s Comprehensive Plan will guide development and manage
growth in the City over the next 20 years. The Plan builds on the previous
Schertz Comprehensive Land Plan adopted in 2002. This Plan is a community-
driven effort that recommends strategies for land use changes, transportation
improvements, and economic development for Schertz. The Plan takes into
account the demographic, socio-economic, and environmental changes that
have shaped Schertz in the last 20 years.
The planning process spanned over 10 months and included input from
residents, community groups, and stakeholders to identify the guiding principles
that reflect community values and aspirations. The Comprehensive Plan Advisory
Committee (CPAC) spearheaded the planning process and met regularly
to provide feedback on plan elements. Other engagement tools utilized to
gather input included a project website and interactive map, an online survey,
virtual focus group discussions, and a community event. The Plan was adopted
following a City Council Hearing in March 2024.
The Plan document is organized into four chapters - Community Snapshot,
Focus Areas & Engagement, Land Use & Economic Strategy, and Appendices.
The first chapter provides an overview of the planning process, existing
conditions, and market snapshot. The second chapter elaborates on the
public engagement process which helped create the Policy Statements that
act as guiding principles for this Plan. Chapter three describes the future land
use recommendations, transportation recommendations, fiscal impacts, and
implementation strategies for achieving the proposed recommendations.
3
Community
SnapshotCH
A
P
T
E
R
1
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN6
INTRODUCTION
What is a Comprehensive Plan
A comprehensive plan is a long-range planning tool
intended to be used by decision-makers, municipal
staff, and the local community. The plan will direct the
community’s growth and physical development for the
next 10 to 20 years. The comprehensive plan is written
for various audiences, including Schertz residents,
elected and appointed officials, and technical
professionals. The state of Texas has established laws
dictating the way that incorporated communities can
ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens
through a comprehensive plan. The Texas Local
Government Code (TLGC) Chapter 213 states:
“The governing body of a municipality may
adopt a comprehensive plan for the long-
range development of the municipality… A
municipality may define the relationship between a
comprehensive plan and development regulations
and may provide standards for determining
the consistency required between a plan and
development regulations.”
Understanding the history and existing conditions is crucial in planning for the future of Schertz. The purpose
of this chapter is to acquaint the reader with this comprehensive plan and present existing conditions including
ongoing planning efforts, demographics, physical features, and economics that will impact development in
Schertz.
LEGAL BASIS FOR PLANNING
State law gives municipalities the power to regulate the use of land, but only if such regulations are based
on a plan. The authority of a City to create a comprehensive plan is rooted in Chapters 211, 212, and 213
of the Texas Local Government Code (TLGC). Chapter 211 of the TLGC allows municipalities to adopt
zoning, while Chapter 212 allows the governing body of a community to regulate subdivision development
within the City limits, which varies depending upon the population of the community. It is important to note
that a comprehensive plan is NOT a zoning ordinance but rather is intended to be used as a tool to guide
development, infrastructure, and land use decisions in the future. The comprehensive plan does, however,
serve as a basis on which zoning decisions are made, as specified by Chapter 211 of the TLGC. In Texas,
cities are not required by the state’s government to prepare nor maintain a comprehensive master plan,
unlike some other states. However, Section 213 of the TLGC allows the governing body of a community to
adopt a plan to encourage sound development decisions and promote public health, safety, and welfare.
Texas cities can define the content and design of their plan, resulting in a long-range blueprint that can be
customized to meet their needs.
In basic terms, the primary objectives of a
comprehensive plan are to accomplish the following:
Efficient delivery of public services
Coordination of public and private investment
Minimization of potential conflicts between land
uses
Management of growth in an orderly manner
Cost-effective public investments
A rational and reasonable basis for making decisions about the community
There are two interrelated purposes of a
comprehensive plan. First, it allows the residents of
a community to create a shared vision of what they
want the community to become. Second, it establishes
recommendations by which a community can
effectively implement this vision.
CommunIty SnapShot 7
How will the Comprehensive Plan be used?
The comprehensive plan is a long-range planning document that City leadership and staff should reference
to guide development regulations and policy decisions. It can be used in a variety of ways for different City
departments. The comprehensive plan is not a regulating document, such as the zoning ordinance or subdivision
regulations; however, the recommendations will influence City regulations, policies, and budgeting that are
updated more frequently. The comprehensive plan should be revisited every five to ten years to ensure the
plan recommendations are meeting the community’s current needs. Below are a few ways the City will use this
comprehensive plan.
City Administration
The City Administration (e.g., City Manager, Assistant
City Managers, Finance) will primarily use the Future
Land Use Map and the implementation matrix for
major policy and budget decisions.
Planning and Community
Development
The Planning and Development Department will
primarily use the Future Land Use Map to review
zoning cases and prepare staff reports for the
Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
While compatibility with the Future Land Use Map
is important, it should not be the only criterion to
recommend approval or denial of a zoning decision.
Other critical review criteria include the provision of
adequate infrastructure, transportation connectivity
and access, topography considerations, land use
adjacency, growth management principles, etc.
Engineering
The Engineering Department will primarily use the
Future Land Use Map when planning for future
infrastructure capacity. The Engineering Department
will also use the population projections associated
with the Future Land Use Map to plan when future
infrastructure will be needed.
Parks and Recreation
Like the Engineering Department, the Parks and
Recreation Department will primarily use the Future
Land Use Map and population projections to plan
for future park, recreation, and open space facilities.
These facilities should be strategically located within
neighborhoods and near other public uses. The
comprehensive plan works with other master plans,
like the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master
Plan adopted in 2020, to identify the location of park
facilities and improve connectivity through the use of
trails.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN8
Schertz is a city located in
Guadalupe, Bexar, and Comal
counties in the U.S. state of Texas.
The area that is now Schertz was
originally settled in the mid-1800s
by German immigrants. The town
was named after Sebastian Schertz,
a local landowner who donated
land for the construction of a railway
station. The railway station played a
significant role in the development
of the town, bringing commerce and
industry to the area. The City has
since become a popular destination
for businesses and residents looking
for a thriving community with easy
access to San Antonio and other
major metropolitan areas. Today it
is home to a diverse community of
over 40,000 residents and continues
to grow and develop as a hub of
commerce, culture, and recreation in
the region.
This section provides an overview
of previous and ongoing planning
efforts within the City of Schertz
that will impact future growth and
development. These planning efforts
include existing and proposed plans
and policies.
PLANNING CONTEXT
Figure 1. planning history timeline
Map 1. Regional Relationships
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN10
Previous Planning Efforts
The City of Schertz and its neighboring jurisdictions have adopted several plans and policies over the years to
guide development in the area. This section provides an overview of relevant plans and policies that will inform
the development of the Comprehensive Plan. Reviewing previous planning efforts will encourage compatibility
with previously recommended strategies and action items.
Schertz Comprehensive Land Plan
(2002)
The Schertz Comprehensive Plan will build on the
City of Schertz Comprehensive Land Plan adopted
in 2002. The 2002 plan was informed by a robust
community engagement process that gathered input
from community members, a steering committee,
Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council, and
“key persons” representatives. The plan identified
assets and challenges and recommended strategies
related to land use, transportation, public facilities,
community enhancement, and growth capacity. The
plan also identified an implementation plan. The
recommendations from the previous comprehensive
plan are reviewed to identify recommendations
that might still be relevant and/or not completely
implemented.
2002 VISION STATEMENT
“We, the residents of Schertz, seek to establish our community as one which is founded upon a core
group of values and faith in our ability to achieve our goals. We envision a Schertz that is recognizable
for its character, its places, its rich history, its people and its possibilities. We envision a community
that responsibly manages its resources by growing wisely, with an eye on continued quality of life.
Our Schertz will be one which is proficient in green spaces and public facilities, accessible by walking
or by car, neighborly, safe, and a place where residents can live, work, shop and play. We envision a
community that looks to its past in pride and its future with anticipated vision and drive. Ours is a vision
for ourselves and for future generations of Schertz residents. We are a community that dares to dream
and dares to succeed.”
11CommunIty SnapShot
Schertz Sector Plan 2013
The Schertz Sector Plan focuses on the emerging growth areas in North, South, and Central Schertz. The plan
takes into account community desires, environmental constraints, and market realities for recommending
strategies to improve the identified study areas. It contains framework plans showing recommended land uses
and transportation networks for each of the growth areas. In addition, it also provides an infrastructure plan and
phasing for each area. Lastly, the plan provides zoning recommendations. The framework plan for each area is
considered while developing the future land use plan and strategies for each of the focus areas as part of the
comprehensive plan.
North Schertz
Access to I-35, availability of undeveloped land,
potential access to a future rail station, and
employment opportunities (generated by Caterpillar
manufacturing plant, Sysco Foods headquarters,
and Amazon fulfillment center) are identified as
opportunities for the area. Potential constraints include
the interstate creating a physical barrier between
North Schertz and the rest of the City, proximity to the
quarry, and existing industrial uses.
South Schertz
South Schertz is the least developed of the three
areas in the plan. Availability of land, Schertz-Cibolo-
Universal City Independent School District (SCUCISD),
and proximity to IH-10 are identified as opportunities
for the area. Constraints include lack of adequate
infrastructure, flat topography, and FM 78 railroad
tracks and Cibolo Creek forming major barriers
between South Schertz and the rest of the City.
Central Schertz
Access to FM 78, the existing stable neighborhood
adjoining Main Street, availability of building stock,
and community support for downtown redevelopment
are identified as opportunities for Downtown Schertz.
Constraints include severe flooding, ensuring
compliance with FEMA regulations, and short-term
focus on adaptive reuse of the existing building stock.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN12
City of Schertz Parks and Recreation
Master Plan 2014: Live and Play!
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan builds on the
2002 Comprehensive Land Plan and 2007 Parks and
Open Space Master Plan and is in congruence with the
2013 Sector Plan. The plan provides an inventory of
the existing parks and recreational facilities, identifies
needs and gaps, and recommends strategies for
improving quality of life in the City of Schertz. The
comprehensive plan update process includes updating
the parks and recreation plan as part of the planning
process. In addition, strategies from the existing
Parks and Recreation Master Plan will inform the
comprehensive plan.
City of Schertz Master Thoroughfare
Plan
Land use and transportation interact closely with each
other. The Master Thoroughfare Plan provides direction
for the development of the transportation network
in the City. The plan identifies future transportation
needs for the area, goals and policies, and short- and
long-term capital investments for improvements to
existing roads, construction of new roads, and bicycle,
pedestrian, and transit-supporting facilities. The plan
provides recommendations that will be considered
when updating the comprehensive plan.
Schertz Economic Development
Corporation (SEDC) Incentive Policy
2017
The Schertz Incentive Policy aims to increase job
opportunities, add taxable value, improve quality
of life, and diversify the local economy. Over the
years, the City of Schertz has partnered with SEDC to
leverage incentive tools, create loans for emerging
industries, and provide grants to companies. The
Incentive Policy lists initiatives and processes to boost
the local economy. These processes will be utilized to
implement relevant strategies recommended in this
Plan.
JBSA Regional Compatible Use Plan
(RCUP)
The JBSA RCUP aims to ensure that community
development is compatible with the continued military
mission of JBSA installations. The plan provides
strategies to address issues related to land use for
communities located adjacent to JBSA airfields. These
issues include runway flooding along JBSA-Randolph
and fragmented ability to implement land use controls
surrounding JBSA installations.
Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-
Randolph and Seguin Auxiliary
Airfield Air Installations Compatible
Use Zone (AICUZ) Study
The AICUZ study provides information about noise
contours, flight operations, noise exposure areas,
accident potential, and land use compatibility
conditions which will significantly impact the future
land use plan developed as part of the comprehensive
planning process. The JBSA-Randolph Airfield
occupies about 2,900 acres of land and is located
west of the City limits. The existing noise contours are
shown in Map 2.
Map 2. Existing JBSa-Randolph airfield noise
Contours
CommunIty SnapShot 13
Map 3. proposed action noise Contours
Joint Land Use Study for Randolph
AFB – JBSA-Randolph (JBSA-R)
Joint Land Use Study
As per the JBSA-R Land Use Study, JBSA-Randolph
provides over $1.3 billion in economic impact to
both local and regional economies in the form of
annual payroll, annual expenditures, and value of jobs
created. The Joint Land Use Study (JLUS) will play a
crucial role in ensuring that proposed future land uses
adjacent to the JBSA-Randolph Airfield are compatible
with the military mission. The JLUS assists in ensuring
continued economic benefit of the airfield to the
surrounding communities. The comprehensive plan will
consider guidelines to develop property located within
the JBSA-R airfield safety zones and noise contours.
Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for T-7A
Recapitalization at Joint Base San
Antonio, Texas
The FEIS supports the Secretary of the Air Force’s
strategic basing proposal for recapitalization efforts
at existing T-38A training installations, with JBSA-
Randolph as the initial site for trainings. The FEIS
evaluates the proposed recapitalization action at
JBSA, considering T-7A aircraft operations, associated
facilities, and personnel increase. The FEIS analyzes
the Proposed Action, three alternatives, and the No
Action alternative. Due to the absence of T-7A flight
experience in the San Antonio region, the FEIS uses
T-38A parameters and preliminary T-7A test results
for Noise and Air Quality modeling. Map 3 shows the
Proposed Action noise contours from the modeling.
The FEIS anticipates better understanding and
refinement of T-7A flight profiles and impacts once
training operations commence, using actual data for
realistic projection.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN14
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The existing conditions analysis includes an overview of the demographic, housing, and economic characteristics
in Schertz to identify gaps and demand. This assessment will help formulate the vision and recommendations of
the Plan.
Demographics
Population Growth
According to the United States Census Bureau, the
population of Schertz has grown steadily over the
years. Figure 2 shows the breakdown of the estimated
historical population growth in Schertz. The population
of Schertz has more than doubled since the year 2000.
This growth is likely due to the City’s proximity to San
Antonio, Austin, and Houston along with several other
factors.
Figure 2 illustrates how the population in Schertz is
projected to grow over the next 50 years, according
to the Texas Water Development Board projections.
Texas is projected to experience steady population
growth from 2020 to 2070 with a compound annual
growth rate of 1.1%. By 2030, the state’s population
is expected to increase by 4.2 million. By 2070, it’s
expected to reach approximately 51.5 million. Schertz
is projected to experience faster population growth
than the state as a whole, with a compound annual
growth rate of 1.8%.
By 2030, the City’s population is expected to grow to
58,881. By comparing the population projections of
Schertz and Texas, it is anticipated that Schertz will
outpace Texas’ growth rate. Comparisons with state
and regional population growth trends are shown in
Appendix A.
Figure 2. population Growth
Source: U.S. Census, Texas Almanac, Texas Water Development Board
CommunIty SnapShot 15
Source: ESRI
Figure 3. Racial Breakup and EthnicityRace and Ethnicity
According to recent ESRI data, there have
been significant changes in the racial and
ethnic makeup of Schertz between 2010 and
2022. The percentage of the population that
identifies as White alone has decreased from
78.8% in 2010 to 56.2% in 2022, while the
percentage of the population that identifies
as Hispanic (of any race) has increased
from 26.2% in 2010 to 32.1% in 2022. The
percentage of the population that identifies
as Black alone has also increased, from 8.5%
in 2010 to 12.3% in 2022. Additionally, the
percentage of the population that identifies
as two or more races has increased from
3.9% in 2010 to 19.9% in 2022, suggesting
that the population of Schertz has become
more diverse in terms of racial and ethnic
identity.
Age
The Schertz population has a median age of
37.2 years old, which is slightly higher than
the median age of the San Antonio MSA and
the state of Texas. This illustrates that Schertz
has a slightly older population compared to
the surrounding region and state. However,
the projected population growth rate for
Schertz is higher than both the MSA and
Texas, indicating that the City may continue
to attract a younger demographic in the
coming years. Figure 4 is an age distribution
chart showing different ages based on male
versus female in the City of Schertz. Most
notably, the recent graduation population
is the lowest age bracket in the surrounding
age ranges.
Figure 4. age Distribution
Source: ESRI
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN16
Income
According to recent data, the average household
income in Schertz is $118,183, which is higher than
both the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area
(San Antonio MSA) ($94,960) and Texas ($101,658)
averages. Overall, Schertz is a relatively affluent and
growing city within the larger San Antonio area. The
median disposable income in Schertz is $82,732,
which is significantly higher than both the San Antonio
MSA ($57,231) and Texas ($59,270) medians. When
consumers have more disposable income, they are
able to spend more money on goods and services,
which can stimulate economic growth. Increased
consumer spending can create more demand for
goods and services, leading to higher production
levels and potentially more job opportunities.
Educational Attainment
There are notable differences in the educational
attainment levels of Schertz, the San Antonio MSA,
and the state of Texas. In Schertz, the percentage of
the population aged 25 and over with a bachelor’s
degree is higher at 24.7%, compared to the San
Antonio MSA at 20.4%, and Texas at 22.0%. Schertz
also has a higher percentage of the population with a
graduate or professional degree at 15.1%, compared
to the San Antonio MSA at 11.1% and Texas at
11.3%. On the other hand, Schertz has a slightly lower
percentage of the population aged 25 and over with
a high school diploma than the San Antonio MSA and
state of Texas at 21.0%.
This recent data suggests that Schertz has a higher-
educated population compared to San Antonio MSA
and Texas. However, Schertz has a smaller population
compared to the San Antonio MSA and Texas, so the
differences in educational attainment levels may not
necessarily translate to the same absolute numbers of
individuals with specific degrees or credentials.
Figure 5. median household Income
Source: ESRI
Source: ESRI
Figure 6. Educational attainment 25+
CommunIty SnapShot 17
Firmographics
Firmographics is like demographics but for businesses.
While demographics focus on characteristics of
individuals, firmographics looks at characteristics
of companies. It includes details such as industry,
company size, location, and other factors that help
understand and categorize businesses.
Schertz is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). MSA comparison
highlighting occupational employment numbers as
well as hourly/annual wages is shown in Table 5 of
Appendix A. Based on this information, the MSA is
a more competitive environment for companies than
other Texas markets.
Top Employers
The top ten employers in Schertz have shifted
somewhat over the past decade as shown in Table 6
of Appendix A. The table exemplifies the proportion
of the total labor market that is employed by each
employer. However, some of the top employers
remain consistent. The Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City
Independent School District is currently the largest
employer in the area, with over 2,000 employees,
accounting for 10.4% of the total city employment.
Amazon and Sysco Central Texas, Inc. are also
significant employers in the area, with 1,302 and 827
employees, respectively. Other notable employers
include the Republic National Distributing Company,
Brandt Companies, and the City of Schertz.
Some of the employers listed are in the education
sector, such as the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City
Independent School District. Others are in the retail
sector, such as Walmart and H.E.B. Grocery Co. There
are also logistics and distribution companies like FedEx
and Amazon, as well as food service companies like
Sysco Central Texas, Inc. Overall, the top employers
in the City of Schertz represent a diverse range of
industries, providing opportunities for a variety of
skilled and unskilled workers in the area.
Figure 7. top Employers
Source: Schertz EDC, Jobs EQ 2022
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN18
The City of Schertz supports a wide range of land
use activities, including a variety of residential uses,
commercial uses, industrial uses, agricultural uses, etc.
The way in which land is used can have a profound
impact on climate, soil, water, vegetation, and
other biodiversity resources. Understanding existing
land use patterns and their linkages with prevailing
environmental, economic, and social conditions is
crucial to the development and implementation of
land use policy and planning.
This section provides an assessment of the existing
land uses within the City limits and the extraterritorial
jurisdiction (ETJ) of Schertz. The existing land use
analysis presented opportunities and constraints for
development in Schertz.
EXISTING LAND USE
Land Use Acreage Percentage
Single Family 6,283 21.8%
Two-Family (Duplex)4.1 <0.01%
Multifamily 62.0 0.2%
Manufactured Home 448.3 1.6%
Office 77.7 0.3%
Retail 252.1 0.9%
Commercial 933.5 3.2%
Industrial 2,268.5 7.9%
Public/Semi-Public 555.9 1.9%
Parks and Open Space 1,139.7 3.9%
Agriculture 2,766.9 9.6%
Utility 83.4 0.3%
Right-of-way 2,263.5 7.8%
Undeveloped 11,739.6 40.6%
Total 28,878.0 100.0%
Opportunities
A significant portion of the land within the City limits and ETJ is vacant or used for agricultural purposes. This creates an opportunity for future development as water and wastewater services are extended as needed.
Industrial uses in the City are separated from
residential uses by I-35 creating a buffer
between lower and higher intensity uses.
Constraints
Some of the land uses in North Schertz
are separated by physical barriers such as
I-35 restricting movement of vehicles and
pedestrians in the area. There is absence of
adequate commercial uses south of I-35 to
service the residential uses in the area. Potential
development in the area will need to plan for
additional connections to ensure that residents
are able to access services offered in the area.
The presence of the quarry in the northeastern
part of the City limits ETJ serves as a discerning
factor that influences the appropriate
development types in adjacent areas.
Planning for development in South Schertz
poses unique challenges due to its proximity to
the JBSA-Randolph airfield in the form of density
restrictions and permissible land uses.
Table 1. Existing Land use
Map 4. Existing Land use
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN20
PHYSICAL FEATURES
Schertz is located in South Central Texas, about 5 miles northeast of San Antonio. I-35 runs through the northern
part of the City connecting it to New Braunfels, San Marcos, and Austin and I-10 borders the southern boundary
of the City connecting it to Seguin and eventually Houston. The City has varying slopes and the spot elevations
(critical for construction) are shown in Map 5.
Cibolo Creek, Dietz Creek, and Woman Hollering Creek run through the City. Approximately 3,926 acres of
the land within the City limits is located within the 100-year floodplain. As per FEMA, most areas in the City
fall under 0.2% to 1% annual chance flood hazard category. Additionally, changing weather patterns mean the
area can expect more extreme rainstorms and floods in the future. These factors discussed above with Schertz’s
floodplains necessitate flood resilient building and development strategies in the City.
-
Map 5. physical Features
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN22
MARKET SNAPSHOT
The purpose of this snapshot is to provide background information about Schertz that will help influence the
comprehensive planning process to continue economic development momentum and help manage growth for
Schertz. Economic development is important to provide increased revenue for the City to maintain first-class
services, attract quality talent to service existing and future businesses, maintain and expand infrastructure, and
support and attract quality development. Ultimately, this initiative can be used to explore the balance between
market opportunities, land use, and Schertz’s community values and vision for the community.
Economic Trends
In recent years, Schertz has experienced significant
economic growth and development, with several new
businesses and residential developments moving into
the area. The City has invested heavily in infrastructure,
including roads and utilities, to support this growth.
One trend that has emerged in Schertz and other
nearby communities is the growth of logistics and
distribution businesses, particularly those serving
the nearby Port of San Antonio and other regional
transportation hubs. This trend is reflected in the
presence of companies such as Amazon, FedEx
Ground, Republic National Distributing Company,
and Hollingsworth Logistics Group among the top
employers in the area.
Emerging Goals
During this process, several emerging economic
development strategies were identified that can
help maintain and expand economic development
opportunities. These include the following
opportunities.
Explore opportunities to evolve corporate
attraction of advanced technologies
Incorporate retail with placemaking and
destination to increase significance
Expand housing options (missing middle,
executive, attainable)
Invest in local talent
Maintain strong economic development
programs
Leverage development projects with local
and regional economic development
potential
Connect development projects to
one another to maximize sustainable
development opportunities, maximize tax
base and optimize the development patterns
Align development outcomes with the
broader goals of the community in context
with current market conditions
CommunIty SnapShot 23
Economic Assets
Schertz Economic Development
Corporation (SEDC)
The SEDC is a non-profit organization that works to
promote economic development and growth in the
City of Schertz. The organization’s focus is to create
and retain primary jobs and improve infrastructure.
These primary job employers bring new money into
the local economy by exporting goods and services to
other markets. Schertz already has a variety of these
employers, which helps maintain the flow of new
wealth into the community. The SEDC’s objective also
includes enhancing the infrastructure in Schertz so
existing businesses can operate effectively and new
enterprises are incentivized to establish themselves in
the City.
Location
between I-35
and I-10
Substantial
amount of
developable
land
Proximity
to San
Antonio,
Austin and
Houston,
and nearby
communities
High
quality
education
(K-12,
Community
Colleges,
Universities)
Leader
for industrial
development
within the San
Antonio and
Austin region
Randolph
AFB is a
strong
regional
driver
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN24
Market Demand and Existing
Conditions
Industrial
Schertz is centrally located in Central Texas which has
experienced a 14.5% increase in population in the
last five years. With access to quality talent, frontage
on I-35, and available land there is creates favorable
conditions for industrial space in Schertz. The high
population growth rate and purchasing power in the
region is driving demand for industrial space, as new
businesses seek to establish a presence in the region.
Schertz’s industrial inventory is distributed among 172
existing buildings, making up a total of 9.8M square
feet. Market rent for industrial space is currently at
$8.75 per square foot, up 12.6% from last period, while
the vacancy rate has also increased to 5.9%. Based on
market factors and growth projections, Schertz could
expect to absorb an additional 201K square feet of
industrial space annually. However, due to national
economic headwinds, the months on market, months
to lease, and months vacant nationally are all trending
down. In Schertz, the absorption of industrial space
leased over the past 12 months is still trending up,
representing favorable local conditions.
Retail
Schertz has approximately 2.6M square feet of retail
inventory, spread across 185 buildings. According
to Costar, there is approximately 10.8K square feet
under construction. Market rent is currently at $19.26
per square foot, with a vacancy rate of 0.7%. It is
projected that Schertz could absorb 218K square feet
of retail space annually. The net absorption rate has
increased 8.3% year-over-year, which indicates that
the retail space in Schertz is being leased at a steady
pace. Months to lease and months vacant are trending
downward. This could be a result of increased demand
for retail space and limited supply of new retail. There
is a 24-month lease renewal rate of 95.9% suggesting
that retailers are generally resilient and sustainable.
This is a positive sign as it indicates a stable retail
market.
Another measurable trend for retail is retail gross
sales. Retail gross sales provide insights into consumer
spending in the region. Gross sales refer to the total
amount of revenue generated by the retail industry,
which is influenced by consumer spending in the
region. Higher gross sales figures indicate that retail
businesses in the region are generating more revenue,
which could mean that consumers are spending more
on goods and services. The data shows that Schertz
has experienced a steady increase in retail gross sales
over the last 20 years, which correlates to consumer
spending, and an increase in taxes. Table 2 shows the
positive trend in retail gross sales over time.
Office
Schertz has approximately 48 existing office buildings,
making up a total of 340K square feet. Market rent
is currently at $29.03 per square foot, up 2.9% from
the last period, while the vacancy rate has remained
the same at 5.1%. Based upon market growth and
estimated growth of industry clusters, Schertz is
anticipated to absorb 15.9K square feet of office space
annually.
Schertz
Retail Sales
Total Retail
Sales
Retail Sales Subject
to Sales Tax
2010 $411,761,725 $162,432,693
2015 $530,387,554 $192,941,780
2020 $548,637,199 $209,107,151
2021 $641,404,133 $242,987,539
Table 2. Retail Gross Sales
Source: Texas Comptroller
CommunIty SnapShot 25
There is a downward trending 12-month net
absorption rate that indicates that the office space
in Schertz is being leased at a slower pace. This
can be attributed to national post-COVID trends on
occupancy and increased unemployment creating
uncertainty for new office space. However, the rate
is still positive at a 4.7% vacancy rate. There is a
24-month lease renewal rate of 59.7% for office space
in Schertz which suggests that less than two-thirds of
office tenants are choosing to renew their leases. This
is a relatively low renewal rate and may indicate that
tenants are uncertain about the economy and may be
downsizing or deferring making long-term decisions
for office. However, there is a decrease in months on
the market to five months, which may indicate that the
market is beginning to stabilize. Based upon market
trends and short-term forecasts, it is anticipated that
Schertz can absorb 10.5K of office per year.
Housing - Residential
According to the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI),
the typical home value in Schertz has increased
from $223,581 in 2018 to $326,612 in 2023. That
is approximately a 46% increase over five years
and includes all homes, middle tier, smoothed and
seasonally adjusted. The ZHVI is a weighted average
of the middle third of homes in Schertz. Based on data
from January 31, 2023, the median number of days
it takes for a home to go from being listed for sale to
being under contract or pending is 21 days in Schertz.
To understand the capacity of the single-family
residential market, an analysis was performed using
historical data and projected growth rates within
Schertz. It is estimated that Schertz could capture up
to 513 new owner-occupied, single-family detached
units annually. Under half of the demand (33%) is for
units at a price point above $350K, a total of 171 units
annually. Approximately 62% of the demand is for units
above the $250K price point. There is also demand
for an additional 108 owner-occupied units annually in
the form of duplex/triplex/fourplex, townhomes, row
homes, or condos. This represents just over 17% of the
owner-occupied demand within Schertz. These annual
demand numbers do not represent what the City of
Schertz must absorb but represents the annual amount
that Schertz could absorb across all income ranges.
Detailed single-family and multifamily residential
demand is shown in Appendix A.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN26
Psychographics
Psychographics are developed through quantitative
and qualitative methodology to further understand
the nuances of consumers’ psychological attributes.
Psychographics study personality, values, opinions,
attitudes, interests, and lifestyles in concert with
traditional demographic factors. This includes a
wide range of topics including health, politics, and
technology adoption. Each consumer’s unique
attitudes influence their lifestyle choices and their
lifestyles impact purchasing decisions on housing,
clothing, food, entertainment, and more.
Psychographics are critical in understanding a
population’s attitudes and interests rather than
being limited by “objective” demographics. While
demographics can tell us about a household’s size and
average income, psychographics can help to paint a
picture of why that family may purchase a particular
item or have preferences related to technology.
These insights enable people to find similar-interest
households, linking those with similar interests and
attitudes, even if they are from a different community.
The segmentation profile for Schertz in this section is
based on the ESRI Tapestry lifestyle segmentation. A
psychographic segment is assigned to each household,
based on the dominant lifestyle segment. Once
aggregated, a descriptive snapshot of the customer
base can be derived. Tapestry classifies residential
neighborhoods across the U.S. into 67 unique
segments based on demographic and socioeconomic
characteristics. This generates more insight so that
best customers and underserved markets can be
identified. The dominant psychographic segments
within Schertz are summarized as follows.
CommunIty SnapShot 27
Up and Coming Families
(23.6% of Schertz Households)
Who are we?
Up and Coming Families is a market in transition—
residents are younger and more mobile than the
previous generation. They are ambitious, working hard
to get ahead, and willing to take some risks to achieve
their goals. The recession has impacted their financial
well-being, but they are optimistic. Their homes are
new; their families are young. And this is one of the
fastest-growing markets in the country.
Our Neighborhood
New suburban periphery: new families in new
housing subdivisions.
Building began in the housing boom of the 2000s and continues in this fast-growing market.
Single family homes with a median value of
$194,400 and a lower vacancy rate.
The price of affordable housing: longer commute
times (Index 217).
Socioeconomic Traits
Education: 67% have some college education or degree(s).
Hardworking labor force with a participation rate
of 71% (Index 114).
Most households (61%) have two or more workers.
Careful shoppers, aware of prices, willing to shop
around for the best deals and open to influence
by others’ opinions.
Seek the latest and best in technology.
Young families are still feathering the nest and
establishing their style.
Workday Drive
(26.4% of Schertz Households)
Who are we?
Workday Drive is an affluent, family-oriented market
with a country flavor. Residents are partial to new
housing away from the bustle of the City but close
enough to commute to professional job centers. Life
in this suburban wilderness offsets the hectic pace
of two working parents with growing children. They
favor time-saving devices, like banking online or
housekeeping services, and family-oriented pursuits.
Our Neighborhood
Workday Drive residents prefer the suburban
periphery of metropolitan areas.
Predominantly single family homes are in newer neighborhoods, 34% built in the 1990s, 31% built since 2000.
Owner-occupied homes have a high rate of
mortgages at 68% and low rate vacancy at 4%.
Median home value is $257,400.
Most households are married couples with
children; average household size is 2.97.
Most households have two or three vehicles; long travel times to work including a disproportionate number commuting from a
different county.
Socioeconomic Traits
Education: 40.5% college graduates; more than 72% with some college education.
High labor force participation rate at 71%;
two out of three households include two plus
workers.
Connected, with a host of wireless devices—anything that enables convenience, like banking, paying bills, or even shopping online.
Well-insured and invested in a range of funds,
from savings accounts or bonds to stocks.
Carry a higher level of debt, including first and second mortgages and auto loans.
2.97 3.12
Average
Household Size
Average
Household Size
37.0 31.4
Median Age Median Age
$90,500 $72,000
Median
Household
Income
Median
Household
Income
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN28
Down the Road
(12.1% of Schertz Households)
Who are we?
Down the Road is a mix of low-density, semi-rural
neighborhoods in large metropolitan areas. Almost
half of householders live in mobile homes; more than
two-fifths live in single-family homes. These are young,
family-oriented consumers who value their traditions.
Workers are in service, retail trade, manufacturing,
and construction industries, with higher proportions in
agriculture and mining, compared to the U.S.
Our Neighborhood
Nearly two-thirds of households are owned.
Family market, primarily married couples or single-parent households (Index 145).
Close to half of all households live in mobile
homes (Index 780).
Four-fifths of households were built in 1970 or later.
About 32% of homes are valued under $50,000.
Socioeconomic Traits
Education completed: 36% with a high school
diploma only, 41% with some college education
or a degree.
Labor force participation rate is 59%, slightly lower than the U.S.
Family-oriented, outgoing consumers; they
place importance on preserving time-honored
customs.
Middleburg
(10.1% of Schertz Households)
Who are we?
Middleburg neighborhoods transformed from the easy
pace of country living to semi-rural subdivisions in the
last decade, as the housing boom spread beyond large
metropolitan cities. Residents are traditional, family-
oriented consumers. Still more country than rock and
roll, they are thrifty but willing to carry some debt and
are already investing in their futures. They rely on their
smartphones and mobile devices to stay in touch and
pride themselves on their expertise. They prefer to buy
American and travel in the U.S. This market is younger
but growing in size and assets.
Our Neighborhood
Semi-rural locales within metropolitan areas.
Neighborhoods changed rapidly in the previous decade with the addition of new single-family homes.
Include a number of mobile homes.
Affordable housing, median value of $175,000 with a low vacancy rate.
Young couples, many with children; average
household size is 2.75.
Socioeconomic Traits
Education: 65% with a high school diploma or
some college.
Labor force participation typical of a younger population at 66.7%.
Traditional values are the norm here—faith,
country, and family.
Prefer to buy American and for a good price.
Comfortable with the latest in technology for
convenience (online banking or saving money on
landlines) and entertainment.
2.76 2.75
Average
Household Size
Average
Household Size
35.0 36.1
Median Age Median Age
$38,700 $59,800
Median
Household
Income
Median
Household
Income
CommunIty SnapShot 29
Boomburbs
(7.6% of Schertz Households)
Who are we?
This is the new growth market, with a profile similar
to the original: young professionals with families that
have opted to trade up to the newest housing in the
suburbs. The original Boomburbs’ neighborhoods
began growing in the 1990s and continued through
the peak of the housing boom. Most of those
neighborhoods are fully developed now. This is
an affluent market but with a higher proportion
of mortgages. Rapid growth still distinguishes the
Boomburbs neighborhoods, although the boom is
more subdued now than it was 10 years ago. So is
the housing market. Residents are well-educated
professionals with a running start on prosperity.
Our Neighborhood
Growth markets are in the suburban periphery of
large metropolitan areas.
Young families are married with children (Index 220); average household size is 3.25.
Homeownership is 84% (Index 134), with the
highest rate of mortgages, 71.5% (Index 173).
Primarily single-family homes in new neighborhoods, 66% built since 2000 (Index 441).
Median home value is $350,000 (Index 169).
Lower housing vacancy rate at 3.7%.
The cost of affordable new housing comes at
the expense of one of the longest commutes
to work, over 30 minutes average, including a
disproportionate number (33.6%) commuting
across county lines (Index 141).
Socioeconomic Traits
Well-educated young professionals, 55% are
college graduates (Index 178).
High labor force participation at 71.3% (Index 114); most households have more than two workers (Index 124).
Longer commute times from the suburban
growth corridors have created more home
workers (Index 156).
Well connected, own the latest devices and
understand how to use them efficiently; biggest
complaints—too many devices and too many
intrusions on personal time.
Financial planning is well under way for these
professionals.
3.25
Average
Household Size
34.0
Median Age
$113,400
Median Household
Income
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN30
Situational Analysis
Strengths
Geographic Location: Schertz is
strategically located between two
major cities in Texas, San Antonio and
Austin, making it an ideal location for
businesses to operate. I-35 and I-10
frontage.
Strong Economy: Schertz has a strong
economy supported by a few different
industries including manufacturing,
healthcare, and retail.
Infrastructure: The City has great
infrastructure, including a well-
maintained road network, access to rail
and air transport, and reliable utilities.
Quality of Life: Schertz has a great
quality of life with excellent public
services, good schools, and a low crime
rate.
Weaknesses
Limited Public Transportation: Schertz
lacks an efficient public transportation
system, which can make it difficult for
residents to access employment and
other opportunities in neighboring
cities.
Limited Cultural Opportunities: The
City lacks significant cultural attractions
and opportunities, such as museums,
theaters, and festivals.
Limited Higher Education
Opportunities: Schertz does not have
any colleges or universities, which
can make it challenging for residents
to pursue higher education without
commuting to neighboring cities.
Key Challenges
Managing Rapid Growth: The City has
experienced significant population
growth in recent years, which has
put pressure on City services and
infrastructure. The challenge is to
manage this growth effectively while
maintaining the City’s quality of life and
economic vitality.
Traffic Congestion: Schertz is located at the crossroads of several major highways primarily managed by TxDOT, which has led to traffic problems and congestion. The City needs to invest in transportation infrastructure and collaborate with TxDOT to improve mobility and reduce congestion.
Economic Diversification: Schertz’s
economy is heavily dependent on a few
industries, such as manufacturing and
healthcare. The City needs to diversify
its economy to reduce the risk of
economic downturns and create more
job opportunities.
Attainable Housing: Schertz has experienced rising housing costs due to its rapid growth and demand for housing. The City needs to ensure there is a sufficient supply of attainable housing to meet the needs of its residents.
Opportunities
Business Growth: Schertz can
leverage its strategic location and
strong economic base to attract new
businesses and industries to the
area, which can create more jobs and
generate more revenue.
Tourism: Schertz can develop its cultural
and historical attractions to attract
more tourists to the area and promote
economic growth.
CommunIty SnapShot 31
Market Factors
Category
Owner-
Occupied
Residential
Renter-
Occupied
Residential
Office Retail Industrial
Demand High High Moderate Moderate Moderate
Opportunities
Missing middle
Planned
developments
Mixed-use Leverage
regional talent
Mixed-use
Themed Flex-tech
Challenges
Lack of
infrastructure
No analog
for alternate
product
Anti-rental
culture
Inflation
Increased
unemployment
Labor costs
Regional
competition
Decreased
demand
Target $350+Urban walk up Corporate
Garden
Destination
retail
Entertainment
Advanced
manufacturing
Market Values $326,612 $1.29/SF $29.03/SF $19.26/SF $8.75/SF
Absorption
Rate
513 units
annually
371 units
annually
10,500 SF
annually
218K SF
annually
200K SF
annually
Table 3. Implementation Justification
Focus
Areas &
EngagementCH
A
P
T
E
R
2
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN34
INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides a summary of the key takeaways from the public engagement process conducted over
seven months to gather input from the community on the Comprehensive Plan. It also outlines the policy
statements that will provide the overall direction for future development in the City of Schertz. These policy
statements reflect the vision, goals, and aspirations of the community. The policy statements are also informed
by the public engagement process that included various methods for gathering input.
FoCuS aREaS & EnGaGEmEnt 35
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Public Engagement
Summary
Input was gathered from residents
and stakeholders throughout the
update process and is incorporated
into every section of the Plan. It
informs the recommended strategies
for future land use, transportation,
and economic development as
well as the policy statements for
development in Schertz. Several
engagement methods were utilized
to provide multiple ways for
people to participate. Engagement
opportunities included an online
survey and interactive map, focus
groups, stakeholder input, and
Comprehensive Plan Advisory
Committee (CPAC) meetings.
Detailed public engagement results
are provided in Appendix B. This
section provides a summary of
the input received through these
different methods of community
engagement.
On
l
i
n
e
S
u
r
v
e
y
o
p
e
n
Pr
o
j
e
c
t
W
e
b
s
i
t
e
O
p
e
n
f
o
r
C
o
m
m
e
n
t
s
On
l
i
n
e
S
u
r
v
e
y
o
p
e
n
CPAC Meeting 1
Focus Groups 1-5
Dunkin’ for Pumpkins
Community Event
City Council Hearing
and Adoption
CPAC Meeting 2
CPAC Meeting 3
CPAC Meeting 4
May 2023
July 2023
October 2023
March 2024
July 2023
September 2023
February 2024
To be updated
To be updated
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN36
Comprehensive Planning Advisory
Committee
Schertz’s Planning & Zoning Commission served as the
Comprehensive Planning Advisory Committee (CPAC).
The CPAC was the primary steering committee for the
Plan’s development. They guided various stages of
plan development to ensure that the Comprehensive
Plan follows the community’s needs and vision. Their
key responsibilities included championing the planning
process, providing feedback on the analysis presented
by the planning team, guiding Plan recommendations,
and ultimately recommending the final draft to the City
Council for adoption. A total of four CPAC meetings
were conducted throughout the process. These
meetings were open to the public.
Key Takeaways
Maintain close relationship with the Randolph Air
Force Base.
Promote responsible growth.
Identify locations for multifamily development.
Identify locations for and implement traffic
improvements.
Provide more retail and commercial land uses in
southern part of the City.
Advance conservation strategies to prevent and
control flooding.
Develop Schertz as a destination.
Establish adequate services and amenities to
retain the population.
Provide housing options at different price ranges
for ALL.
Clearly define mixed-use development.
FoCuS aREaS & EnGaGEmEnt 37
Project Website and Interactive Map
A project website was developed to provide all
stakeholders with one-stop access to all the resources
and updates related to the Comprehensive Plan. The
website provided relevant information about past
planning efforts, an overview of the planning process,
updates on upcoming engagement opportunities, and
an option to contact the project team directly.
An interactive map was embedded into the website
to gather issues and concerns related to specific
locations. The map highlighted five focus areas, as
shown in Figure 1, with corresponding focus area
number labels next to each area, to gather targeted
recommendations and concerns related to these areas.
Key Takeaways
Provide more grocery stores to serve the
residential areas in Focus Area 1.
Update zoning to provide affordable housing
options in Focus Area 1.
Ensure that development surrounding the
Randolph Air Force Base in Focus Area 2 is
compliant with the requirements of the Air
Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ).
Encourage commercial and industrial
development along I-35.
Preserve green spaces and provide trails,
playgrounds, dog parks, etc.
Improve existing roadways.
Improve public safety and security.
Figure 8. Interactive map
1
2
3
5
4
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN38
Online Survey
In addition to the website and interactive map, an
online survey was conducted over a span of two
months to provide a quick, easy, and virtual option for
the community to voice its goals, vision, and issues.
The online survey gathered input related to local
perception of emerging trends for the community as
a whole as well as for each of the five focus areas. A
detailed provision of survey results is provided in B.
Key Takeaways
Maintain the small-town charm and character of
Schertz.
Continue to maintain and improve neighborhood
safety throughout the City.
Leverage proximity to larger urban areas – San
Antonio and Austin.
Industrial and medical development offering
job opportunities for residents identified as a
strength of the community.
Leverage proximity to I-35 and I-10 for
promoting economic growth.
Improve connectivity through provision of a
multimodal transportation system.
Maintain the family-friendly atmosphere of the
City.
Preserve green spaces and provide greater
access to natural amenities.
Promote quality of life.
Need more recreational, entertainment, retail
development such as restaurants, grocery stores,
etc. close to residential areas.
Provide a variety of housing options with varied
price ranges to attract professionals and young
families to the area.
Encourage aging in place.
Improve drainage and flood prevention
infrastructure.
FoCuS aREaS & EnGaGEmEnt 39
Virtual Focus Groups
The planning team organized five focus groups to
gather input from key stakeholders in the community
– developers, homeowners and homeowners’
associations, local business owners, Randolph Air
Force Base, and boards and commissions. These focus
group meetings were conducted via Zoom to maximize
attendance. The feedback from the focus groups
significantly impacted the identification of issues,
future land use decisions, and recommended actions
for implementation.
Key Takeaways
Ensure responsible growth.
Address circulation and traffic issues, especially
north of I-35.
Improve rural roads.
Provide activities for young adults and families.
Promote housing attainability for young families
and professionals.
Need more recreational, entertainment, retail
development such as restaurants, grocery stores,
etc. close to residential areas.
Leverage the location of Schertz near major
urban areas connected through I-35 and I-10.
Provide flood control infrastructure.
Enhance Cibolo Creek.
Develop the trail system.
Ensure density of development in areas
surrounding the Randolph Air Force Base follows
the recommendation in the AICUZ study.
Provide adequate utilities and services in the
northeast part of Schertz.
Dunkin’ for Pumpkins
Community Event
The planning team set up a booth to inform the
community about the comprehensive plan update
process at the Dunkin’ for Pumpkins event organized
by the City of Schertz. The booth had a few interactive
activities:
The first main activity was a coin investing
exercise. Participants allocated ten coins
among twelve options, revealing Schertz’s
residents priorities. Amenities for kids were the
top concern, followed by active conservation
of natural areas, general safety, and park-
connecting trails.
The booth’s second key activity was centered
around children, inviting them to draw their
favorite thing about living in Schertz. Many
children enjoyed the Dunkin’ for Pumpkins
event, and a love for the parks was also evident.
The children appreciate the community events
and spaces where they can participate and play.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN40
Public Engagement
Leading with Community Input
The goal of the Comprehensive Plan is to reflect the values and desires of the community as it plans for future
development and growth. To verify that the community’s vision for Schertz is appropriately reflected in the Plan,
community input was gathered during all stages of the planning process. The City gathered input using multiple
tools such as an online survey, interactive map, advisory committee meetings, community meeting, and focus
groups.
4Advisory
Committee
Meetings
1Community
Event
409
Survey
Responses
5
Focus
Groups
1,957
Project Website
Unique Users
The input received through the public engagement process was incorporated
into developing the policy statements, Future Land Use Plan, economic
development strategies, and implementation plan.
Impact
FoCuS aREaS & EnGaGEmEnt 41
More Retail,
Restaurants, and
Entertainment
Recurring Themes
Quotes from Community Members
What We Heard
“ We need more food and
lunch options to serve the
workforce in this area.”
“Improve traffic flow.”
“Create a balanced program of local events to
encourage all age groups to come together with
a purpose for the community. Farmers markets,
concerts in the park for all ages, plays in the
park, community events on a smaller scale for
neighborhoods to collaborate, programs that
teach how to care for your home and garden/
lawn - safety, helping each other - get to know
your neighbor/hood social events. Food trucks
in the parks, coffee time gatherings - monthly
gatherings - am, pm and weekends.”
“Schertz is a prime location with
development, small business, and
affordable living opportunities
close to San Antonio without the
congestion and taxes of a bigger
city.”
“Provide more park areas/
green spaces where citizens
can enjoy well maintained
outdoor areas.”
Safe
Neighborhoods
Responsible
Growth
Diverse
Housing Options
Flood Control
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN42
POLICY STATEMENTS
As Schertz moves closer to build-out regarding available vacant parcels remaining in the City limits, the
designation of future land use is important. While it is no guarantee that the future land use designations will
play out as intended, it gives the City a guide for planning for infrastructure and helps the market visualize
potential development and redevelopment opportunities. Economic vitality, sustainable development and
preserving Schertz’s identity are key to a successful future that establishes a resilient community.
The following policy statements incorporate input from the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, the
Planning and Zoning Commission, City staff, stakeholder engagement, the interactive online community
survey and analysis of existing conditions to provide guiding principles that prioritize responsible growth.
These policy statements outline a comprehensive vision for the City’s future land use, aiming to create an
inclusive, resilient, and thriving environment for current and future generations. Through strategic planning and
thoughtful implementation, these policies seek to promote a community characterized by diverse, connected
neighborhoods, economic opportunities, and a commitment to preserving the natural beauty that defines
Schertz.
FoCuS aREaS & EnGaGEmEnt 43
Promote Mixed-Use Development
Encourage the development of mixed-use
development to create vibrant, walkable
neighborhoods and commercial and retail areas with
access to amenities within close proximity.
Enhance Transportation Networks
Invest in a comprehensive transportation system that
includes roadways, public transit, pedestrian pathways,
and cycling lanes to improve accessibility, reduce
congestion, and support diverse mobility options.
Encourage Main Street Development
Support the growth of main street as a cultural and
economic hub by encouraging small businesses,
preserving historical character, and creating inviting
public spaces.
Preserve Green Spaces and Natural
Areas
Protect and preserve natural landscapes, parks, and
green spaces to maintain the City’s natural aesthetics,
promote outdoor recreational activities, and enhance
overall community well-being.
Support Sustainable Development
Practices
Advocate for sustainable building design, energy-
efficient infrastructure, and responsible land use
practices to minimize environmental impact and foster
long-term resilience.
Collaborate with Stakeholders
Foster partnerships and collaboration among City
officials, developers, businesses, residents, and
other stakeholders to ensure current and future land
use decisions reflect the needs and vision of the
community.
Encourage Economic Diversity
Promote a diverse economy by attracting various
businesses, industries, and employment opportunities,
fostering innovation, and supporting local
entrepreneurship.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN44
FOCUS AREAS
Focus Area 1
Existing Conditions
Focus Area 1 is located in the southeastern part of the
City. The focus area runs north of I-10 consisting of
a mainly undeveloped agricultural and single-family
residential. With a large amount of the area being
vacant land, there have been recent approvals to
rezone the area to single-family residential zoning.
Large portions of this focus area are also with the City’s
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).
Proposed Land Use and Character
Focus Area 1 is envisioned as a vibrant area of the
City, primarily composed of single-family residential
developments, complemented by strategically placed
commercial along I-10. The proposed Future Land
Use Plan includes small local commercial with mixed-
use centers along FM 1518, ensuring convenient
access to essential services and amenities, ultimately
enhancing the quality of life in adjacent residential
areas. Given the limited retail options in the southern
part of Schertz, the commercial components along
the main thoroughfares aim to address this gap,
providing essential goods and services. Notably,
the consideration of the floodplain on the east side
underscores a thoughtful approach, emphasizing
residential development to maximize opportunities in
this lower density area.
Recommended Strategies
Attract restaurants and retail establishments to
bolster the amenities of southern Schertz.
Promote commercial retail destinations along
I-10 to capitalize on the corridor’s strategic
location, thereby enhancing tax revenues.
Create Mixed Use Centers that offer a diverse
range of goods, services, and housing options
with varied price ranges.
Prioritize the consideration of the floodplain in
development planning, incorporating design
and mitigation measures.
Promote compatibility between commercial
development north of I-10 and adjacent
residential areas by implementing adequate
buffering and transitions.
Ensure seamless access to planned
commercial destinations by extending existing
rights-of-way and constructing new ones.
The City identified these five focus areas as vacant or developable spaces with the potential to evolve into
unique districts through targeted strategies, incentives, or its prime location. Initially, they were at the forefront
of the comprehensive plan update. However, with the development of the Future Land Use Plan, the project
shifted its emphasis from these specific areas to the entire city. While maintaining attention on these areas, the
following provides detailed insight into the five focus areas and suggests strategies to align with the City’s goals.
Additionally, an in-depth market analysis is included for each area.
Map 6. Existing Land use - Focus area 1
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN46
Focus Area 2
Existing Conditions
Situated between the JBSA Randolph Air Force Base
and I-10, Focus Area 2 has a blend of single-family
residential, strategically placed commercial land uses
along I-10, and the air installation zones to the north.
Noteworthy is the presence of the 100-year floodplain,
adding another dimension to the landscape of this
focus area.
Proposed Land Use and Character
Influenced significantly by the JBSA Randolph Air
Force Base, this area is planned for rural living. This
allocation aligns with the AICUZ study conducted
by the base, emphasizing minimal density to adhere
to the study’s recommendations. Understanding the
importance of this study is crucial in shaping the future
development of this area. Moving closer to I-10, the
introduction of commercial spaces serves as a dual
purpose: acting as a buffer between the highway and
residential uses while capitalizing on the advantageous
business potential that commercial areas receive when
situated along highways .
Recommended Strategies
Preserve the rural living character influenced
by the JBSA Randolph Air Force Base.
Strategically plan commercial developments
to best serve the adjacent residential areas
and tap into the advantageous business
potential along the highway.
Prioritize collaboration among stakeholders
involved in the area’s development. Regular
engagement with the base, local authorities,
and community can foster a cohesive
approach to everyone’s goals.
Due to the presence of the 100-year
floodplain, implement effective mitigation
strategies in the planning and development
processes.
Encourage ongoing community engagement
and education about the AICUZ study and its
implications.
Map 7. Existing Land use - Focus area 2
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN48
Focus Area 3
Existing Conditions
Positioned in the northernmost part of the City’s
ETJ, Focus Area 3 features a centrally located quarry
surrounded by large lot single-family residential.
Proposed Land Use and Character
Focus Area 3 is designated as development reserve,
strategically positioned for future possibilities.
Currently hosting a fully operating quarry, this land use
designation anticipates potential redevelopment in the
future. Despite no immediate plans for redevelopment,
this approach ensures the continuity of the existing use
while preserving the option for future updates to the
Future Land Use Map. This forward-thinking strategy
allows for adaptability in response to evolving needs
and urban planning considerations.
Recommended Strategies
Focus on current residents’ well-being by
addressing environmental impacts, traffic, and
noise for an enhanced quality of life.
Preserve the area as development reserve,
allowing responsive adjustments to the Future
Land Use Plan based on evolving City needs.
Keep the area within the City’s ETJ to maintain
control over future development, ensuring the
City can help guide the future redevelopment
and protect the community’s interests.
Map 8. Existing Land use - Focus area 3
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN50
Focus Area 4
Existing Conditions
Focus Area 4 is located within the ETJ on the northeast
side of the City. Situated just south of the I-35 corridor,
this area consists of large lot single-family residential.
There is also an area of the 100-year floodplain to the
north of this focus area.
Proposed Land Use and Character
Being within the ETJ, careful consideration has
been given to the development and plans of the
surrounding cities, particularly Cibolo and New
Braunfels. Their envisioned commercial retail plans
align with the potential needs for this area. Bearing
this in mind, the proposed land use plan aligns with
the existing character, maintaining the single-family
residential focus that harmonizes with the surrounding
landscape.
Recommended Strategies
Ensure roads, utilities, and services are
adequately designed and provided to support
both the existing residential character and
potential new developments.
Maintain the current single-family residential
land use to uphold the current atmosphere to
ensure consistency with the existing landscape
and preferences of residents.
Foster collaborative planning efforts with the
neighboring cities to align strategies for the
development in the area.
Map 9. Existing Land use - Focus area 4
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN52
Focus Area 5
Existing Conditions
Focus Area 5 is located in the northeastern part of the
City. The focus area runs north of I-35 consisting of a
mix of single-family residential, industrial, commercial,
retail, office, and public/semi-public uses. The area
also contains a significant percentage of vacant parcels
indicating potential for development. The northern
part of the focus area is located adjacent to the 100-
year floodplain.
Proposed Land Use and Character
Focus Area 5 is envisioned to be developed as
a predominantly commercial area along the I-35
corridor along with mixed-use development and
industrial development located in the western part of
the focus area. Commercial and mixed land uses are
proposed to ensure improved access to necessary
services and amenities to improve livability of the
adjacent residential areas. The area will allow for
grocery stores, entertainment and recreation, medical
facilities, restaurants, and retail to serve the residential
development located west of I-35 as well as provide a
regional draw.
Recommended Strategies
Ensure development appropriately considers
the 100-year floodplain through design
and mitigation. Incentivize the use of low
impact development and green infrastructure
techniques in private development.
Attract restaurants, entertainment, and
retail uses to the area to support adjacent
residential areas as well as provide
destinations for visitors from around the City.
Ensure that commercial development south
of I-35 is compatible with adjacent residential
development and has adequate buffering and
transition from the residential uses.
Encourage commercial retail uses along I-35
to leverage the location of the corridor and
boost tax revenues.
Continue to coordinate with TxDOT on the
expansion of FM 2252.
Ensure access to proposed commercial
destinations through extending existing rights-
of-way and constructing new rights-of-way.
Provide a variety of housing options with
varied price ranges in the Mixed Use Center.
Encourage a mixed-use center on the
northwest side of the focus area, taking into
account the potential rail line stop. Emphasize
adaptability in the development for various
transportation needs. In the event of the
rail line stop, consider increasing the area’s
density to meet the increased demand.
Map 10. Existing Land use - Focus area 5
LAND USE &
ECONOMIC
STRATEGY
CH
A
P
T
E
R3
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN56
INTRODUCTION
This chapter elaborates on the future land use plan, recommended transportation connections, and
economic development strategies. These elements are informed by the existing conditions analysis,
market analysis, and the community’s goals and aspirations.
Leading with Community input
What type of retail and services does
Schertz need more of?
Sit-down, full-service
dining
55%
38%Entertainment,
recreation
More/better healthy
grocery options32%In 2044, residents will be connected to
the services they need through:
SAFE
NEIGHBORHOODS
62%
What are the best ways to ensure that
all residents can prosper?
79%
SUPPORT LOCAL
BUSINESS AND
ENTREPRENEURS
In 2044, Schertz will be known for:
1
2
3
Ra
n
k
Ra
n
k
Ra
n
k
Complete streets that
accommodate bikes, transit,
cars, and pedestrians
A connected sidewalk
network
Off-street bike and pedestrian
trail network
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 57
TOPIC OF INTEREST: COMPLETE COMMUNITIES
Complete Communities is a concept built on the premise that people should be able to go
about all of their essential daily activities and needs within a short distance of their home,
preferably within a 10-minute walking or biking distance. For this to be possible, people
must have access to housing with jobs, shopping, services, schools, medical clinics, parks,
etc. nearby. Strategies to achieve this include more dense development, diversity of housing
choices and land uses, and good quantity and quality of employment options.
Mixed-use developments are ideal to support the idea of complete communities as the
strategies noted above are inherently the basic elements of a good mixed-use center.
In addition to the provisions of diverse housing within close proximity of destinations, it is
inherent to consider the form and experience of the routes between those places (i.e., the
roads and sidewalks). If a walk or bike route is not comfortable, safe, and/or interesting
it is much less likely to be utilized as intended. Providing generous sidewalks, bike lanes,
and shade-producing street trees along routes will make the places and spaces much more
successful.
This concept can be utilized to boost the success of the Main Street, Complete
Neighborhoods, and Mixed Use Center land use categories in particular.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN58
Stormwater Design Principles
Volume management is a critical
aspect of modern stormwater
infrastructure, emphasizing the need
to effectively control and mitigate the
quantity of stormwater runoff in urban
environments. Traditional systems often
struggle to handle increased volumes of
water during storms, leading to flooding
and environmental hazards. Innovative
approaches to volume management
focus on the integration of sustainable
practices such as green roofs,
permeable pavements, and retention
basins that capture water at the source.
These features work synergistically to
capture water during peak flows, slow
it down, and gradually release it into
the environment, reducing the strain on
drainage systems and minimizing the
risk of localized flooding.
Conventional stormwater systems
often result in the rapid transport
of pollutants, such as sediments,
nutrients, and chemicals, into rivers
and streams, adversely impacting
water quality. This is especially true
of initial runoff or “first inch” of
water during a storm, which picks up
pollutants that have been gathering
on surfaces since the last rainfall.
Innovative stormwater infrastructure
employs a range of best management
practices to address this issue.
Green infrastructure elements such
as vegetated swales, bio-retention
basins, and constructed wetlands,
act as natural filters, trapping and
treating pollutants before they reach
water bodies.
Peak flow reduction is a
crucial aspect of stormwater
infrastructure design, aiming
to manage and mitigate the
intensity of stormwater runoff
during peak rainfall events. In
addition to increasing the number
of green infrastructure elements
that help reduce average volume
within the stormwater system. It
is important that critical systems
are built to accommodate at least
to the 10- or 25-year storms to
help manage flows during peak
rainfall events.
Volume
Management Water Quality
Improvement
Peak Flow
Reduction
TOPIC OF INTEREST: INNOVATIVE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
In natural landscapes, stormwater is often absorbed gradually into the soil or follows the
natural topography, flowing toward lower elevations and eventually reaching ponds, wetlands,
or waterways. In this case, the soil acts as a sponge, allowing for natural infiltration and
filtration processes. However, in urban and suburban areas dominated by impervious surfaces
such as roads, pavements, and buildings, stormwater is no longer distributed evenly and
absorbed naturally. Often, this causes water to run off these impermeable structures at high
velocities and volumes, which may cause flooding, environmental contamination, and structural
damage in surrounding areas. To help mitigate stormwater issues, Schertz has a complex
network of drainage channels and underground pipes that help move stormwater runoff from
developments toward natural creeks and waterways.
Continuous stormwater management is important for Schertz. The majority of the City’s
historical flood events have occurred within the floodplains located in southeast Schertz along
Cibolo Creek, as well as in some areas in southwest Schertz near the intersection of I-10 and
FM 1604. Soil, topography, and land use shape the role and performance of stormwater in any
City. Schertz is located within the Blackland Prairie ecological region, which features heavy clay
soils. This soil type is broadly considered within the category of “expansive soils,” which have
the unique property of expanding and contracting with changes in moisture content. During
periods of heavy rainfall or flooding, these soils absorb water and undergo expansion. This
expansion can lead to increased soil volume and may cause damage to foundations, roads,
and other infrastructure. Generally, slopes within the City of Schertz are low, between 0 and 2
degrees.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 59
Green Infrastructure Examples
Permeable Pavement
Using natural systems and processes, such as wetlands, native planting areas, and bioswales, to treat
and retain stormwater is referred to as green infrastructure. These elements not only effectively filter
and manage stormwater but also contribute significantly to the enhancement of local biodiversity.
Wetlands, for example, act as natural filtration systems, removing pollutants and improving water
quality and are also some of the most bio-diverse ecosystems. Using native plant species in these
elements plays a crucial role in reducing nutrient runoff and fosters habitat for local species,
especially birds and pollinators. Reducing the amount of paved or “grey” infrastructure has many
benefits, including improving the aesthetics of the City, which cold be especially useful along Main
Street Schertz and public spaces such as parks.
Parking Lot Drainage Swale
Curb Bioretention
Streetscape Rain Gardens
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN60
Implementing Green Infrastructure
Implementing innovative stormwater improvements involves a multi-faceted approach that
integrates green infrastructure into various aspects of urban planning and development. To enhance
watershed health and manage stormwater effectively, cities can conduct evaluations of existing gray
infrastructure, flood zones, and regulatory requirements and create a citywide sustainable stormwater
management plan. This plan can strategically incorporate green infrastructure elements within the
right-of-way, optimizing the use of bioswales, permeable surfaces, and other green infrastructure.
Additionally, it is crucial that the City examines its development code for existing requirements that
may contribute to the creation of additional grey infrastructure. Often parking requirements are one
aspect of the development code where there can be a significant reduction of impervious pavement
that accompanies each development. Where appropriate, street design standards should be
evaluated to identify where pedestrian and bike infrastructure can be added to the existing right-of-
ways, helping to reduce the number or width of lanes and provide additional green buffers that can
be used for various bioretention or green infrastructure improvements. Pedestrian zones are some of
the best candidates for permeable pavement projects as they require less maintenance and pose less
engineering challenges compared to permeable roadway projects.
Ensuring Appropriate Design
Various funding sources can support the implementation of green infrastructure projects aimed
at stormwater management. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers grants through
programs like the Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program and the National Estuary Program (NEP),
emphasizing the importance of green infrastructure in reducing pollution and improving water quality.
Additionally, the USDA’s Watershed & Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program provides for
cooperation to prevent erosion, floodwater, and sediment damage. The Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) provides funding through the Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) program, recognizing the economic benefits and increased property values associated with
green infrastructure projects. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also provides
a wide variety of Hazard Mitigation grants that can fund planning (HMGP), resiliency projects (BRIC/
FMA/MIG), and disaster recovery (HMGP).
State-level support is available through programs like the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
(CWSRF), offering low-interest loans for water quality improvement and stormwater projects. Local
governments can also implement stormwater utility impact fees, providing a dedicated funding
stream for green infrastructure programs. Alternatively, permit fees and the issuance of green bonds
can be utilized by local governments to generate revenue for environmentally focused projects,
with green bonds attracting investors interested in supporting sustainable initiatives. These diverse
funding sources cater to different aspects of green infrastructure implementation, providing cities
with flexible options to support resilient and sustainable stormwater management.
Funding Mechanisms
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 61
FUTURE LAND USE PLAN
The future land use plan is one of the most crucial elements of a Comprehensive Plan. The Future
Land Use Map (FLUM) developed as part of this Comprehensive Plan will guide development in the
next 10-20 years.
Future Land Use vs. Zoning
The Future Land Use Map is different from the zoning map in that it does not directly affect the
regulation of land within the City limits or the ETJ. Rather, it should be seen as a guiding document
for determining appropriate land uses and development types. It should be used by the City to guide
decisions on proposed zoning and development standards. The following table shows a side-by-side
comparison of the purposes, uses, and considerations of the Future Land Use Map and the zoning
map.
FUTURE LAND USE MAP ZONING MAP
Purposes
• outlook for the future use of land and the character of development in the community.
• macro-level, general development plan.
• Basis for applying unique land use regulations and development standards in different areas of the City.
• micro-level, site-specific focus.
Uses
• Guidance for City zoning and related
decisions (zone change requests,
Specific use permits, etc.).
• Baseline for monitoring the consistency
of actions and decisions with the City’s
adopted Comprehensive plan.
• Regulating development as it is
proposed, or as sites are proposed for
the future (by the owner or the City)
with appropriate zoning.
Inputs and Considerations
• Inventory of existing land uses in the
City.
• Developing better area character and
identity as a core planning focus along
with basic land uses.
• the map includes a notation required by texas Local Government Code Section 213.005: “a comprehensive plan shall not constitute zoning regulations or establish zoning district boundaries”.
• Future Land use mapis referred to for
general guidance.
• other community objectives,
such as economic development,
redevelopment, flood preservation, etc.
• Zoning decisions that are not compliant
with the FLum will need to be updated
or changed when the Comprehensive
plan is next updated.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN62
Future Land Use Categories
Future land use categories represent the diverse permitted land uses in the City of Schertz. Land use categories are
assigned to general areas of the City that are expected to exhibit appropriate characteristics similar to those outlined
below and be consistent with the overarching policies and land planning policies that have been developed. Nine
land use categories have been identified and are described on the following pages.
The components of each category are described in the below section. Colors assigned to each component may be
referenced with the corresponding dashboard example.
Future Land Use
Category Example
12
3
Land Use Description
Each category section includes a general description of the Land Use Category, providing
narrative details about the overall intent of and land use makeup of each category. The
descriptions are a framework for how each area is expected to develop or redevelop in the
future.
Visual Representation
Each dashboard includes images depicting examples of the primary development type
within the land use. Local examples have been used where available. These photos are
not comprehensive and may not illustrate all appropriate uses. The representations,
however, should be referenced when considering the built form of development inquiries.
Development Ratio
The development ratio dial serves as guidance on the overall mix of commercial to non-
commercial types of development envisioned for the areas covered by the land use
category. This is not intended to be a hard number, but more a target or rule of thumb.
1
2
3
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 63
Main STREET
unique to the historic main Street corridor, land
uses include commercial, retail, office, residential,
cultural, and entertainment spaces, strategically
designed to create a dynamic urban core that
promotes a pedestrian experience that provides
main Street businesses with increased traffic.
Development and redevelopment projects
should incorporate public spaces in main Street
to encourage activities for residents and visitors.
Rural LIVING
Sparse development, natural landscapes, and
agricultural activities characterize Rural Living areas.
these zones prioritize the preservation of open
space, support for farming and ranching, and the
conservation of ecological habitats. this land use type
includes farmland, pasture land, estate residential,
isolated country residences, and complementary
uses. this category is considered to be compatible
with the requirements of JBSa-Randolph.
Res.non-Res.
35%65%
Res.non-Res.*
40%60%
*Working farm and ranch lands are considered non-
residential for these purposes, even though people may be
living on the land as part of the agricultural operation.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN64
Complete NEIGHBORHOOD
Complete Neighborhoods are commonly have
access to local corridors and retail centers. They
are characterized by a mixture of housing options
with supporting land uses, such as neighborhood
commercial. Roadways through these
neighborhoods should promote connectivity and
foster a more bikeable and walkable development
pattern.
Local CORRIDOR
this land use type describes locally oriented
commercial and entertainment areas typically
situated along medium to high-volume collector
roads within neighborhoods at their perimeter.
Local Corridors contain conventional retail
centers, small-scale mixed-use, multifamily
development, and residential uses that are
of a scale and intensity compatible with the
surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Res.non-Res.
85%15%
Res.non-Res.
20%80%
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 65
Mixed Use CENTER
A Mixed-Use Center includes a combination of higher
density housing types, locally serving commercial and
recreational uses and with multi-modal accessibility.
It integrates residential, commercial, and often office
or entertainment spaces nearby, allowing people to
live, work, and enjoy leisure activities without extensive
travel. This land use category occurs at a higher density
than a Local Corridor development. Mixed-use centers
typically occur along or at the intersection of significant
transportation corridors with internal streets that are
complete and walkable.
Regional CORRIDOR
The Regional Corridor typology describes
commercial and entertainment areas along major
thoroughfares that serve populations within the
city and the broader region. Regional Corridors
are characterized by “big box” store development
typical of regional shopping centers, supermarkets,
movie theaters, department stores, and office
buildings. Larger multifamily complexes may also be
appropriate. Current Regional Corridors are primarily
auto-oriented, although future developments should
encourage a mix of uses, pedestrian scale design,
and green space. Additionally, limited industrial and
logistics uses, as currently present in these areas, will
be accommodated to support the current economic
infrastructure.
Placeholder: Aerial from CityComplete NEIGHBORHOOD
Res.non-Res.
15%85%
Res.non-Res.
40%60%
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN66
Industrial HUB
The Industrial Hub land use category includes
all light and heavy industrial activities, including
manufacturing warehouses, processing, and
distribution centers. Optimizing transportation
and supply chain logistics, industrial hubs are
typically located near major roads, highways,
and railways. Industrial hubs are often buffered
from surrounding development by transitional
uses, such as flex buildings or R&D, that mitigate
potential impacts to other lower-intensity
commercial and residential areas.
Public USE
public use describes public and private open
spaces utilized for recreation and leisure and
community facilities that provide essential services
for residents, such as libraries or utility facilities.
the public use land use categories often include
ample green space and preservation of critical
environmental features and that serve essential
ecological and social functions. Community
facilities should be dispersed throughout the city
to ensure residents’ safety, health and welfare.
Res.non-Res.
0%100%
Res.non-Res.
0%100%
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 67
TOPIC OF INTEREST: BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT
With land values in Central Texas continuing to rise, the underutilization of any property is a poor
practice. As industrial sites move out of the way of urban growth and many industrial processes
become “lighter” and cleaner, formerly heavy industrial sites become prime redevelopment
opportunities. However, these lands come with a unique set of challenges, often in the form of
environmental contamination, that are laborious and expensive to remediate. These sites are
known as “brownfields”.
Schertz has two sites that are currently operating but may pose brownfield redevelopment
opportunities in the future: the Beck Landfill along FM 78 and the quarry at the northern
terminus of FM2252. However, these sites are expected to continuing operating for the
foreseeable future, so the City of Schertz should not put many resources towards planning these
areas at this time, but should be keeping them on their radar as major future projects. This is the
reason the FLUM designates these two sites as “Development Reserve”. There are active case
studies within Central Texas of cities redeveloping quarries into major mixed-use destinations.
There have been considerations related to divesting the City of the quarry property within its
ETJ, but given the finite resource that is land, it is the recommendation of this plan to keep this
property within the City’s ETJ due to it’s long-term redevelopment potential.
Development DEFERMENT
Development Reserve is a land use category
that includes large tracts that currently house
heavy industrial uses but have long-term
potential to redevelop. These sites should
be reconsidered for applicable land uses in
future Future Land Use Map updates, at which
time those conversations are appropriate.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN68
FUTURE LAND USE MAP
Future Land Use City Limits +
ETJ (Acres )
City Limits
+ ETJ
(Percentage)
City limits
(Acres)
City Limits
(Percentage)
Main Street 55 0.01%55 0.01%
Rural Living 3,964 11%3,960 15%
Complete
Neighborhood
16,296 44%11,451 42%
Local Corridor 1,021 3%850 3%
Regional
Corridor
8,325 22%4,835 18%
Mixed Use
Center
1,809 5%1,703 6%
Industrial 2,927 8%2,748 10%
Public Use 1,146 3%1,142 4%
Development
Deferment
1,563 4%409 2%
Total 37,106 100%27,153 100%
Table 4. Future Land use acreages City Limits & EtJ
The table below shows the City’s future land use by type and color, which corresponds to the same
classifications and colors seen throughout the chapter and in Map 11. The table also displays the
estimated total acreage and percentages of the City’s future land use areas, based on the Future
Land Use Map.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 69
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Data Sources: City of Schertz, State of Texas, Texas Parks & Wildlife,ESRI, Texas Geographic Information System, Freese and Nichols
City of Cibolo, Texas, TexasParks & Wildlife, CONANP, Esri,TomTom, Garmin, Foursquare,SafeGraph, GeoTechnologies,Inc, METI/NASA, USGS, EPA,NPS, USDA, USFWS
ParcelsMain Street
Public Use
Industrial
Development Deferment
Local CorridorRegional Corridor
Complete Neighborhood
Rural Living
Mixed Use Center Schertz City Limits
Schertz ETJ
Map Disclaimer: A comprehensive plan shall not constitute zoning
regulations or zoning district boundaries
Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Clear Zone
APZ II
APZ I
Map 11. Future Land use map
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN70
TRANSPORTATION
As part of the future land use assessment, the study team evaluated the existing Master Thoroughfare
Plan (MTP) at a high level to verify planned roadway connections within Schertz would remain logical
and sufficient as development and growth continued. The purpose of the MTP is to preserve the
right-of-way (ROW) for roadways in the future and to establish how a city’s transportation network will
be configured in the long-term. Overall, the Thoroughfare Plan network provides good coverage for
the areas that are anticipated to see the most growth. However, some of the planned growth areas, as
identified by the Focus Areas presented previously, may be considered for additional infrastructure.
In the southeast portion of the City (Focus Area 1), additional residential or commercial collectors may be beneficial for access to the envisioned single-family residential and for new commercial destinations.
The southwest area (Focus Area 2, Randolph Air Force Base) is not predicted to change as significantly, and it is anticipated that the current thoroughfare connections will be sufficient to meet transportation needs while preserving the rural living character.
There are already several planned residential collectors in northeastern Schertz (Focus Area 4),
which should serve to adequately connect the continued growth of single family residential. In
alignment with the recommended strategies for this focus area, any future facilities or roadway
improvements should be continually evaluated for the appropriate intensity to support the area’s
character.
Focus Area 5 and the land north of I-35 may require additional commercial collector connections
if anticipated growth occurs rapidly in this area and commercial development increases, as is
envisioned in the future land use plan.
It is recommended that the City of Schertz continue to periodically update their Master Thoroughfare
Plan using the most recent population and employment projections from AAMPO. MTP updates
typically involve evaluating both the quantity and size of network connections (roadways, major
intersections, etc.) for needed adjustments. This might involve preserving the ROW for an additional
roadway connection or reclassifying an existing connection to account for greater usage. The added
intensity of rapid growth in and around this part of Texas will significantly impact traffic volumes, and
having transportation connections that can accommodate these volumes will contribute to the orderly
development of the City. Furthermore, the City’s typical sections should be regularly updated to keep
pace with right-of-way needs and preserve the space for needed facilities. Schertz would likewise
benefit from a formalized process to address MTP amendment requests from the community and local
stakeholders.
Map 12 identifies two areas where additional connections would be most beneficial for the future
of Schertz, as noted by the blue and yellow arrows. This assessment is based on meeting the needs
of the most rapidly growing areas and providing enough network redundancy to the entire City to
accommodate emergency access and unexpected delays. Finally, enhancing network redundancy
through the construction of smaller roadways throughout town that provide a variety of alternate
routes to destinations across the City can help mitigate the impacts of delays centered around the
major facilities of I-35 and I-10.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 71
future/anticipated
grade separations
existing grade
separations
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Map 12. thoroughfare map
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN72
FISCAL IMPACT
Net fiscal benefits include both property and sales
taxes that would be generated from potential
future development. In addition, the Future Land
Use Plan is estimated to allow for over 15,000 new
jobs and create capacity for the City’s population
to increase by over 31,000 new residents that can
contribute to the local economy.
The analysis area includes the 5 Focus Areas
identified previously, with a total of 5,401 acres.
For each land use category, Catalyst Commercial
used the following assumptions regarding the
balance of land uses that will likely be developed.
The proposed scenario is projected to result
in over $2.1B of net new fiscal benefits over
the 23-year Plan horizon.
Summary
As part of the Comprehensive Planning process for the City of Schertz, Catalyst Commercial conducted the fiscal analysis based upon the Future Land Use Plan prepared by Freese and Nichols.
Place Type Area (Ac)
Percent
of Total
Acres
Complete Neighborhood 3,205.6 77.1%
Mixed Use Center 113.1 2.7%
Local Corridor 203.8 4.9%
Public Use 151.9 3.7%
Regional Corridor 484.6 11.7%
Total Acres 4,159.0 100.0%
Place Type Area (Ac)
Percent
of Total
Acres
Complete Neighborhood 199.3 7.9%
Industrial 28.6 1.1%
Mixed Use Center 530.1 21.1%
Public Use 13.8 0.5%
Regional Corridor 1,721.5 68.6%
Rural Living 16.7 0.7%
Total Acres 2,509.9 100.0%
Place Type Area (Ac)
Percent
of Total
Acres
Complete Neighborhood 5.1 0.4%
Development Deferment 845.3 60.3%
Industrial 363.0 25.9%
Rural Living 189.3 13.5%
Total Acres 1,402.9 100.0%
Place Type Area (Ac)
Percent
of Total
Acres
Complete Neighborhood 13.5 0.5%
Regional Corridor 415.6 15.3%
Rural Living 2,290.9 84.2%
Total Acres 2,720.1 100.0%
Place Type Area (Ac)
Percent
of Total
Acres
Complete Neighborhood 915.6 100%
Total Acres 915.6 100.0%
Table 5. Focus area 1 Land use Breakdown
Table 9. Focus area 5 Land use Breakdown
Table 7. Focus area 3 Land use Breakdown
Table 6. Focus area 2 Land use Breakdown
Table 8. Focus area 4 Land use Breakdown
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 73
Based upon the land use categories in Table 5, the following represents a plausible build out capacity
program across all Focus Areas. The timeline it takes to reach this build out capacity is dependent on
market forces and absorption rates.
Annual Absorption Estimates
To estimate fiscal impact, Catalyst Commercial used the demand assumptions from the Market
Analysis presented in the Snapshot chapter to estimate the future absorption through the planning
year horizon of 2045.
Annual Residential Absorption: 513 units
Annual Multifamily Absorption: 371 units
Annual Retail Absorption: 218,000 SF
Annual Office Absorption: 10,500 SF
Annual Industrial Absorption 200,000 SF
Note: Projected absorption is based upon historical and future projections and actual absorption is subject to the
regulatory environment, business conditions, market factors, and other external influences.
Land Use Category Residential
(Units)Office (SF)Retail (SF)Industrial
(SF)
Multifamily
(Units)
Complete Neighborhood 7,487 665,597 1,331,194 0 917
Development Deferment 0 0 0 8,552,804 0
Industrial 0 50,713 50,713 2,028,518 0
Mixed Use Center 96 417,082 417,082 0 479
Local Corridor 110 190,831 238,538 238,538 197
Public Use 0 0 0 0 0
Regional Corridor 0 3,405,556 6,811,112 0 3,753
Rural Living 549 682,852 682,852 0 0
Total 8,241 5,412,630 9,531,490 10,819,860 5,345
Table 10. additional Development Capacity in Focus areas by Land use
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN74
Net Fiscal Benefits
Based upon the proposed land use categories and above assumptions, Catalyst Commercial
estimated the future sales tax and property tax implications for the City of Schertz through 2045. Since
most of the planning area is within Bexar County, the tax rates for Bexar County were used for the
assumptions.
To estimate the number of additional jobs and population, Catalyst Commercial used the following assumptions:
To calculate fiscal impact, Catalyst Commercial
used the following assumptions for sales tax rates:
Property Tax Rates used per $100 of taxable value
(Bexar County):
Note: East Central ISD is also within Bexar County and has
a mil rate of 1.088.
City of Schertz 0.01
Schertz Economic Development 0.005
County 0.005
Total 0.02
City of Schertz 0.4872
Bexar County 0.276331
Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD 1.392
Other 0.467053
Total 2.369784
To calculate values, Catalyst Commercial used the
following values per square foot assumptions:
Residential $140
Office $180
Retail $180
Industrial $60
Multifamily $150
Jobs Estimates Est. Jobs/SF
Retail 980
Industrial 450
Office 600
Population Estimates People
Per Single-Family Household 2.61
Per Multi-Family Unit 1.5
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 75
Based upon the assumptions, Catalyst Commercial calculated the estimated net fiscal benefits of the
Future Land Use Plan. The results are shown below.
Total Net New
Taxable Property
Value
Est. Annual
Property Tax
Est. Annual
Sales Tax
Estimated
Annual
Additional
Jobs
Estimated
Increase in
Population
Year 1 $309,876,000 $7,343,392 $1,308,000 684 1,895
Year 2 $619,752,000 $14,686,784 $2,616,000 684 1,895
Year 3 $929,628,000 $22,030,176 $3,924,000 684 1,895
Year 4 $1,239,504,000 $29,373,567 $5,232,000 684 1,895
Year 5 $1,549,380,000 $36,716,959 $6,540,000 684 1,895
Year 6 $1,859,256,000 $44,060,351 $7,848,000 684 1,895
Year 7 $2,169,132,000 $51,403,743 $9,156,000 684 1,895
Year 8 $2,479,008,000 $58,747,135 $10,464,000 684 1,895
Year 9 $2,788,884,000 $66,090,527 $11,772,000 684 1,895
Year 10 $3,098,760,000 $73,433,919 $13,080,000 684 1,895
Year 11 $3,408,636,000 $80,777,311 $14,388,000 684 1,895
Year 12 $3,718,512,000 $88,120,702 $15,696,000 684 1,895
Year 13 $4,028,388,000 $95,464,094 $17,004,000 684 1,895
Year 14 $4,338,264,000 $102,807,486 $18,312,000 684 1,895
Year 15 $4,615,194,273 $109,370,135 $19,620,000 684 1,566
Year 16 $4,869,420,273 $115,394,743 $20,928,000 684 1,339
Year 17 $4,935,539,102 $116,961,616 $22,236,000 684 86
Year 18 $4,988,669,102 $118,220,682 $23,544,000 684 -
Year 19 $5,041,799,102 $119,479,748 $24,852,000 684 -
Year 20 $5,094,929,102 $120,738,815 $26,160,000 684 -
Year 21 $5,148,059,102 $121,997,881 $27,468,000 684 -
Year 22 $5,201,189,102 $123,256,947 $28,776,000 684 -
Year 23 $5,254,319,102 $124,516,013 $30,084,000 684 -
$1,840,992,727 $361,008,000 15,741 29,527
Table 11. Schertz preferred Scenario net Fiscal Benefits (2023-2045)
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN76
IMPLEMENTATION
The future of Schertz will be shaped by the recommendations developed in this Plan, as they guide
decisions that will influence many aspects of the City’s built, social, and natural environments.
Further, the success of this Comprehensive Plan will be measured by the effectiveness of taking these
recommendations from vision to reality. The Plan’s recommendations may be implemented through a
variety of tools, including adopting new or updated development regulations, zoning and subdivision
ordinances, and capital improvement programs. Additionally, there may be recommendations that
require additional community input or analysis and studies. Planning for the City’s future should be a
continuous process that incorporates regular analysis, revision and implementation.
Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan is an internal process to the City. General oversight can
be assigned to an individual or department within the City, such as the City Manager or Planning
Department, however achieving the vision set forth in this plan should be something all City
departments and staff are working towards. The appointed oversight entity may find it useful to
conduct periodic alignment exercise - a process in which all applicable plans, policies, and projects are
identified; their content, links to this Comprehensive Plan, and links to each other are mapped; and
a comprehensive road map is developed so that the right actions are executed in the most efficient
order.
This chapter summarizes the actions noted throughout the Plan, adding timelines, recommend
responsible parties, and applicable metrics that the City can track in order to measure progress.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 77
City Staff will use this plan in a variety of ways,
including:
Guiding everyday decisions across all departments, aligning all City staff towards a single vision.
Assists in major policy and budget decisions.
Utilized in reviews of zoning cases.
Planning for future facility and infrastructure needs and proactive maintenance/updates.
Provides justification and prioritization for City projects and programs that align with the Plan.
Provide the basis for updating city codes and ordinances.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will use
this plan in a variety of ways, including:
Aid in discussing and reviewing zoning cases and other development decisions.
Provides justification for zoning case recommendations.
Allows for the balancing of the community needs and values with individual interests.
City Council will use this plan in a variety of
ways, including:
Annual reporting allows Council to track whether the City is achieving or falling short of its goals.
Allows for alignment of public goals and a more efficient use of City resources.
When discussing zoning cases, development decisions, and other major topics related to land use policy.
Aid in aligning Schertz’s plans with surrounding jurisdictional entities.
Can act as the basis for the City’s Strategic Planning.
The business community will use this plan in a
variety of ways, including:
Developers, potential property buyers, businesses, and other interested parties can better understand the intended future development patterns in Schertz when making decisions.
Property owners and developers can propose developments that better align with the goals of the community.
Residents will use this plan in a variety of ways,
including:
Engages and educates community members and stakeholders in planning for their City’s future.
Aids in shaping the desired outcomes and appearance of the community, enhancing quality of life for residents.
Annual reporting allows community members to keep the City accountable in achieving its goals.
Using This Plan
Comprehensive plans proactively address a community’s future growth and development. They are the
connection between the community’s vision and land use regulations. Without the foresight provided
by a comprehensive plan, the development process would be reactive, resulting in development that
is uncoordinated, costly, and may not be in the best interest of the broader community.
A comprehensive plan is not regulatory and is used in conjunction with a zoning ordinance and
other land use and development regulations as the primary implementation mechanisms. The
comprehensive plan provides vision, guidance, and recommendations on how land should be utilized
to meet the needs and desires of the community, ideally, development regulations should be updated
to regulate land uses in accordance with this Plan.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN78
Best Practices for Implementation
Keep it Updated
This Comprehensive Plan is meant to be a living document that allows flexibility for political,
economic, physical, technological, and social conditions, as well as any other unforeseen
circumstances that may ultimately influence and/or change the priorities and perspective of the
community. To ensure that the Plan continues to reflect the goals of the community and remain
relevant, the Plan must be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that its elements are still appropriate
and the associated policy statements and recommendations are still applicable.
Annual Progress Reporting
Once the Plan is adopted, an appointed committee, such as the Planning and Zoning Commission or a
CPAC Standing Committee, with the assistance of the planning staff, should prepare a yearly progress
report for presentation to the City Council. This practice will ensure that the Plan is consistently
reviewed and any necessary changes or clarifications are identified. It is also important to provide
ongoing monitoring between the Plan and the City’s implementing regulations to maintain consistency
among all documents. The City Council may wish to dedicate one meeting a year to review, celebrate,
and publicize elements of the Plan that have been implemented in the last year, as well as set priorities
for the following year. Ideally, progress reporting would be conducted in real-time via a website
dashboard, continually demonstrating achievements to Schertz residents.
Five-Year Update & Evaluation Report
Every five years, the Planning Department should prepare an evaluation report, with input from various
City departments and stakeholders, and present the findings to the Planning and Zoning Commission
and City Council. The report should evaluate the existing Plan and assess how successful it has been in
achieving the community’s goals. The purpose of the report will be to identify the Plan’s successes and
shortcomings, look at what has changed over the last five years, and make suggestions on how the
Plan should be modified to best accommodate those changes.
Proactive & Reactive Implementation
There are two primary methods of plan implementation: proactive and reactive methods. To
successfully implement the Plan and fully realize its benefits, both methods must be used in an
effective manner. Examples of both proactive and reactive actions are described below.
Proactive Methods
Update the capital improvement plan (CIP) to reflect the public improvement needs identified within this Plan.
Amend the Unified Development Code regulations to reflect the development patterns recommended within this Plan.
Reactive Methods
Approve rezoning applications based on consistency with this Plan.
Review development applications for consistency with this Plan.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 79
Education & Training
A necessary first step after adoption of this Plan should be to conduct training workshops with the
Planning and Zoning Commission, City Council, and key staff members who have an individual or
collective role in Plan implementation. Training initiatives could include:
Discussion of the roles and responsibilities of each entity and its function with regard to Plan implementation.
A thorough overview of the Plan, with particular emphasis on the segments that most directly relate to each audience’s responsibilities and purposes.
Implementation tasking and priority-setting that allows each group to establish their own one-, two-, and five-year agendas based on the Plan.
Facilitation of a mock meeting to practice the effective use of the Plan’s policies and recommendations.
Using & Interpreting Indicators
Tracking indicators can help the City understand and demonstrate if they are moving towards or away
from achieving goals. Important to note, indicators do not work independently and are not intended
to capture the entire picture of what is going on in the City. Falling short of an indicator does not
necessarily mean that progress is not being made, but it may note that closer examination is needed
for that particular element. It may be found that the indicator originally listed is in fact not the best
indicator for that action and can be updated.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN80
Decision Making
Inevitably, there will be situations that arise that do not have a clear answer within this Plan. In these
cases it is helpful to have a good understanding of the overall goals and intent of this Plan. This
helps to guide decision-making and check that decisions being made are in alignment with the
Comprehensive Plan. These considerations can also help when deciding how to prioritize actions and
funding.
Questions to Ask
Provided here are some questions that decision makers can think about and discuss when making
difficult decisions that do not have an obvious best course of action.
What best promotes and aligns with this Plan’s intent and vision?
What most improves the quality of life for residents?
What has the most positive fiscal impact for the City?
Does a certain course of action provide more multi-benefits for the City or community?
Are there any unexpected negative outcomes that could occur? If so, can they be reasonably avoided or remedied?
Bundling Projects
Completing recommendations in tandem can frequently be more effective, more efficient, and
accomplish greater results. Implementing two or more projects at a time can seem daunting, but by
sharing resources it can allow for better outcomes. Some examples of projects that typically bundle
well together are underground utility updates with streetscape enhancements and updating housing
regulations while working with developers to determine options and incentives to encourage more
housing choices.
Actions Matrix
The following pages present a matrix of action items to undertake that will move the City toward
achieving the goals of this Plan.
The matrix includes the following element:
#: provides an identification number for each action
Action: presents and describes the recommended action
Timeline: identifies a target timeline for implementation of the action. Some actions may be ongoing, in this case the timeline sets a target for initiation of the ongoing action.
-Short-term: <5 years
-Mid-term: 5-10 years
-Long-term: 10+ years
Lead: identifies the primary party responsible for implementation of the action. Many actions will require multiple parties or partnerships, but they should have a primary champion that is accountable for the action.
Outcome: identifies measures that are expected to be observed as outcomes of successful implementation of the action.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 81
#Action Timeline Lead Expected Benefits
& Outcomes
Projects & Plans
1 Create a Sustainable Stormwater
Management Plan: conduct
evaluations of existing gray
infrastructure, flood zones, and
environmental regulations and
create a citywide sustainable
stormwater management plan with a
focus on green infrastructure.
Short-Term
Engineering
and Public
Works and/or
Consultant
Increased greenery,
lower peak flows and
localized flooding,
higher water quality
2 Evaluate Street Design Standards:
evaluate existing street standards
to identify where pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure can be added
to the existing rights-of-way.
Short-Term
Engineering
and Public
Works and/or
Consultant
Increased modality
options, connectivity,
and safety
3 Create a Downtown Plan: analyze
the Downtown area and create a
plan for continued investment to
promote the area as a unique and
thriving destination.
Short-Term
Planning,
Economic
Development
and/or
Consultant
Improved Downtown
character and activity,
increased economic
activity Downtown
4 Added Street Connectivity to
Focus Area 1: provide additional
residential or commercial collector
roads to southeast Schertz, as
needed based on build out.
Mid-Term Engineering and
Public Works
Improved mobility
and connectivity,
network redundancy
5 Added Street Connectivity to
Focus Area 3: provide additional
residential or commercial collector
roads to north Schertz, as needed
based on build out.
Long-Term Engineering and
Public Works
Improved mobility
and connectivity,
network redundancy
6 Increase Roadway Network
Connectivity: continuously identify
opportunities to add connectivity
in neighborhoods through small
roadways and multi modal routes.
Ongoing Engineering and
Public Works
Improved mobility
and connectivity,
network redundancy
7 Update the City’s CIP Plan:
evaluate the City’s CIP for necessary
updates or additions per this
Plan, paying specific attention to
identifying projects that could be
“bundled” or implemented together
for increased efficiency and impact.
Ongoing Various City
Departments
CIP that makes
tangible
progress towards
implementing the
Comprehensive Plan
Vision
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN82
#Action Timeline Lead Expected Benefits
& Outcomes
8 Infrastructure Maintenance
and Upgrades: ensure the City’s
CIP accounts not just for new
infrastructure but also for proactive
upgrades to existing infrastructure,
to continue providing the quality
and level of service that residents
have come to expect.
Mid-Term Engineering and
Public Works
CIP that focuses on
quality and level of
service, less surprise
costs, more reliable
utility service for
customers
9 Create a Quarry Redevelopment
Plan: begin to think about what
the City might want to see if the
quarry becomes available for
redevelopment and how the City
can incentivize that.
Long-Term
Planning,
Economic
Development
and/or
Consultant
A redevelopment
plan for post quarry
operations that
allows the City to be
prepared when the
opportunity presents
itself.
Policies & Regulatory
10 Reduce Impervious Cover: examine
the development code for existing
requirements that may contribute to
the creation of unnecessary paving
and grey infrastructure.
Mid-Term
Planning
and Zoning,
Engineering and
Public Works
Additional
opportunities for
green infrastructure,
reduced strain
on stormwater
infrastructure
11 Update Development Regulations:
examine the zoning ordinance and
other development regulations to
identify and update any existing
barriers to mixed-use development,
missing middle housing products or
similar recommendations from this
Plan.
Short-Term
Planning and
Zoning and/or
Consultant
Easier pathway to
implementation for
Comprehensive Plan
recommendations,
more predictability
for applicants, less
staff time spent
on discretionary
approvals
12 Periodically update the Master
Thoroughfare Plan: ensure the
City’s Thoroughfare Plan is being
updated regularly using the most
recent population and employment
projections from AAMPO.
Mid-Term
Planning
and Zoning,
Engineering and/
or Consultant
A proactive Master
Thoroughfare Plan
that is a useful tool
for all parties and
jurisdictional entities.
13 Create a Process for Thoroughfare
Plan Amendments: formalized
process to address Thoroughfare
Plan amendment requests.
Short-Term
Planning
and Zoning,
Engineering and/
or Consultant
More predictability
for applicants,
approving bodies,
staff, and partner
jurisdictions.
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 83
#Action Timeline Lead Expected Benefits
& Outcomes
14 Enhance Access Through Policy:
incorporate high level policies
related to land use, economic
development and transportation
with the expressed intent to increase
access to jobs, goods, services and
opportunity for residents.
Mid-Term Economic
Development
Increased positive
economic impact and
enhanced quality of
life for residents
15 Bolster Amenities in Focus Area
1: attract restaurants and retail
establishments to southern Schertz,
providing amenities to those
residents who currently have to
travel far to access these services.
Ongoing Economic
Development
Increased positive
economic impact,
enhanced
convenience for
residents, reduced
traffic congestion
16 Promote commercial retail
destinations along I-10: capitalize
on the corridor’s strategic location,
increase tax revenues, and
promote access for residents of
southern Schertz and surrounding
communities.
Ongoing
Planning
and Zoning,
Economic
Development
and/or
Consultant
Increased positive
economic impact,
enhanced
convenience for
residents, reduced
traffic congestion
Promote commercial retail
destinations along I-35: Encourage
commercial retail uses along I-35 to
leverage the location of the corridor
and boost tax revenues.
Ongoing
Planning
and Zoning,
Economic
Development
Increased positive
economic impact
17 Create Mixed Use Centers: offer
a diverse range of goods, services,
and housing options with varied
price ranges in strategic locations
throughout the City.
Long-Term
Planning
and Zoning,
Economic
Development
Increased positive
economic impact,
more business and
housing options,
enhanced access for
residents
18 Prioritize the Consideration
of Floodplain Impacts: in
development planning, incorporate
measures that prioritize mitigation
of flooding and restoring riparian
functions of floodplains. Incentivize
the use of low impact development
and green infrastructure techniques
in private development.
Short-Term
Planning
and Zoning,
Engineering and/
or Consultant
Increased
opportunities for
green infrastructure,
enhanced natural
function and
access to nature for
residents, reduced
strain on stormwater
infrastructure
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN84
#Action Timeline Lead Expected Benefits
& Outcomes
19 Promote Compatibility: provide
adequate buffering and transitions
between commercial developments
along highway corridors and
adjacent residential areas.
Ongoing
Planning
and Zoning,
Engineering
Preservation of
quality of life for
residents, reduction
of nuisances for
residential uses
20 Preserve the Rural Living
Character: utilize the area impacted
by JBSA-Randolph to provide
an option for rural living that is
becoming unique in Central Texas.
Short-Term
Planning
and Zoning,
Economic
Development
Increased lifestyle
options for residents,
development remains
compatible with base
operations.
Programs & Communications
21 Foster Collaborative Planning
Efforts Related to JBSA-Randolph:
promote regular coordination
between the base, local authorities,
and the community to foster a
cohesive approach to development
south of the base. Encourage
ongoing public engagement and
education about the AICUZ study
and its impacts to residents.
Short-Term Planning and
Zoning
Increased
communication
between all parties,
reduced complaints
from residents,
development remains
compatible with base
operations
22 Foster Regional Collaborative
Planning Efforts: collaborate with
the neighboring cities to align
strategies for regional development.
Ongoing Various City
Departments
More thoughtful and
compatible regional
development, realizes
greater positive
impacts for all parties
23 Coordinate with TxDOT: promote
regular coordination between
TxDOT, local authorities, and the
community related to TxDOT
projects in the area, such as the
expansion of FM 2252.
Ongoing Engineering and
Public Works
Better resident
communications
and engagement,
roadway projects
that support City and
community goals
24
Assign a Comp Plan Champion:
assign an individual or department
within the City to be accountable
for internal Comprehensive Plan
implementation and coordination
across the City.
Short-Term
Planning and
Zoning and
Engineering
Quicker progress,
more efficient
projects, easier
adoption of the
Plan strategies
within various City
departments, greater
accountability to
residents
FUTURE LAND USE & ECONOMIC STRATEGY 85
#Action Timeline Lead Expected Benefits
& Outcomes
25 Conduct Periodic Alignment
Exercise: the Comp Plan Champion
should be responsible for reviewing
applicable plans, policies, and
projects across the City for
alignment with the Comp Plan
and take action to influence or
recommend necessary updates to
those plans. This should be done
upon adoption of this Plan and
periodically going forward.
Short Term
The assigned
“Comp Plan
Champion”
as outlined in
Action 24, above
Quicker progress,
more efficient
projects, better
adoption of the
Plan strategies
across various City
departments
26 Annual Progress Reporting: the
Comp Plan Champion should
be responsible for establishing
a process for annual progress
reporting and 5-year full plan
evaluations and updates.
Ongoing
The assigned
“Comp Plan
Champion”
as outlined in
Action 24, above
Comprehensive
Plan remains viable,
applicable and
useful throughout it’s
anticipated lifetime
27 Council & Commission Training:
the Comp Plan Champion should
conduct a training for elected and
appointed officials upon adoption
of the Comp Plan, to inform them of
the Plan’s recommendations and it’s
intended use for their purposes.
Ongoing
The assigned
“Comp Plan
Champion”
as outlined in
Action 24, above
Educated City
leadership that know
how to use and
support the use of
the Comprehensive
Plan.
28 City Staff Road Show: the Comp
Plan Champion should present the
Comp Plan to all applicable City
Departments, to inform them of
the Plan’s recommendations and it’s
intended use for their purposes.
Short-Term
The assigned
“Comp Plan
Champion”
as outlined in
Action 24, above
Educated City staff
that know how to use
and support the use
of the Comprehensive
Plan.
29 Data Collection and Tracking:
the Comp Plan Champion should
establish a process for collecting
necessary data, tracking outcomes,
and reporting impacts of the Comp
Plan implementation.
Ongoing
The assigned
“Comp Plan
Champion”
as outlined in
Action 24, above
Ease of progress
reporting for
staff, increased
support from City
leadership, enhanced
accountability to
residents
Appendix A
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SN
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CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN88
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Table 1. Regional Snapshot
Demographics
Demographic Snapshot (State)
Texas is the second-largest state in the United States by both land area and population. As of 2022, its
population is over 30 million people, and it is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of
0.9% between 2022 and 2027. Texas has a median age of 35.4, which is slightly lower than the San Antonio
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and Schertz. The median home value in Texas is lower than Schertz, but
slightly higher than the San Antonio MSA.
Regional Snapshot Schertz San Antonio MSA Texas
2022 Population 44,360 2,661,164 30,157,100
2027 Population 47,821 2,799,634 31,502,395
2022 - 2027 Compounded Annual Growth Rate 1.5%1.0%0.9%
Median Age 37.2 36.2 35.4
Median Home Value $263,895 $235,989 $238,757
Median Household Income $100,849 $67,803 $70,834
Owner-occupied Housing 77.7%64.4%62.7%
Source: ESRI
Demographic Snapshot (Regional)
The City of Schertz had a population of 44,360 in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth
rateof 1.5% over the next 5 years. This is approximately a 0.5% higher growth rate than San Antonio and a 0.6%
higher growth rate than Texas.
Another stand out statistic is the percentage of owner-occupied housing in Schertz (77.7%) compared to the
other two regions (64.4% and 62.7%). High rates of owner-occupied housing can be an indicator of a strong
local economy and a community that is invested in its own success. Although it has its own unique characteristics
and community, it also benefits from being a part of a larger metropolitan area with access to the resources and
opportunities that come with that.
appEnDIx a 89
Population Growth
Schertz is projected to experience faster population growth than the State, with a projected annual growth rate
of 1.8%.
Race and Ethnicity
Figure 11. Schertz population projection
Table 2. Race and Ethnicity
Figure 12. texas population projection
Race/Ethnicity Schertz 2010 Schertz 2022 San Antonio MSA 2022
White Alone 78.8%56.2%49.3%
Black Alone 8.5%12.3%7.0%
American Indian Alone 0.7%0.8%1.1%
Asian Alone 2.3%3.1%3.0%
Pacific Islander Alone 0.2%0.3%0.2%
Other Race Alone 5.5%7.4%14.0%
Two or More Races 3.9%19.9%25.5%
Hispanic (of any race)26.2%32.1%54.8%
Source: Texas Water Development Board
Source: ESRI
Source: Texas Water Development Board
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN90
Income
Education Attainment
Firmographics
Table 3. Income
Table 4. Education attainment
Table 5. Firmographics
Source: ESRI
Source: ESRI
Income Schertz San Antonio MSA Texas
Median HH Income $100,849 $67,803 $70,834
Average HH Income $118,183 $94,960 $101,658
Median Disposable Income $82,732 $57,231 $59,270
Educational Attainment 25+Schertz San Antonio MSA Texas
Less than 9th Grade 1.5%5.4%6.5%
9-12th Grade/No Diploma 3.1%6.8%6.9%
High School Diploma 21.0%22.3%21.2%
GED/Alternative Credential 3.3%4.6%4.3%
Some College/No Degree 19.4%20.2%19.4%
Associate degree 12.1%9.2%8.3%
Bachelor's Degree 24.7%20.4%22.0%
Graduate/ Professional 15.1%11.1%11.3%
MSA Employment Hourly Wage
(Median)
Hourly Wage
(Mean)
Annual Wage
(Mean)
San Antonio-New Braunfels 1,163,570 $20.15 $27.08 $56,300
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown 1,285,083 $22.85 $30.77 $64,000
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 4,168,196 $22.25 $29.86 $62,100
Houston-Woodlands-Sugar Land 3,390,666 $21.95 $29.58 $61,500
El Paso 345,954 $16.63 $22.33 $46,400
Source: Schertz EDC
appEnDIx a 91
Top Employers
2012 2021
Employer Employees % of Total Employees % of Total
Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD 944 5.9%2,000 10.4%
Amazon 1,302 6.8%
Sysco Central Texas, Inc 582 3.6%827 4.3%
Republic National Distributing Company 250 1.6%639 3.3%
FedEx Ground 580 3.0%
Brandt Companies 300 1.9%527 2.7%
City of Schertz 344 2.1%400 2.1%
FedEx Freight 141 0.9%340 1.8%
Vision works 542 3.4%300 1.6%
Hollingsworth Logistics Group 286 1.5%
Wal-Mart Stores 385 2.4%
H.E.B Grocery Co.346 2.2%
Source: Schertz EDC
Table 6. top Employers in Schertz
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN92
MARKET SNAPSHOT
Market Demand and Existing Conditions
Housing-Residential
Traditional Single-Family Detached Demand 513 Units
Homes < $200k 120
Homes $200k - $250k 74
Homes $250k - $350k 148
Homes $350k - $450k 106
Homes $450k+65
Alternative Single-Family Product Demand 108 Units
Table 7. Single-Family Residential Demand
Table 8. Existing multifamily housing in Schertz
Source: Catalyst Commercial, US Census
Schertz is home to 10 existing multifamily properties ranging from 7 to 288 units per property. Market rent
in Schertz is currently $1.29 per square foot ($1,047 per unit) with a vacancy rate of 4.9%. The table gives an
overview of each of these 10 properties.
Property Name Units Year Built Avg Unit SF Avg Asking/SF Avg Asking/Unit
Merritt Lakeside 174 2012 931 $0.56 $521
Sycamore Creek 200 1984 730 $1.47 $1,074
The Palmera on 3009 288 2008 894 $1.68 $1,498
Rio Vista Apartments 56 1972 514 $1.53 $785
Legacy Oaks
Apartments
256 2004 804 $1.50 $1,211
Persimmon Hill
Apartments
12 1969 - $- $453
805 Main St 7 1917 800 $ 0.87 $698
102 River Rd 10 2000 712 $1.31 $967
Val Verde Apartments 68 1973 779 $1.19 $925
Live Oak Apartments 22 -666 $1.38 $804
Source: CoStar
appEnDIx a 93
In addition to single-family demand, an analysis on the region was also performed to understand the renter-
occupied residential market. It is estimated that Schertz could capture and absorb 371 units annually of renter-
occupied housing in the form of multifamily residential. There is additional capacity for 74 units of renter-
occupied housing in other formats such as duplex/triplex/fourplex or single-family build to rent. A majority (61%)
of the multifamily demand is for units commanding rents of less than $2,000 per unit. Demand for units with
rents of $2000+ per unit is at 39%, or 146 units annually.
Annual Multifamily Demand 371 Units
Rental Rate <$1,000 119
Rental Rate $1,000 - $1,500 49
Rental Rate $1,500 - $2,000 57
Rental Rate $2,000+146
Alternative Renter-Occupied
Housing Demand 74 Units
Table 9. multifamily Residential Demand
Source: Catalyst Commercial, US Census
Appendix B
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CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN96
FOCUS GROUPS
• JBSA / Randolph Airforce Base
• Business and Developers
• Homeowners’ Associations
• Schertz Development Staff
A series of five focus group meetings were held in July of 2023, to discuss specific topics related to the City of
Schertz. The purpose of these meetings was to discuss topics that are significant to the future development of
Schertz and important to the Schertz community. The focus group topics were:
• Boards and Commissions
appEnDIx B 97
Boards and Commissions
Key takeaways:
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION
QUALITY OF LIFE
INFRASTRUCTURE
• More individual types of retail/local
businesses
• Develop retail, restaurants, and
neighborhood amenities
• Build infrastructure based on the long-range
vision along the interstate highways
• The location of Schertz in proximity to other
cities and two interstates is an asset Flood
control infrastructure development
• Develop trail system
• Enhance affordability for young adults and
families
• Promote community livability and diverse
local businesses
• Pursue a watershed project with Cibolo Creek
for beautification and trails
• Plan development considering topography
and natural drainageways
• Address infrastructure concerns, including
flood control
• Consider the potential for the quarry once
operations are complete
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN98
JBSA / Randolph Airforce Base
Key takeaways:
COORDINATION WITH JBSA/RANDOLPH AIRFORCE
BASE
• From a flight perspective, height is a major concern
• Reference the AICUZ (2017) and RCUP Studies that evaluate compatibility of development and
provide recommendations of what land uses are appropriate
• City has concerns with the Accident Prone Zones and development in these areas. Need better
collaboration with the base
• Residential apartment complexes (2-3 stories) are preferable in adjacent areas to the base
• City has concerns with the Accident Prone Zones and coordination with the base
appEnDIx B 99
Business and Developers
Key takeaways:
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
• Key assets of Schertz are: access to highways, employee base for businesses, and ease of
collaboration with City officials
• Available land accessible to logistics companies and industrial development
• Retail and restaurants near residential areas
• Industrial uses may be most appropriate adjacent to the base
• Traffic circulation - rural roads need
improvement
• Extending utilities and services to
underserved areas
• Reflect on status of TxDOT plans for
expansion of 2252
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN100
Homeowners’ Associations
Key takeaways:
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION
QUALITY OF LIFE
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Need responsible growth
• More locally owned small businesses and
restaurants closer to neighborhoods
• Lots of proposed development could be
here with the proper plan, such as medical,
restaurants, etc.
• Biggest concern is traffic on 3009 - difficult
to exit community safely and roads need
improvement
• Need to improve roads
• Community policing is lacking on the
southern border of Schertz
• All groups see low communication with the
City
• Need more areas for community livability
• Need to consider the base with development
surrounding it
• Need to improve utility infrastructure
appEnDIx B 101
Schertz Development Staff
Key takeaways:
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
QUALITY OF LIFE
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Need for areas to be redeveloped, such as
Main Street and area off 78
• Lack of affordable housing and amenities are
reasons for lack of young adults living in the
city. More catered towards families
• Need for self-identity as a community
• Physical disconnect between north and south of the city
• Floodplain and topography challenges
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN102
QUESTION 1
In 2044, Schertz should be a:
PUBLIC SURVEY
1 As the IH-35 becomes more congested with area growth, staying on the south side of the
interstate gains more importance and creates the environment by/spend locally
2 Fix current problems before create new ones.
3 Focus on improving every aspect of life for seniors. Add a circular local bus route service so they
can get a ride from the senior center to HEB and Walmart with other stops as needed.
4 An eco-friendly community
5 Place known for listening to the community and their desires.
6 Stop central planning attempts. Let the free market unfold the future.
7 Needs over 55 communities
8 Programs to provide high school and college students with opportunities to grow their skills close
to home. Utilize local businesses and schools to create a partnership that will give our students a
plan to stay local (if they choose to).
9 Improved streets!!!!
10 A place without a focus on low income housing, driving up crime.
11 Stay small, quit building and destroying all the trees, more growth will not be good for Schertz
12 City with long term infrastructure plans and solutions.
Other Answers
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13 A City with emphasis on infrastructure (water, police, sewar, electricity, streets, and maintenance
of) so we can have a safe place
14 RELIABLE transportation services for anyone without a vehicle and ADA.
15 A community that hasn’t been over developed with housing and businesses.
16 There are no sidewalks along the roads adjacent to Steele High School. Many children walk and
it is dangerous since they have nowhere safe to walk on. Please consider our children’s safety
getting to school and home.
17 Responsible growth- people moved to Schertz because it is quiet, uncrowded, has good schools,
is family oriented and has a small town feel. It seems city council is for fast growth. Increased
traffic, overcrowded schools, the trend for multifamily housing and subsequent, and permanent,
loss of green space will make our city like San Antonio or Austin - overcrowded concrete jungles,
where no one can really enjoy any of it.
18 Less push for apartments
19 More small business restaurants (more ethnic options!!… not fried chicken fast food!!)
20 Building too much
Need laws in place to save the small amount of land left around us
NO move low income housing, we have done our part… poor decisions are turning Schertz into a
high crime town
Stop with the building
Stop with the fast food places
Stop with the entertainment places
Look around we have enough!!!
21 City with enough Ems, Firefighters and Enough Police , Firefighters and EMS personal to keep our
city safe and in control.
22 A city with good infrastructure. Build the infrastructure first and then develop the land. No high
density housing without the roads and schools to support them. I do not want Schertz to turn into
a chaotic environment like Houston.
23 Bike lanes and multiple more green spaces for our dogs. Maintain well travelled roads with lane
stripes.
24 Small suburban city with lots of open land
25 Place for single family homes. We DO NOT want apts or town homes
26 Lots of parks, less apartments, less corruption with back door deals benefitting commercial
development and real estate agents.
27 Keep commercial business out of our RA zoned neighborhood.
28 A place where the VA builds an extensive care community for those of us seniors who can no
longer drive across Bexar County for appointments.
29 Place for single family housing that retains its value in the future
30 Place that supports low income residents. including workers who need help with childcare,
healthcare, or transportation.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN104
QUESTION 2
In 2044, Schertz will be known for:
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QUESTION 3
In your opinion, what is Schertz’s greatest strength? What differentiates Schertz from any other city?
1 Safe place to live, everything is close by, friendly people
2 Large amount of industrial and medical companies that have higher paying and recession
proof jobs for citizens.
3 We have a responsive representatives and city employees. We have a great Library and
events put on by Patks a
4 Small town atmosphere
5 The small community makes it easy to connect and participate in events around the city.
We continue to have new businesses pop up which is always a good thing. .
6 Great access to infrastructure and a stable community
7 Location. Near but not in a city. Military bases help to maintain diversity. Effective and
efficient city government.
8 Still has a small town feel
9 safe community
10 I love the diversity in the community. The close location of Randolph Airforce Base brings
together people from all walks of life who are open to conversation and working towards
solutions. I also appreciate the effort to maintain and increase green space and trails. There
are so many health benefits to living in a community full of green space.
11 Location between two major highways and close proximity to San Antonio. Now the 35
traffic, that is an entirely different ball of wax.
12 Police services/safety is Schertz greatest strength
13 I feel that it is very safe and welcoming
14 It's a growing city but with a small town feel to it.
15 Schertz is clean, roads are mostly well taken care of, people are friendly, military friendly
community
16 Small, friendly community; small town effect near a big city
17 Separation of residential and industrial development.
18 Small town feel with convenience of eating and shopping.
19 Schertz still has the "small town feel"
20 Still has a small town feel.
21 The actual people. The people overcome the poor leadership of mayor and city staff.
22 Good water, utilities, beautiful trees, clean and safe neighborhoods
23 community ties
24 Community
25 Schertz is the "almost" small city, a growing bedroom community with lots of potential
for more. It sits between major thorough fares (I10 & I-35) with 1604 to it's south.
Schertz is like a free canvas waiting for someone to paint the ideal picture. It can and
should retain some history without being restricted by the past.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN106
26 Safe with strong no nonsense police force, which promotes the safety of the residents
and businesses. Good road planning, road expansion planning execution and other city
services.
27 Nothing at this point
28 Schertz’s greatest strength is its extensive parks and green space. Schertz is in a unique
location to be a biodiverse destination for birdwatchers and nature enjoyers due to its
location at the crossroads of many Texas habitats, especially during migration season.
Developing a concrete jungle will only push residents away, not draw in new ones. The
small-town charm will be lost if Schertz keeps developing at this rate.
29 Safe and intimate community that’s very family friendly
30 Parks and Rec department that provides equipment rental to its residents!
31 Focused and stable growth over the years with great leadership.
32 Friendliness of community
33 Schertz is a great place to live. Low crime, affordable rent and it proximity San
Antoniocultural amenities
34 Small town vibe outside of a major city
35 Schertz is situated between two major interstate highway corridors spanning highway to
highway. City leaders saw this future over 40 years ago and acted. Despite the growth,
Schertz is trying to maintain the small town friendly vibe.
36 Close enough to San Antonio for employment, but far enough away that Schertz does not
have many of San Antonio area problems, such as high crime rate.
37 Small town feel
38 Safety
39 It is a small country town. It should stay that way.
40 Not much, Cibolo has passed Schertz in terms of attractiveness and options.
41 It’s starting to look like every other city now
42 Location and military community
43 Proximity to SA and Austin
44 The community. Residents care about one another.
45 Small town feel
46 Schertz family friendly, safe and not over crowded like other cities.
47 That it has retained is small town feel while growing. Also, the emphasis on community by
events that are held (movies in the park, local parks are maintained, etc) sets the city apart
from others.
48 Low taxes, low crime
49 Small town feel in the midst of urban development
50 Small town that’s family friendly
51 It feels like a community separate from large city and we are different in that we do good
with bringing together those who have lived here a long time and the in and out of military
52 Country living, not on top of everyone, small city feeling.
53 It's location as the gateway to San Antonio to/from Austin, Houston, etc.
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54 Schertz now has plenty of green space but it's rapidly developing and should carefully plan
what business replace this land.
55 Schertz Parkway, the entire town uses the walkway between Live Oak and I35. We need to
take care of it. It is an embarrassment that the Parks Department has let it go in not taking
care of it. Shame.
56 They simply copy other cities.
57 Schertz has that small time feel in a large city. Where everybody knows your name, you see
people you know at the local store, etc. We are slowly losing that with the overgrowth.
58 Great school, safe neighborhood, and semi diverse population
59 Citizens that care(exception of some of council and Mayor)
60 Location near Randolph AFB and on the outskirts of San Antonio.
61 The greatest strength is location. As of now, nothing serious differentiates it from other
cities.
62 Safety and abundant community events.
63 Location, needs improvements on roads, connectivity to main roads. Northcliffe area
cannot handle growth without alternative connections to 35S without using Chelsea.
64 Public works response.
65 Small town feel with lots of available resources close by - shopping, restaurants, etc
66 It's not liberal San Antonio/Houston/Austin...
67 This city has done amazing with Community and community events. The police presence
is also fantastic and I feel safe with my family here. Schertz constantly improves, where
many other city’s do not. There is plenty of big-business infrastructure close by, so that
isn’t necessary for Schertz to also expand into the industrial space. Schertz is unique with
its ‘small town’ feel which I believe is because you care about the details: like great tree
coverage on Schertz pkwy so people can exercise down the street. Keep up with the great
parks too!!
68 Cheaper rates for Insurance
69 Schertz has a great school district. I don't feel like anything really differentiates Schertz
from any other city.
70 Not sure
71 the small town atmosphere
72 Location…strategically located between I35 and I10. Jumping off point to a variety of
places within a short distance
73 Our awesome police department
74 Roads
75 Established and well maintained neighborhoods. Larger lot sizes. Good schools.
76 The cities strength lies in its opportunity to take existing green spaces in its city limits and
protecting them as opposed to other surrounding cities which are more concerned with tax
revenue from over developed and overcrowded spaces.
77 Economic development
78 accessibilty to needed services, a safe place to live, and variety of services and activities
79 Great schools (SCUCISD) and opportunities for famiies to recreate.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN108
80 More conservative than the surrounding area. Safer than the surrounding area. Mostly
moderate to higher income housing.
81 Small town feeling
82 Variety of people, economic opportunities and a great place to raise a family.
83 Still a small town feel.
84 Less traffic and safe neighborhood
85 In a negative way, the lack of eating establishments and shopping
86 Location and potential for economic growth
87 Clean, safe place to raise your family and then retire.
88 Location to the major highways. Safe small town feel.
89 Schertz is near many entertainment and job opportunities while still having pockets of
open land and historic charm. I don't want this city to turn into a sprawling suburb of one
cookie cutter neighborhood after another that looks just like every other major suburb. It's
important that Schertz maintain some of its "small-town" feel.
90 Small town values.
91 Small town, safe neighborhoods
92 Small town feel with big city opportunities
93 A military community which has brought together such a wonderful mix of culture. In
the past I considered it a very clean community with a small town atmosphere. We need
better paying jobs but not at the expense of tearing down what we have going for us. We
need to find ways to grow without creating a tax burden. Again finding ways to grow and
improve with out creating more taxes which will exclude the variety of people which we
have.
94 It's rural feature...
95 The city council actually listens to people. Our police actually listens to people. Our people
actually listen and actually help each other.
96 Nothing differences it today from any other suburban neighborhood. Too many houses,
not enough entertainment or unique restaurants. Too much traffic, not enough bike lanes,
poorly planned development. It's disappointing how little planning goes into growth of this
city.
97 It’s the small town feel and lower taxes that originally attracted us to this area. It has
become more difficult to stay here as growth, construction and taxes spiral.
98 Strengths - Good people who are ready to help out a neighbor.
99 It’s people
100 The amount of quiet neighborhoods. But sadly it is starting to turn downhill with the e
amount of low income dirt bags targeting our vehicles and houses.
101 Clean, well organized, active police presence irl and online, great schools, safety, low
crime, financial opportunity
102 When looking where to move I found schertz had great school rating. Y’all did not
disappoint, I’ve lived here for 3 years, previously I was in Austin and the schools here are
great! (Especially paschal elementary)
103 It's a fast growing city, without yhe crime Converse to is west. Don't open pandoras box of
low income fed housing to drive up crime and make us a second a Converse. Gentrification
I'm Sam Antonio will push crime outward, please don't attract it.
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104 I like that Schertz is a warm welcoming place for families. I would hate for our green spaces
that our families enjoy to be ruined because they are trying to populate. We are populated
everywhere around us, let Schertz be a sanctuary, a place where people WANT to live.
105 Schertz, is currently asleep because of conscientious and aggressive policing, well
maintained public spaces, and an overall friendly atmosphere. Strong building codes
regulating the types and appearances if buildings are a plus.
106 We literally have a Main Street USA which reminds me of my hometown in Ohio which is all
of 4 blocks long. The store fronts have been updated, but the buildings are original. Traffic
is minimal, so walking up and down Main Street is like walking through the community ‘s
history. Houses have been restored, rather than demolished. I would love to see Schertz
value history over modernization. We still have the potential to keep the charm and small-
town atmosphere if we plan carefully.
107 Schertz is a prime location with development, small business, and affordable living
opportunities close to San Antonio without the congestion and taxes of a bigger city.
108 Schertz is a sleeper community that has a long history of community and small town
feel that makes Schertz unique.. To keep it that way, we need to enforce single family
housing codes and not allow short term rentals and massive apartment building to ruin our
community.
109 School Districts, Proximity to I-35, I-10, RAFB & San Antonio, Nice Neighborhoods
110 Small town feel
111 Small town community, safe, and diverse.
112 Sense of community. Public safety. Great location
113 When my family moved to San Antonio in 1997, we quickly learned of Schertz's
reputation... great schools, nice neighborhoods, a small town feel with the convenience
of San Antonio close by. For a very long time, these aspects were Schertz's greatest
strength. With the exponential growth, I fear Schertz is losing its identity and what makes
it special. Our goals should be to protect our small-town feel, support our schools, and
create/maintain beautiful neighborhoods. We can't say yes to everything. Schertz will no
longer be special. Some of its charm is already lost. My family aspired to move to Schertz
for these very qualities. It is hard to watch some of that diminish and the quality of life
decrease.
114 The cleanliness and uniformity of family ideals.
115 Schertz is known for helping small businesses.
116 Located between two major freeways (IH35 & IH 10) accessible to major cities( San
Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Houston)
117 Location. Right in between a busy San Antonio and at the base of the rolling canyons of
the hill country. Take advantage of that and the greenery. Use it. Don’t get rid of it. That’s
what makes this place so beautiful.
118 Ease of living here. Friendly city workers and officials.
119 Safety, friendliness
120 High sense of community and appealing to all ages.
121 Quiet slow pace environment,neighbor friendly
122 We feel safe, family friendly, family activities, cleanliness, lots of park, still a small town feel,
not growing as rapid
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN110
123 It used to be that Schertz wasn't over developed, however that is changing with all the
new development - both housing and business. In the last few years Schertz has added
a lot of businesses, many that are similar and because of this Schertz is losing its home/
neighborhood feel and is becoming another suburban sprawl type city.
124 Safe and diverse
125 Safety
126 Schertz is a family friendly area, I would like it to stay that way. There seems to be so many
apartments buildings and new construction that the county feel is dwindling.
127 The quiet and peaceful of this town, just being outside the 1604 loop San Antonio has
already extended to the outskirts drawing us near to the city limits and more police officers
are handling more crime then before. If we are not careful as we grow we will end up with
more siren’s sounding off in this town .
128 It is small and not overly developed
129 Small town family feel
130 We care for our neighbors and want the green space to look beautiful.
131 Reasonable place to live
132 It’s people
133 Saety
134 Great senior services
135 Small town vibes and I’d like to see it stay that way
136 safety
137 Schertz is a family friendly city.
138 Unfortunately, I can't think of anything!
139 Small town feel, proximity of essential services.
140 The Trees
141 I don't believe that it has what you could call strength. And it's not much different than
another city I truly don't believe that you listen to the residents
142 Family friendly
143 Schertz has small town values of respect for all its citizens and traditional American values.
144 One of Schertz's greatest strengths is it's schools. Many people choose to make Schertz
home because of the educational opportunities for their children. It also has a small town
feel, while being a short drive from major city activities.
145 Community-central and family-friendly
146 Closer knit community with people that care more about their area than the typical town or
city. Once people stop caring, everything starts to degrade as we've started to see in the
typical city.
147 Friendly, convenient
148 It’s people!
149 Small town feel
150 Lower crime than surrounding areas and not giving in to apartment complexes. Actively
planning for growth instead of being reactive.
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151 That it still has some small town charm left in certain places. It’s holding on by a thread…
but it’s still there.
152 The amount of traffic. Our greatest strength is overpopulation with a lack of infrastructure.
It’s not safe to walk or ride a bike on most roads because there are no bike lanes or side
walks (think 1518)
153 location
154 Ambulance and fire department
155 Currently, Schertz still has a little of the small-town atmosphere to it while still being
reasonably close to most amenities.
156 Single family homes as primary and lots of great parks and green space.
157 It's small town feel, full of SFHs, parks/green spaces.
158 I love the small town feel about the city. I love the small businesses owned by our own
residents. I love having a safe area where my kids have learned to drive in a lower pressure
environment.
159 Small town feeling, not over populated
160 Schertz is a perfect blend of city and country living. It is away from the hustle and bustle
but maintains that close knit community you get within the neighborhood.
161 Family oriented
162 Caring Mayor and Council. Fast police response and fast EMS/Fire. Schertz cares about it’s
people.
163 Small town feel
164 The people make it a great place to live. Streets need to be repaired ASAP! More Non-
chain restaurants are needed.
165 Schertz does not offer family friendly activities or places to eat. We lack entertainment,
places to explore, parks. We need to keep things local.
166 It’s small, and has farmland. It has a small town feel but also has access to plenty of
businesses. When small towns try to grow too quickly and their city planners don’t make
wise decisions, that’s when crime and poor schools occur.
167 It’s a small town and not to many people
168 It is small enough to feel like a place where people can really get to know one another.
169 Close proximity to San Antonio and New Braunfels
170 Community activities, strong military support, safe, and very good city services
171 Greatest strength is that it is military friendly, close connections with Cibolo, not far from
Garden Ridge and New Braunfels amenities but still a small town feel.
172 Good schools and library
173 We’ve expanded infrastructure and public spaces to keep up with growth in housing
development/ population. By public spaces/ services I mean things like the YMCA and
pools, library, first responders, parks, schools, etc.
174 Not a lot of apartment complexes (which is a good thing)
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN112
175 The TREES! I live all the wildlife and nature here which is why we chose to pay well above
market value for a home in a 30 year old neighborhood versus a cookie cutter new build
(which was considerable cheaper). We love seeing everybody walking home from school,
not too many speeders, perfect amount of amenities. We chose schertz over Cibolo
because of the smaller town feel and less businesses. Please don’t change this. I feel like
there is adequate housing here. There are plenty of high-paying jobs in San Antonio. There
is not a lot of traffic in Schertz. I love it just the way it is. I’ve never seen a ringtail cat before
and I have seen one here in my very own backyard and a neighborhood. I’d love the way.
Things are set up here now.
176 Greatest strength is Schools and location.
177 Small town feel
178 Its diversity. Its got a small town feel to it.
179 I believe Schertz's greatest strength has been old town charm, family-friendly attractions,
safety and great schools. I believe all of the strengths listed differentiate Schertz from other
cities.
180 Quiet, safe and active community. I see people outside all the time. Feels homey. No huge
stripped of trees neighborhoods.
181 Proximity to Randolph AFB
182 When we moved here 10 years ago we were impressed how Schertz was progress-driven
while also maintaining a safe and family oriented community. I fear that in the interest of
getting more, more, more Schertz is forgetting what made them a wonderful community
in the first place. I’m all for progress but not at the expense of not taking care of what we
already have. Traffic is a nightmare and streets are roller coasters - you can’t keep up now!
183 Schertz can still preserve it’s quite environment for single family housing
184 peaceful and attractive living
185 diverse population, and safe neighborhoods
186 Being a small town with lots of events and activities so citizens don't have to go far to have
fun. The people are welcoming and genuinely caring. We want what's best for everyone
that lives here and visits here. We take pride in our city and how friendly, and clean it is and
the longstanding traditions and history that make it Schertz.
187 Its small-town feel.
188 Small town! We need a community to let our children grow. Keep the small town appeal.
189 It still feels like a small town
190 Parks
191 Friendly community
192 Local business fronts
193 Friendly community
194 Schertz is great for its location. Big cities north and south.
195 Location & connection from IH 35 & IH 10
196 The small town feel with all the nice parks and events provided by the City (or at least
those that pick Schertz as the event center). Ease of getting around the city is good, not
sure what the I35 expansion will impact traffic in our area. Hope it is not too great. Rush
hour is not bad from Randolph AFB and close proximity is great.
197 Retired military. But senior transportation is needed.
198 Being able to keep the small town vibes when next to one of the biggest cities in the
country!
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199 Patriotic community
200 Location and diversity of jobs.
201 That we are centrally located to the coast, entertainment and major thoroughfares
202 still has a small-town feel despite its growing population and commercialization.
203 WELL EDUCATED AND ENGAGED CITIZENS
204 Location & location
205 Safe, quiet, growing.
206 The town's greatest strength is it's small town feel. I hate the fact every green space is
being sold off and some cookie cutter building is put up. We don't need more nail salons
or another doctor office. We need trees, green spaces, and nature. At least, if these places
disappear, put in a plant friendly place like a greenhouse business. Stop filling all these
places with housing communities with no yards, pointless business parks, and for the love
of all that is holy, not another gas station!
207 great police officers
208 Schertz is very community oriented with services in place for residents of all ages, from
children's play areas and sports programs to the senior center and senior housing. I
like that the consequences of growth are addressed in a timely manner , before serious
problems arise from uncontrolled population growth. Unlike some fast growing cities, I
feel Schertz has retained a lot of the small town atmosphere it had 30 years ago. That is
important to many residents, both old and new.
209 It's small town feel with close by amenities in larger cities.
210 Small-town feel next to the big city
211 Cultural heritage, military connections, larger San Antonio connections
212 Great community programming from the senior center, 4th jubilee, library, good schools
and great city staff.
213 Responsibile growth, avoiding overcrowding which could alienate the residents who have
been the city's roots. We don't want to become a busy cityscape like the urban areas on
the Northside but a little bit of growth may not be too much of a bad thing.
214 Schertz needs to stop over developing and be happy with what you have. Stop building all
of these cookie cutter neighborhoods and low income housing bringing in crime.
215 The actual people here care about the community. We are one of the largest towns in
the area with the worst resources. We are understaffed in police and ems. Both chiefs are
making their money and name off abusing their employees. The tax payers don't have
ambulances readily available nor thr appropriate police protection. We will go down in
history as a huge town filled with corruption, underpaid workers and general thoughtless
city governments
216 Safe neighborhoods, easily accessible to shopping- RAFB
217 Safe and small-town feel
218 It is quiet. Access to shopping. Restaurants. In general, folks are nice.
219 Schertz's greatest strength is the community. The community differentiates the city from
others with their support and understanding.
220 The smaller city structure,old world style and diversity. Our biggest strength is our public
works and first responder units.
221 Kind people
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN114
222 Schertz used to be known for being a safe place to raise a family. Schertz needs to invest in
existing neighborhoods ahead of new development.
223 I have lived here for 24 years. I honestly can not say what is schertz’s greatest strength. We
have grown so fast and our crime has picked up. People have lost the neighbor way. Our
taxes are too high and our schools are lacking in safety.
224 It's position astride two major Interstates.
225 Schertz is a safe, family-friendly small community without a lot of businesses.
226 A huge base of single family homes
227 Good schools, attractive housing, business park, city parks, honored history
228 It has low crime rate, great parks, and is located close to both San Antonio and New
Braunfels.
229 The people who live there-the community and small town feel
230 Services for a small city
231 Great school district
232 Lots of trees and green spaces
233 Schertz greatest strength is geographic location to San Antonio and opportunity that
comes from the personnel that work on Randolph. In addition, siting between I35 and I10
provides Schertz with rapid transportation route that moves citizens to other shopping and
economic centers.
234 Schertz greatest strength is being family friendly. There’s always something going on for all
age, including animals.
235 Safety and away from San antonio
236 Schertz has a great location and has a lot of potential as it has some extremely valuable
land within its city limits.
237 Love the look of Schertz Parkway, Love the community & safe neighborhood
238 Schertz is built upon people, community and security... not business, growth and money.
The infrastructure of Schertz seems well-thought out with the foundation that this is our
home and community.
239 Schertz is a great city to live in. It is safe.
240 Safe community and good schools
241 Schertz is a fairly safe place to live and raise families.
242 Safety, small town feel, sense of community despite growth, good schools
243 Friendly people with a good amount of diversity
244 Small town feel. Not overcrowding
245 The people caring for one another.
246 Safe family oriented comunity
247 Room for improvement when the council starts voting for the interests of their residents
instead of the influencers with money
248 A lot of green spaces with natural wild life
249 Small town atmosphere
250 Small
251 Small friendly city, away from large unfriendly citys! We are a clean city!
appEnDIx B 115
252 Friendly peopke
253 Small city, great people
254 It's people
255 I like that Schertz is looking forward to determine where it wants to be 20 years out. Right
now I don’t see a lot that differentiates it from thousands of other similarly sized cities.
256 It’s small, feels safe and quiet. Very family oriented
257 Quaint, family community with multi racial families.
258 Safe and friendly space.
259 The atmosphere of community and acceptance of all peoples
260 Schertz is a great place for nice homes, walking trails, parks, community events. This will
eventually go away with all the apartments city council is allowing to be developed. If this
continues I will be moving before 2044. Schertz should be a small version of the Dominion
where homes and apartments are not mixed. Schertz is beautiful the way its is with all its
green spaces.
261 It’s a little big city. It’s little but close enough to San Antonio. It feels safe and I love to walk
my dogs in the neighborhood
262 We just moved here and I’m impressed by the number of high quality business and
services are in schertz and Cibolo. When we lived in San Antonio, I found myself driving 45
minutes for a specific errand - a dog groomer, pediatric dentist, a better selection of fruits
and vegetables. We have found a lot of places that exceed my personal standards (which
my husband would say is too high lol). I’d love to have more eclectic, local dining options,
more on the healthy side. I’m also bowled over by the library here - I’m a library junkie
and whoever is doing the materials selection over there is killing it, and the children’s
programming has been awesome!
263 We are outside the large city and have lots of open spaces. Our buildings are small and
spread out.
264 Connection between community members. A family-like connection, even with people
that you just met and/or with people that one does business with.
265 Community
266 It's a city with the feel of a town.
267 It is still a small town, please dont change that!
268 Great sense of community
269 Military presence. Nothing.
270 located on the IH35 & IH10 corridors
271 Close proximity to San Antonio
272 Safety
273 Small city feel
274 School district
275 Schertz’s greatest strength is its ability to change with the times. For example, the
construction on I-35 that is currently being built. What differentiates Schertz from other
cities is its quiet neighborhoods.
276 That this city itself is small
277 It is a quiet and relaxing place to live and raise a family.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN116
278 Location of the city with easy access.
279 Able to listen to its citizens and avoid the pit falls of over expanding
280 Diversity is the greatest strength as well as the welcoming veteran presence. These are the
two biggest things that make us better then New Braunfels.
281 Wonderful, friendly neighbors. Houses are not jammed together & they are
reasonably priced. We moved here from acreage & we love our home because we’re
not jammed on top of the ones next door.
282 Close community, not a huge influx of people
283 The Residents are Schertz greatest strength. Schertz is a very proud and super friendly
284 Single family homes and a small town feel
285 The fact that although small can still see green space. I don't see concrete and buildings
but actually see trees and space.
286 It’s proximity to SA & Austin, 2 major highways, family friendly farm community, all
lives matter
287 Lots of opportunities to get connected (cool social events)
288 Small town feel; parks and greenspace
289 Crime rate, lack of crowding, and unity
290 Schertz is a safe, family-friendly small community without a lot of businesses.
291 Small town feel where everyone knows everybody
292 It's a small independent city.
293 Small community feel
294 Small community feel with access to big city amenities just down the street.
295 Nothing
296 City government is responsive to citizens
297 The community is strong and supportive
298 It was initially the small town feel near a big city. We want to keep it that way and not
overpopulate the area when the infrastructure can't support it.
299 The greatest strength are the people who live here.
300 Small town feel and nice folks
301 Good neighborhoods
302 Safety, cleanliness, friendly, near stores, churches,
303 Family friendly, small town feel but one that has good diversity from the military and
Veteran family population
304 I can't think of any.
305 Small town feel, even though we’re growing
306 Old growth forests and greenbelts on FM 3009
appEnDIx B 117
307 Schertz biggest strength is that we are all connected with small communities that care
about one another. Schertz is a small community but still big enough for residents and
visitors to go and do things around town. When I see both small single our two-story family
homes along with country is makes me feel happy and appreciative that there is still beauty
in the State of Texas. We don’t want to have Schertz to be the next metropolitan multi-
dollar high rise community.
308 We were safe that is changing
309 Natural woodlands and green areas - protected heritage and old growth trees.
310 Police patrol
311 None whatsoever
312 Beautiful land and landscape as well as easy access to downtown SA.
313 Still safely than others cities.
314 Small town feel.
315 Has the small town, family friendly feeling. Not too big with a good mix of homes,
businesses and amenities.
316 Small town feel but still within a reasonable distance of the city and businesses
317 Cleanliness
318 Diverse and reasonably safe Community
319 Family friendly and has open green space unlike big cities
320 Great mix of neighborhoods, farms and greenspace
321 Location
322 Low traffic, good schools, safer than San Antonio.
323 Nice place to live and things are near me to shop at
324 Proximity to San Antonio and Austin
325 Quiet and safe place to raise a family, great school system, great location for working in
San Antonio.
326 Safety
327 Schertz's greatest strength is that it's proximity to urban opportunities in San Antonio and
Austin. This allows for the city to prioritize development as a bedroom community. Keeping
the small town charm and feel while still having access to shopping and dining.
328 Single family homes
329 Small city life. Has plenty of great natural landscapes.
330 Small town feel
331 smaller town next to a big city (San Antonio)
332 the sense of safety. Additionally, Schertz's proximity to the area military bases. Our
neighbors reflect the values and demographics of our armed forces and that has been
reassuring for our family.
333 The up and coming communities are great!
334 Trying to build new entertainment and restaurants.
335 Used to be safe
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN118
QUESTION 4
Which existing city or town serves as the inspiration for how you would like Schertz to develop and
transform in the future?
1 Georgetown, TX
2 I would like to have a better aquatics facility to accomodate all the areas demographics.
3 Cibolo for their downtown.
4 McKinney
5 Cibolo, Plano, Richardson
6 Cibolo, Gruene, Fredricksburg
7 Buda Tx
8 Not sure, but possibly Frisco, Tx.
9 historic value with small town community involvement
10 I used to live in Aviation heights. I liked how the neighborhood was reclaimed and how is
prospered. However the boom was well after I sold!
11 I think Schertz is set to inspire other cities rather than be looking to duplicate a known
city.
12 bus for the elderly
13 Fredericksburg, TX
14 New Braunfels
15 Cibolo did a nice job with their old town.
16 Gonzales
17 Nacogdoches
18 Cibolo
19 Ocean Springs, MS
20 Garden Ridge. Its use of green space and nice homes is a very comforting environment to
live and grow a family in.
21 New Braunfels
22 I would like to see a hybrid of Marble Falls, parts of New Braunfels, Fredericksburg and
McKinney. Quite a mix, however, each despite it’s growth has been able to retain it’s
sense of identity as it grew. McKinney has been able to have technical industries yet not
be overwhelmed with the feel of big city stifling growth..
23 Katy, Texas (Katy City limits proper not the unincorporated area that has been flooded
with apartments and other public housing which brought crime of all sorts)
24 New Braunfels
25 Portland, Oregon Portlanders have access to pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods, over
315 miles of bicycle paths and the highest number of urban parks per capita in the US.
26 New Braunfels
27 I loved the areas in San Antonio near TPC parkway
28 Boerne, Fredericksberg
appEnDIx B 119
29 Not sure.
30 Plano
31 Lebanon, IL; Fredericksburg TX; BourneTX
32 Burlington, Vermont. Schertz needs to embrace their own identity as a family friendly
community. Creating a shopping and entertainment district would be great but we do
not have good bones in an existing location so identifying a new area would be good.
33 Beaver Falls, PA
34 Fredericksburg
35 Rockwall, Plano, Frisco, The Dominions
36 Affordable grocery like Trader Joe’s or ALDI’s. Increase Entertainment, sport activities,
more catch and release fishing, quality restaurants
37 Carmel Valley in San Antonio
38 New Braunfels, TX
39 New Braunfels
40 Idk
41 Castroville or Friendswood, TX
42 Cibolo. Our neighboring city is bringing in more options to shop and dine. They aren’t
bringing in more warehouses to sit vacant.
43 New Braunfels
44 None
45 Keep Green Spaces and don’t develop everything
46 Alamo Heights
47 None
48 New Braunfels
49 Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado; Any city with more green space and walking trails
50 I would like to see a greater presence of police as it should be used to help patrol
neighborhoods at night.
51 Cibolo
52 Downtown Cibolo but with stores
53 New Braunfels
54 A small town. We do not need more traffic, more people or higher cost.
55 Irvine, CA is a beautifully master-planned community that understands the importance of
green spaces & trails systems and keeping pedestrians/cyclists safe.
56 Nacogdoches.
57 Rockport, Texas - can you create an Ocean?:)
58 Boerne
59 Marfa Texas
60 Cibolo
61 Schertz should focus on its own identity.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN120
62 Keep greenbelts completely natural to support widelife and beauty. No cement sidewalks
and steel furniture.
63 Open up soccer fields and public school grounds for the tax payer
64 Please stop building houses and filling every piece of land with another business, leave it
alone. We moved here years ago to be away from the city now Schertz is overcrowded,
taxes keep going up and cruise is in the rise
65 Springville Utah
66 Helotes, Texas
67 Ensure that the city is clean it no trash, debris, vegetation in pavements, no graffiti. The
cleaner and more kept a place is the more attractive it is to investors and businesses,
people are happier and more willing to interact in the community and the less crime
results.
68 Since Schertz city council will not address issues presented to them at all then Schertz
needs to be more proactive to the residents questions, problems and concerns, Schertz
government at all levels does not care at all about residents, and this would be a very
good place to start. Schertz government is not friendly helpful or caring about the
population in anyway shape or form. Schertz needs to stop paying attention to the special
interest people and the favoritism that is so ready displayed, and eliminate general fits
all rule that apply to everyone when in fact the rule has nothing to do at all with the
residents such as the rainwater runoff from roofs since the area I live in is rural and Schertz
has NO drainage system at all nor has any plans to do anything about drainage but will
gladly add another tax on property and continue to raise that tax providing no service
and or benefit in our neighbourhood
69 New Braunfels. It has retained its respect for its history and celebrates its historic past
with museums, murals, and celebration events.
70 It needs to stay original. It does not need to be like any other city or town.
71 Garden Ridge
72 Gruene
73 All other cities should be wanting to be like us! It would be nice to have more things like
museums though.
74 N/A
75 Austin
76 McKinney
77 Boerne tx, hico tx
78 San Marcos. San Marcos is one of the best places in Texas and part of that is due to its
high density housing that keeps housing affordable for all.
79 Unfortunately all cities seem to be over developing. I would like Schertz to stay with its
current level of housing and business development and use the remaining land as green
space or as parks and trails.
80 None
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81 More like how Barcelona has made city blocks reliant and self-sustaining, in a way, with
more green space, more pedestrian space, way fewer cars, which is okay because the
blocks have grocery stories, doctor office and more within walking or biking distance.
They call them Superblocks: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/17/
superblocks-rescue-barcelona-spain-plan-give-streets-back-residents
82 Gruene
83 Hondo
84 I think Schertz should be like Schertz, not a copycat of another place. We should be a safe
community that takes care in seeing that the people’s needs are met without infringing on
anyone’s rights to privacy, peace and quiet. For that reason, I would like to suggest that
the area that’s being targeted for development near Scenic Hills and Northcliffe be used
for a Continuing Care Community with the idea of those of us currently living in Scenic
Hills and the surrounding areas being able to transition from our own homes into that
community when the time comes rather than having to go to New Braunfels or Cibolo, or
anywhere else.
85 Boerme
86 Cibolo
87 Cibilo
88 Greene
89 New Braunfels, TX
90 Cibolo?
91 Cibolo
92 Better streets, re-strips streets, fire hydrants re-painted
93 Asheville, NC
94 Boerne
95 Other developing small towns and cities in Texas should look to Schertz as an example
on how to develop and grow responsively.
96 Gruene, Seguin
97 No town around these parts.
98 Cibilo and Live Oak
99 Greene
100 waco,TX
101 Fredericksburg
102 San Marcos. They have adequate police and ems resources and staffing.
103 Leander Texas, it is clean, booming, and safe. Their schools are fantastic, residents
can drive into Austin for a plethora of career opportunities, and most of the housing is
modernized and gorgeous. There is not overpopulation in the suburb creating excessive
traffic around the city despite its continuous growth.
104 Similar to those around and in Austin.
105 Gruene
106 I like Schertz. Other cities should look at us.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN122
107 Kyle and Buda are perfect examples of how a City Management and Staff have carefully
crafted a diverse economic and community environment where people want to live and
work, with affordable housing.
108 I guess I would rather it keep the small town feel rather than see it develop and grow.
109 New Braunfels
110 New Braunfels; history, parks, downtown.
111 New Braunfels
112 Old Schertz
113 Davis, California but without the high price tag
114 Stone Oak
115 I would just love more trails connecting everything
116 Fort Collins, CO
117 Longview Texas
118 I want Schertz to be unique. I want other cities to look at Schertz as an example that over
development isn’t the only path to success in the future.
119 New Braunfels
120 My hometown, Doylestown, Ohio. See comments above. As another example, Hot
Springs AK has retained its original historic district.
121 Bryan Tx
122 Springfield MO enacted a bike trial/linear park theme throughout the their City and it
has worked out great (in my opionion). Living close to a trail provided another avenue to
bike/walk to several shops and other parks that normally would drive to. Good idea, but
it a few areas crime increased in secluded trails - bigger city, more crime. Need to watch
out for the areas that appear unprotected.
123 I love the feel of Alamo Heights. It’s family friendly and walkable - though housing prices
are too high. I appreciate places that have sizable lots for housing to preserve green
space. While do not care for Austin’s traffic, I do appreciate how walkable it is. It would be
great to have a Primo type bus line that could allow for Park and Ride in or near Schertz,
but take you to common San Antonio locations, such as the Pearl, downtown SA, and
maybe even the airport.
124 NYC. Not the buildings but the micro eateries, places that are witihin walking, biking
distance and thr infrastructure to support the it. Not talking about central large places like
downtown but small areas scattered throughout the city
125 WE SHOULD BE THE EXAMPLE
126 Alamo Heights has good shopping, restaurants, and markets
127 Cibolo is doing an amazing job, and seems to be garnering better name recognition
128 Scottsdale AZ is nice
129 None, all of the places nearby are growing way faster than their infrastructure can
support. Schertz is already on the verge of busting at the seams, it should follow a new
plan where the infrastructure grows with the population instead of outpacing it and
ruining it before anything happens.
130 None
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131 Helping City employee, so the employee can stay longer. Is will help build a friendly city /
neighborhood.
132 Woodlands.
133 With Schertz growing in diversity it would be nice to see a combination of the West
side of San Antonio and the city of Houston mixed in. The food choices and stores from
Houston would add a good touch along with the activities, scenery, food choices of West/
Northwest San Antonio
134 I don’t know
135 Round Top
136 Frisco Tx
137 Santa Fe New Mexico
138 I would like it to feel like Fredericksburg. Shopping on Main Street and parks to enjoy
139 Cibolo
140 None
141 New Bransfels
142 History
143 Napiervelle Illinois
144 Library and City and County Buildings
145 None
146 Cibolo except don’t force people out of their homes or build a major grocery store at the
end of our driveways
147 Green spaces, parks, and trails like Austin. Walkability and dining like New Braunfels or
Georgetown downtown
148 There isn’t a particular town that I can think of. They all have their issues but Schertz could
be it’s own example of being a tight-knit community with safe neighborhoods without the
overcrowding issues that so many other towns and cities are dealing with. Otherwise, it
will be just another burb with all the big city problems that San Antonio deals with: crime,
overcrowding with people living on top of each other and a morphing concrete jungle.
149 Bulverde, TX
150 Any town that has many running/walking paths And bike lanes and sidewalks. More
police presence and less traffic
151 Round rock Texas
152 If apartments and high density housing comes, it
153 New Braunfels
154 New Braunfels
155 St. George, Ut
156 Pflugerville
157 Please keep it a safe, small town feel.
158 Glendale, Arizona
159 More Police presence
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN124
160 Waco
161 Wimberley, TX
162 Marion
163 n/a
164 I would have to choose New Braunfels or San Marcos. Like Schertz, these are cities that
are affected by I-35. These two cities have managed to take advantage of that in many
ways.
165 Fredericksburg or Kerrville
166 Would like to see downtown more like Wimberley or Johnson City -- quaint with shopping
versus automotive repair shops.
167 Lulling
168 Blanco or similar. Affluent, small and quite.
169 Fredrickburg
170 Gruene
171 Fredericksburg
172 New Braunfels TX at most. I don’t believe Schertz should over-expand. Part of the charm
here is the smaller size.
173 ???
174 Seguin
175 New Braunfels
176 Kyle
177 NB
178 Bethesda, Maryland for their beautiful bike/walk trails
179 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
180 Fredericksburg, shopping, dining, culture/museums, wine tasting, BnBs, fun!!!
181 None
182 Cibolo. tx
183 Fort Worth
184 Cibolo, TX
185 One that is not overcrowded without infrastructure to support it. Stop building
apartments and neighborhoods.
186 No idea
187 Arvada, Colorado
188 New Brainfles
189 Boerne or Fredericksburg
190 Selma & Schertz
191 Gruene, historic Cibolo, Hershey and Annville PA
192 Boerne
193 The downtown/main drag could do with a little cleaning up.
appEnDIx B 125
194 1.
195 Continue to support our Police and Fire Departments, and actively protect our citizens
and our properties.
196 Alexandria, Virginia - parks, bike trails connecting communities with the downtown area,
locally owned cafes & restaurants, theater, farmers markets, very outdoorsy but with
history everywhere
197 Georgetown, Tx
198 Cibolo. A small town feel with lots of things to do.
199 City’s that are stopping he crazy building
200 Castroville
201 Please look up Hilliard or Dublin, Ohio; they were small towns just like Schertz. They
became vibrant small town homes with first-class amenities, thriving local businesses and
restaurants. I believe Schertz can take some of their strengths and pave a way for future
growth to compete better with other cities.
202 Austin outskits without the crowds, prices or crime.
203 I think Schertz inspires itself, except for the absence of Customer Service in City of
Schertz Utilities Division.
204 BFE
205 New Braunfels - on a smaller scale
206 None
207 There are no cities on the I35 corridor that have not been overbuilt.
208 not living here long enough to comment
209 Wimberley, TX
210 None
211 Cibolo
212 Gruene
215 Boerne
216 Boerne
217 Cibolo
218 Fredericksburg
219 Leander
220 Lincoln, illinois
221 More parks, trails and less housing development.
222 New Braunfels
223 New Braunfels
224 New Braunfels
225 Proper zoning, Green Space, Safety, Family Friendly.
226 Waco
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN126
QUESTION 5
What do you think will be the most critical issues facing Schertz in the future?
appEnDIx B 127
QUESTION 7
What types of retail and services does Schertz need more of?
1 Healthy and vegetarian cuisine
2 Limit warehouse development
3 diverse retail options both large and small
4 General retail
5 Grocery options in south Schertz (area off I-10)
6 More organic/vegan options
7 NONE. IT’S RIDICULOUS HOW FAST-FOOD JUNKY LIKE SCHERTZ HAS BECOME.
8 #Freemedor
9 Trader Joe’s
Aldi’s
10 Things for teenagers and families on limited income to do.
11 Community recreation areas
12 Farmer’s markets
13 Stores that have art, crafts,gifts etc.
14 Day care
15 Limit chain stores and restaurants. Promote locally owned.
16 We have retail, entertainment, and medical opportunities in each direction at our fingertips. I see
little need to bring in more just for the sake of modernizing.
17 Grocery option in southern Schertz
Other Answers
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN128
18 Clothing and boutique type stores, like New Braunfels has.
19 I’m not sure how to answer this one. It might not be specifically in Schertz, but I feel we have
access to everything we need given our proximity to so many other cities/places. I feel like our
options are fine.
20 Better selection of retails stores (musical instruments, electronics, specialized items, tired of the
Walmart’s....
21 Outdoor music venues
22 Farmers market
23 Schertz and the surrounding area have plenty of all of these things.
24 Upscale restaurants
25 Parks and recreation activities for seniors
26 Small businesses that are personally owned and operated. Places like coffee shops, boutiques,
diners. Y’all have added enough doctor/medical/shipping/receiving.
27 Craft stores
28 Schertz needs more parks! The developers running around unchecked want to put buildings on
every square foot of green space, which is not a good use of the land. Allowing the former golf
course to get turned into anything that’s not green space (park, etc) would be a massive waste of
perfectly good (park) land.
29 Shoe stores
*Hospital
30 fitness facility - perhaps by the movie theater. The Y is overcrowded.
31 Healthy dining.
32 Trader Joe’s. Authentic Indian & Chinese food, Sushi
33 Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s.
34 A book store would be great
35 More small gyms
36 Mom and pop type restaurants, that focus on food not drink, and that are not tex mex or bbq.
37 Kid friendly entertainment
38 Outside dining. No more nail salons
appEnDIx B 129
QUESTION 8
In 2044, Schertz should have housing that:
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN130
QUESTION 9
What are the best ways to ensure that all residents can prosper?
Other Answers
1 More schools.
2 Develop relief routes to Schertz Parkway and FM 3009
3 Lower taxes. Police focusing on crime and criminals not civil.
4 Invest in education to create successful future generations.
5 Public transportation that is NOT buses. Rail, biking, walking.
6 Fix the current broken infrastructure before adding more people and problems. The city can not
even pay for enough police right now!
7 Focus on maintaining quality of life, preservation of the small town feel, and stop trying to cram
high density housing everywhere.
8 Limit multi family housing. There seems to be a lot coming up in the community suddenly.
9 More green space. We need space to breathe!
10 Transportation that conn CT’s residents to services and medical. Current availability is insufficient.
11 Maintain a safe, low crime city. Everything else will follow and prosper after that. Be tough on
crime, swift, severe.
12 Stop building
13 Manage property taxes
14 Dont care for any of these options
15 Reduce property taxes
16 Lower property taxes
17 Our public service workers need to be paid and treated with respect. Police, ems, fire, fleet,
ect are completely understaffed and the boots on the ground are underpaid, manipulated and
abused in their positions. The people thay care about their neighbors are getting broken down by
the government that should be protecting and advocating for them
appEnDIx B 131
18 Stop replacing green space with more multi family housing. Green space is needed for physical
and mental health.
19 Having more activities for all age group especially as one gets older. Or at least improve on the
marketing and communicating of what is out there. I feel that as I have gotten older there is very
limited things to do here in Schertz and having to travel else where.
20 Residence can continue to prosper in surrounding cities.
21 Keep taxes low. Fight crime.
22 Find ways to reduce property taxes and/or keep them from growing. Good people are being
pushed out due to runaway property taxes. Especially elderly who called this town home for a
long time.
23 Stop trying to push the affordable housing position. Many of the preceding questions are trying
to drive support for low income, affordable housing. The majority of Schertz residents want the
life style we have now. This isn’t San Antonio.
24 Address traffic
25 Fix the roads!! Lower taxes. Get out if the way!
26 Cut taxes
27 Don’t Real Estate Agents on City Council and Outside Developers(Eugenio-who contributed to
Mayor’s campaign) dictate how Schertz should be run
28 Address questions concerns and complaints from residents instead of the policy of ignoring
everything as the city now does!
29 Control spending and keep taxes manageable
30 Safe neighborhoods
31 Stop overdeveloping. Wild animals are in our neighborhood because their habitat is being
developed for another empty strip mall
32 Provide jobs that allow for people to earn a living wage while still being able to save.
33 Provide/repair infrastructure and slow down residential growth. Too much traffic with roads
unable to accommodate already and overcrowded schools
34 Survival of the fittest. The low/ lack of income losers should see housing in San Antonio.
35 Keep assessed property values Reasonable. Property taxes are wreaking havoc on working
families.
36 Not add section 8 housing to attract crime. Focus on making us more like Alamo Heights, not
Converse.
37 Incorporate more green spaces and trails.
Make the city more bike and pedestrian - friendly.
Reduce traffic.
38 MORE businesses so we don’t have to drive to SA
39 Stop building homes on top of one another.
40 Lower taxes, reduce Frivolous spending
41 More recreational space (ie. parks, splash park, community events
42 Decrease amount of housing in inadequate green spaces that result in increased traffic, worsening
of roads and air pollution
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN132
43 I would like to be able to get to Schertz establishments on a golf cart instead of having to drive
my car. We would benefit from reduced fuel emissions, fewer accidents, and less money spent on
expensive fuels. We have a small business footprint, comparably, and should be able to stop at
Arlans, visit a doctor on a Schertz Pkwy, drop by the post office, and grab coffee at Americano,
etc., all without having to drive and find a place to park my car. Our weather allows us to tool
around in a golf cart most days of the year. It is a win-win.
44 Provide a safe community and enforce code comp
45 Medicare eligible housing for 80+ aging. Current wait list is over 5 years - not providing any relief
when you allow 55+ in first. Other facilities do not accept Medicare/Medicaid for housing.
46 More options for senior to live independently as possible
47 While it is important for all residents to prosper, we must remember who the residents are and
their needs. The focus/goals of the city of Schertz will determine the answer to this question.
Most of your options seem to lean towards a diversity of socioeconomic backgrounds. This is a
great goal if Schertz had the space to accommodate socioeconomic diversity. Schertz is relatively
small. Our focus needs to be clear. We probably can’t “do it all.” We need to stay centered on
what we can do well. I would love for Schertz to focus on taking care of its current residents
instead of trying to attract more and more people. I would love for Schertz to have a small-town
feel with lots of green space. We aren’t San Antonio. We aren’t Universal City. Schertz is losing
its identity, and I sure hope we can focus in on our goals so we maintain the Schertz most of us
moved here for.
48 Build infrastructure east of 78 so the citizens that are moving in can get around. Without the roads
businesses will not come so the citizens have to drive to get anything. How long does it take to
widen 1518? I should have been done prior to placing two school 200m apart!
49 Diverse choice in food, entertainment, and shopping
50 Prevent crime from San antonio from coming in. Issues like converse tx or Kirby tx
51 Address single family affordable housing
52 Provide more park areas/ green spaces where citizens can enjoy well maintained outdoors areas
53 Public transportation from Schertz to areas outside of Schertz would allow residents to prosper,
but would keep Schertz a residential community (versus a business community). Also, limiting
the number of similar businesses in Schertz would give business owners a better change of
prospering. For example having 3 coffee places in close proximity makes it hard for a business
owner to do well.
54 Have Retirement homes as the population grows older.
55 Equal opportunity, if new laws are being in force in accordance with the UDC, you need to either
grandfather those that been living in the community for longer then when the new laws are
implemented and give enough time to correct it, but if you started to tow away vehicles that are
parked in their property and on grass. You show no consideration and your actions will cause the
community to show up on every council meeting.
56 Lower taxes
57 Develop partnerships with NE Lakeview & other ACCD colleges to provide training in areas of
high need without paying out-of-district tuition.
58 Better roads!
59 It’s up to the individual for his prosperity
60 Stop the library from buying and displaying leftist propaganda, especially those promoting
transgenderism to the children of Schertz.
61 Bring in more businesses that generate sales tax to offset property taxes.
appEnDIx B 133
62 Stop authorizing low income apartment complexes to be built in areas of $400k + homes.
Especially where there is no public transportation or infrastructure to support these types of
apartments.
63 Prosperity also includes the intangibles such as crime and community safety and a place that feels
like home and not overcrowded.
64 More police to protect our community. We live in Crossvine and can’t even get active patrol to
reduce speeding and car break-ins.
65 Reduce real estate taxes!
66 Another high school.
67 Promote safety classes for incoming residents
68 Build outside the community like cibolo did. 3009 does not need any more traffic. People can’t
get out of their neighborhoods as it is.
69 Build appropriate infrastructure to support growth
70 Quit bringing poor people in—raises crime.
71 Stop overbuilding so that roads and existing infrastructure, schools, businesses can handle it. We
are not growing responsibly.
72 We have enough
73 Do not destroy our existing greenbelts to dig trenches and build unneeded paved paths.
74 Kick out the gangs.
75 NOT building high density housing or apartments like the ones you keep trying to shove down
our throats
76 Create a balanced program of local events to encourage all age groups to come together with a
purpose for the community. Farmers markets, concerts in the park for all ages, plays in the park,
community events on a smaller scale for neighborhoods to collaborate, programs that teach how
to care for your home and garden/lawn - safety, helping each other - get to know your neighbor/
hood social events. Food trucks in the parks, coffee time gatherings - monthly gatherings - am,
pm and weekends.
77 Elect loyal officials for the community.
78 Stop pushing for apartments in every corner of schertz and focus on the areas, crowded schools,
roads and residents that are already here.
79 Support high school programs
80 Smaller class sizes and more schools
81 Transportation that is NOT busses. Train, biking, walking.
82 Quiet safe housing with green space
83 Upgrade the current roads especially around schools. Provide better safer school busses so
parents don’t feel the need to drive their kids to school. This wastes a lot of energy and is not
good for the environment.
84 More services such as the workforce training, day cares, quality schools, transportation for
residents to seek help at food pantries, etc.
85 Support our local farm owners and stop pushing them out by encouraging apartments being built
around them forcing them to sell out to large land developers and move their farms elsewhere.
86 limit apartment and multi family housing
87 road repair, more parks
88 We need a mass transit system to connect us to major points of interest in San Antonio area to
include other cities in Texas.
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QUESTION 10
In 2044, public facilities and infrastructure will:
QUESTION 11
In 2044, residents will be connected to the services they need through:
appEnDIx B 135
1 Street maintenance
2 Less hatred from citizens on social media.
3 resist change for change-sake; not all change is good. That said, recommend Schertz coordinate
with local/nation-wide service providers to bring fiber throughout all of Schertz.
4 I wish it was more walkable to the food and amenities I need.
5 More recreational activities
6 Improve traffic flow.
7 Make the workforce housing project on 1518 NOT happen. It is GOVERNMENT subsidized
housing that will attract the type of people that bring crime to our area.
8 I would love to see the park system connected. I live in Oak Forest and it would be awesome if
the green belt would connect to the small park in Arroyo Verde. If a small playground could be
added between the parks that would be nice too.
9 Get a new mayor.
10 Keep industrial areas located separately from housing area and ensure industrial areas blend in
with the surrounding area.
11 Prioritize street maintenance and redo many of the small country roads.
12 Develop downtown into a quaint attractive area with pertinent stores. First thing you need to do
is get rid of that auto mechanic that is an eyesore and has cars parked all over the neighborhood.
13 The City Council
14 We would be more of a destination spot than a pass through town
15 Transportation
16 EXTEND FM 3009 TO IH10
17 Stop trying to be a big city. People moved here for a small town. Accept it and govern for the
people here!
18 City official elections be by district instead of at large. This allows for better communication
between council and the people they support as they can focus on their area.
19 Speeding cars.. despise traffic but most of those people who disregard traffic speeds and
signage.
20 Stop taking away greenspaces! Every bit of green on Schertz Parkway is either sold or for sale. No
more small-yard housing, no more “business” buildings, no more gas stations, nail salons, etc.
KEEP THE SMALL TOWN FEEL THROUGH INNOVATIVE GREENSPACES!
21 Additional trees in public areas
22 Peoples’ mentality of no growth. Growth is inevitable. We need to get ahead of the power curve
and manage it. Schertz housing should be set up to accommodate (read affordable) to our kids,
city employees and young professionals who want to work hard and play hard without being tied
down to large single family dwelling.
23 More enforcement of vehicular code.
24 Lower housing taxes.
25 The amount of strip malls that have dentists or orthodontists. We have a need for restaurants,
coffee shops and other businesses
QUESTION 12
If you could change one thing about Schertz, what would it be?
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN136
26 Increase the level of commercial activities, such as retail, dining, entertainment
27 I’d like to see a fast, reliable, affordable public transit system for those who are unable to drive as
well as those trying to reduce vehicle emissions by driving less.
28 I would expand and liven up the downtown area.
29 Improve the city’s presence as a major player within the county and the district. City limits lines
are a hodgepodge on a map and the size of Schertz ends up downplayed to other, smaller
surrounding cities.
30 No recommended changes. I would emphasize continued support for Randolph AFB to ensure it
remains active
31 Been a while, but Schertz PD interactions have not been good.
32 Tear down all the old buildings on 78 and continue to clean up 1518
33 More police presence on 3009 and Schertz Pkwy
34 Improve traffic flow around 35 and 3009
35 I would clean out Cibolo Creek from IH 35 to IH 10 and make it a destination place for recreation
and fun. At the same time, decrease threats and damage due to flooding and high water.
The government entities are there: Bexar County, Guadalupe County, Comal County, Schertz,
Selma, Universal City, Cibolo, CCMA, SARA. A concerted effort by all these entities could make
something happen to make Cibolo Creek more than a ditch and into a destination.
36 Connect parks with water features
37 Stop building g more ugly cheap houses specifically 1518
38 I wish we wernt adding so many of the same type buisnesses. There is an abundance of gas
stations, chicken places, and doctors offices.
39 Stop building apartments and raising taxes.
40 Make improvements to Cibolo Creek to help area flooding.
41 Beautification - 3009 looks like hell, yet Schertz Parkway looks inviting and green.
42 More restaurants1
43 Focus more on quality of life for residents and stop trying to turn it into a city.
44 Racism
45 To not have corrupt local government and department heads. Seriously, start asking workers
about their conditions.
46 Quality of paved streets
47 N/a
48 Focus on filling current retail space before building
49 The current mayor & council members who are determined to remove the green space.
50 We need more police.
51 To improve the streets and keeping them clean. I know that some make think that we are doing
it. But we are not doing it as well as it has been at one time.
52 Get south Schertz out of Bexar county and into Guadalupe county with the rest of Schertz.
53 Stop building houses, find other avenues for money. Keep country living as a way to attract
families/businesses, if we don’t, it will look like Beorne.
54 Freemedor
55 Needs a few more good family resturants, needs to be kept clean, needs to be safe.
appEnDIx B 137
56 The vacant warehouses. You missed an opportunity to place a sit down restaurant in between a
hotel and Walmart. Instead it’s another warehouse and a soon to be carwash
57 Better traffic light management on FM 3009.
58 Better shopping opportunities such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, clothing stores, in addition to
more sit-down restaurant options
59 Traffic
60 congestion on roads
61 We need a City Council and City Management that will listen to the residents of Schertz and not
try to push their social or political agenda
62 The constant build. This use to be a country farm community. There is very little green space left.
As soon as you see green space it’s taken by another dentist or doctors office. The City has grown
to fast and cannot accommodate all these new individuals.
63 Appearance and use of public areas, sreets, curbs, etc.
64 Treat residents in south schertz the same as main street schertz
65 Current Mayor and City Council---they don’t listen
66 Improve the city government from top to bottom. Stop ignoring residents’ concerns, complaints,
and questions and STOP playing favoritism to big business, rich people and developers who
dictate to the city government and run over the common resident of the city. Stop the random
selections of property to be brought into the city limits again showing big favoritism based
on who the property owner is and not is what is good for the city. Force the city council to be
responsive to the citizens by establishing a check and balance system so that if one council
member gets a communication all city council members get the same message and have so many
days to respond back. The system in place now DOES NOT WORK. Notify residents in writing
when something upcoming has a direct effect on their property a magazine is noway to letr
residents know about their property being involved in some scheme dreamed up by someone
who does not live or have any idea about the area being involved in anything!
67 Mor business generation and less apartment type housing to help off set taxes from homeowners.
68 Increase road maintenance budget by 200%. The amount of unkept and dilapidated roads in
Schertz is a disgrace, and causes damage to vehicles.
69 Better roads, more logical planning to handle growth, we are 10 yrs behind
70 More attention and money for street improvements. Paint lines on the streets!!!!!
71 That we have counsel and a mayor that actually listen to the people they were elected to serve
72 Do something nice with the Northcliffe golf course, it would be a great place to put a large park,
with shopping centers and restaurants by the frontage road.
73 Fewer strip malls! It seems that every spot of green space is being developed into another strip
mall when others in the area still have vacancies. It makes our city look trashy and takes away from
our natural beauty.
74 A system which tells more of what is happening in Schertz. How are things going for traffic,
crimes.
75 Not necessarily a change, but a caution: when building more housing, space out the houses a
little more and keep more trees! San Antonio is starting to be known for wiping out all its hills and
replacing with roofs; all the while leaving no trees left behind. We need trees for shade from the
heat! Please keep more trees in neighborhoods.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN138
76 More attention to the southern end/older neighborhoods of Schertz as far as upgrades to streets,
street lights, etc. Some streets in my neighborhood have had upgraded street lamps, but our
street still has the old wood poles from the 70’s. Also, there are so many code violations in our
neighborhood - cars with flat tires & expired tags parked on the public street - people
leaving food bowls in front yard to feed stray dogs & cats which attracts raccoons, mice, rats,
opposums, etc. It would be nice if the city cared a little about these older neighborhoods to help
keep them safe.
77 Keeping ambulances in the city. Stop sending our local resources to chase a paycheck for other
cities as our city has to be covered by New Braunfels Fire Dept. this is absolutely ridiculous and
dangerous for my family.
78 Slow down massive growth through huge apartment complexes. Transportation infrastructure
needs a chance to catch up.
79 More police presence
80 Add more police protection because we are growing fast!
81 Keep it small, country home town feel. It has changed so much in the 20 plus years we have lived
here. Our desire was to retire here but that is no longer our plans. The great city of Schertz has
grown and people continue to push for more growth.
82 Stop building low income and section 8 housing Randolph. These areas could yield some great
growth to military members. But the city government’s greed is in the way.
83 Reduce our concrete footprint. We need trees and parks, natural areas that will both help to
combat rising temperatures and make Schertz more esthetically appealing to all who live here as
well as those are considering doing so.
84 Less congested traffic and more greenspace.
85 We don’t need to become a mini San Antonio. We are a community known for being established,
family oriented, and safe. Please remember we are not about developing every square inch of
our city. The beauty in Schertz is the good lot sizes and beautiful green areas.
86 Support LOCAL businesses - DO NOT SHOP ONLINE 2 save a few bucks. What happened to
“Shop Schertz”?
87 All the accidents on 35 that hinder me from going home.
88 More aquatics programming for the community (swim lessons, swim team, water expercise,
physical therapy, etc)
89 Do not emulate the “Austin park and trail” concept. Keep our greenbelts and forest areas
completely natural. Limit the out of control warehouse development.
90 In view of public safety and protection of private property, fix and maintain the streets
91 Be sure the City gets appropriate easements prior to expansion or housing development to
ensure access for utility work/infrastructure/flood etc. Coming in after the fact is both costly and
creates a distrust that the City didn’t do their job in the first place. Expansion takes infrastructure
to work properly and just thinking it will fix itself is just not correct. Need to have individuals
making appropriate recommendations and the City needs to listen to the experts. Ive seem City
Staff make recommendations contrary to recommended Plans and City Council overriding Staff
recommendations to the detriment of the City. Need to listen to the experts - City Council is not
the experts, but they act that way.
92 Ticket those crazy drivers spending, running red lights, not stopping atvstopnsigns in our
neighborhoods
93 Less housing development and more green spaces
94 A local bus service to aid seniors getting around to local businesses.
95 Building codes pertaining to individual residences - allow coverings of decks, patios, etc.
appEnDIx B 139
96 Get a turn lane heading east from 3009 and FM 78. Currently there is only one lane, tear down
that concrete island and make it a usable lane. Also on 78 heading to 3009, make the two turn
lanes available all day not just certain hours. Nothing like seeing a line to the Dairy queen at lunch
to turn left.
97 would like to see condos in the $300K range for seniors who don’t want the lawns and
maintenance anymore
98 Stop the growth and focus on taking care of what we already have, increase our Emergency
Services pay to attract high quality individuals that will stay with the city for a long time, repair the
existing roads, work to move towards consistently using the no new revenue tax rate and keep a
tight belt on the budget
99 Downtown investment. Wasting resources that could be used elsewhere.
100 more effective enforcement of speed limits on Schertz Parkway. It’s become a speedway.
101 The ugly warehouse and views of cement factories
102 Increase access to green space and actually provide for residents rather than refusing to listen.
We need council members and a mayor who care.
103 no business’s or restaurants on access rd north of 3009
104 Traffic light timings during high traffic times and in school times
105 We have lived in Schertz since 1990, and we would like to see more police on roads such as FM
3009 and Schertz Parkway target drivers who exceed the posted speed limit and consistently run
red lights.
106 More amber-colored street lights, which are better for people, wildlife, and safety (via less stark
shadows) than white light.
107 Not enough luxury home communities with over .5 and acre.
108 Rate of growth. Neighborhoods are popping up everywhere without the services and
infrastructure in place to support them. Our roads are in bad shape. As soon as one school gets
built, portables get moved onto the campuses. Every inch of open land seems to be plowed over.
It feels like the city is growing for the sake of growth without balancing residential growth with
commercial growth, with the need for the aesthetic and natural appeal of green spaces and open
land for wildlife. We’re on the cusp of losing any small-town appeal of the city and turning into
any other nondescript suburb.
109 I would eliminate the low income/apartment housing on FM 1518 and maintain the country vibe.
110 Get that filthy cement plant and dump traffic out of the middle of town. It makes Schertz look like
a trash dump
111 Less apartments. Lower taxes. Less lgbt propaganda at schools
112 Diversity of businesses we seem to buold the same thing over and over such as fast food, medical
offices, etc.
113 To stop the recklessly spending our tax paying money on rapid, reckless growth. REMEMBER ITS
OUR MONEY
114 A few more sit down restaurants
115 Need more businesses and industry to pay school taxes
116 Continued improvements to schools
117 Eliminate heavy trucks from Schertz Pkwy. I believe through traffic is supposed to limited to GVW
less than 15,000 lbs, but that never gets enforced.
118 Infrastructure...the city needs to focus on providing amenities to the area north of Ciibolo
119 Slow growth
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN140
120 All the potholes and vagrant activity.
121 Fix the roads that need to be fix, or widened before you continue to keep building more housing
developments! Traffic is an issue, roads are an issue, yet the housing communities are being built
faster than anything.
122 Protect Greenspaces and limit over crowding/development. Traffic issues and over crowded
schools are already issues.
123 Would love more trail systems
124 Attention to bringing historical neighborhoods to the same standards as new communities in
regard to sidewalks, drainage, and police presence.
125 Affordable housing.
126 Develop a true historic downtown
127 Stop the force of multi-family districts
128 Connect the three parts of Schertz so that it eases access across the city without or reduced
intersection bottle necks that hinder access to both Interstates and causes congestion.
129 Slow down building housing and commercial spaces. Please prioritize turning the Northcliffe golf
course and other green spaces into parks. Fix our roads to accommodate the abhorrent traffic we
already have and create bike lanes.
130 Responsible development-not profit driven out of state/country development.
131 Stop selling out to Developers because we, as citizens are tired of hearing about you being “for
the people” when really you are “for the money”. We don’t need to fill each green space with
affordable housing, you will bring the price of existing properties down which will make it difficult
to sell. You will bring more crime to the city. You will over crowd schools. You will continue to
have road infrastructure issues due to increased traffic, we are on farmland after all. We live in a
group of neighborhoods that pays mandatory HOA fees with people who have voluntarily HOA
fees with all the amenities. How does it make sense that we pay to have ZERO amenities while the
voluntary HOA has ALL the amenities? The Schertz solace pad put in a neighborhood, again, that
doesn’t have mandatory HOA fees. Make it make sense. Your selfish decisions are what is making
Schertz a less desirable place to live.
132 This “ system of parks and cement trails” is a short sighted plan. Look at Austin. Tent cities and
homeless. Do not destroy our natural beauty.
133 City leaders need to stop trying to push high density housing development in order to increase
tax revenues. The best way to increase tax revenues is to develop and promote businesses.
134 To open the old golf course
135 Keeping the growth of multi family homes to a minimum. Utilizing green space as park/
recreational use rather than shoving in mor apartments. Fixing roads in outlying neighborhoods
that are not in the heart of schertz but still in very much a part of it.
136 Improve roads
137 I would stop the amount of apartments, duplexes, etc being built. I would push for a small less
crowded city with an abundance of parks and green spaces.
138 Better access to city officials
139 Increased housing affordability options to retain workforce and provide stabiity.
140 Improvements made along FM-1518 (more lanes, turn lanes, lighting, street lights).
141 Create different zoning categories to support affordable housing
142 Crime prevention, especially car and home burglaries
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143 Nothing
144 I would want the growth to slow down or at least be controlled so the existing residents’
infrastructure is in place.
145 Better parks
146 Lower property taxes. Freeze taxes at 62 not 65. Help elderly in community who can’t afford
repairs on their homes or food on their table, transportation.
147 Have museums, art galleries, plays, concerts, etc...
148 Address several streets in need of reconstruction at a higher level of priority, improve the design
process so as not to take years for this process ultimately to find out that the cost has increased.
149 One thing Id like to see. Is get the community, kids , Teens more involved with what goes on in
the community.
150 More small business
151 More natural areas
152 Create more community spaces for young professionals and families. And, have more recreation
facilities like lounges and other social spots. People don’t want to have to travel to San Antonio or
Austin to experience their mature social scene.
153 It seems like every piece of available and open land needs to be developed when it doesn’t.
154 The train that runs right through our walkable downtown.
155 The one thing I would change is trading fast food for healthier options
156 Trails
157 Healthier fast foods. Street lights for evening walking
158 Wider roads
159 Improve street surfaces many are dilapidated
160 I wish we had some sort of public transportation. Being without a car here essentially traps you as
there is no other viable options as unfortunately, Schertz is not a walkable community at all.
161 The mentality at city hall
162 Nothing it’s a beautiful city
163 Honest office holders who follow the laws to the letter
164 Stop over developing it before it is too late.
165 Retirement village for seniors. We have a growing population of elderly.n
166 Work with landowners for solutions and resolutions.
167 Would love to see the area around Arlan’s, GVEC, etc on Schertz Parkway developed into a more
attractive and community friendly area. Something to make us want to utilize this area.
168 I would stop the building. So many trees are being cut down and not replaced. I want this city to
be prosperous for my kids and their kids for generations to come.
169 The way city staff and city council ignore the UDC to the detriment of the current residents
170 Clean it up. Some areas look terrible as compared to Cibolo.
171 More bike trails
172 Street maintenance!
173 Better roads, less potholes
174 To listen to its residents.
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175 The housing is absolutely unaffordable at this point.
176 More off hwy routes to get to destinations
177 To stop zoning so many of the same things-- we do not need another nail salon, another gas
station, or another chicken fast food place. We’d like some diversity with the offerings, especially
with good but affordable family-friendly restaurants. The excellent newer options on Main Street
are great for special occasions but they price out many families. We cannot spend $30 per
person.
178 Slow the growth.
179 Less development without infrastructure to suppot
180 Need more fun things for families
181 That they respect the wishes of the neighborhood residents. Ensure all neighborhood needs are
taken care of.
182 Eliminate as much of the traffic congestion as possible
183 Build more reasurants
184 More nice resturants
185 Do a better job of upkeep of streets w heavy traffic such as FM1103 and Country Club Drivfe
186 Keep politics out of school and churches out of government
187 Less apartment and single home dwelling
188 A city council that knows what it is doing, one that won’t bend over to any builder who doesn’t
want to follow our city rules, and a government that looks out for its citizens.
189 Need to grow
190 Street construction! The roads are terrible, highway 1103 is a hazardous road!
191 To many houses and apartments
192 Building permits being issued before addressing the issues they will cause. How many more
empty strip malls do we need. Every green space doesn’t need to be built on. The damage
to the environment that this is causing to me is way more than gas run cars. This is forcing
wild animals into our neighborhoods because we are destroying their homes. We are in
water restrictions most of the year already so where will the water come from to support more
development. It causes temperatures to rise Common sense tells us the hot Texas sun beating
off concrete and solid objects is much warmer than off of natural green space. The streets are
already in disrepair, yet developments are approved with no thought of addressing how all the
additional traffic will effect the already unsafe roads. Drive your cars down any street in Whisper
Meadows. Yes we are part of Schertz, but feel like the forgotten tax payers. The so called
improvements to the Wendy Swan park was a total waste of money.
193 Greater quality shopping
194 Improve the infrastructure.
195 TRAFFIC !!
196 Improve 1103!
197 Have a central mall that includes a variety of services similar to Memorial City in Houston, TX, on
a smaller scale.
198 Bumpy roads
199 Responsible growth
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200 I live in the north section of Schertz, which doesn’t really feel like it’s part of Schertz. I would like
to see more leisure/recreation, retail, and infrastructure improvements in this “detached” part
of the city. Probably not a popular idea, but I think a merger of the cities of Schertz and Cibolo
would make a lot of sense financially. There has to be substantial savings to having one governing
body, one fire department, one police department, etc… .
201 Road construction needs to be done in a timely manner
202 More food options
203 Alternate routes to San Antonio and New Braunfels other than I35.
204 Stop the librarians from buying and displaying books that promote transgenderism and leftist
ideas to children.
205 Improve city services in the areas of permitting, code compliance and adherence to zoning
restrictions that are already established for neighborhoods upon which people decide to make
their homes in.
206 Traffic flow is getting worse and worse. Expand the primary roads, and look for opportunities to
build new connecting roads.
207 Seemingly uncontrolled growth of crappy developments
208 Stop authorizing low income apartment complexes to be built in areas of $400k + homes.
Especially where there is no public transportation or infrastructure to support these types of
apartments. I love Schertz, but I didn’t move to the area I am in because I was hoping one day
there would be apartments (low income or otherwise) across the street from the neighborhood. I
moved here because the neighborhood is very nice and it is quiet with low crime. Now that will
all change because the city council approved the build of these apartments. Now I will have to
consider moving in the next several years when the neighborhood loses value and becomes high
crime because of these mistakes the council has made/is making.
209 The lack of things to do nearby. Dining has too many fast food places that migrate people outside
of town to eat. Downtown area is not prosperous or attractive, but has potential. Downtown
needs to have more draw
210 the quality of the roads, they don’t last, have divets and holes, are bumpy not smooth
211 More emphasis on crime and crime prevention. Schertz isn’t bad but the potential is there for an
increase.
212 Open library when people are out of school and off work, not just during everyone else’s business
hours. City employees need to be more responsive when citizens call in with issues instead of
acting like we are bothering them. Enforce a decent contract with Republic Sanitation instead of
letting them push you around and call the shots.
213 Better constructed streets that are not like riding a roller coaster.
214 Stop the building of so many apartments.
215 Better roads
216 Keep that small town feel
217 Stop building apartments and houses on every inch of land. Leave the land and animals, it makes
it so beautiful on 1518
218 People that live in South Schertz shouldn’t be zoned for East Central ISD. Treat South Schertz like
we are part of the city. We tried to rent a room at the library but because we lived in Guadalupe
County, the library tried to charge us a fee but we had a friend that lived in the other part of
Schertz they were able to rent without a few.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN144
219 It’s losing its originality. Trust me, I love conveniences but they must be controlled to maintain
what made this city so great. I am all for economic growth but not at the cost of feeling like I live
in a want to be Austin or San Antonio/downtown area. You are so close to losing the charm of this
city and I pray up all take a pause and REALLY think about what your community is asking of you.
Protect our beautiful town before it’s one big concrete development where you’ve planted trees
to replace green space.
220 Stop changing zoning to multi use
221 Strip malls
222 Develop a substance abuse reduction program for teens, possibly in the form of providing
alternatives, such as youth activities and mental health services; also by possibility further
developing the Schertz Young Leaders program to be able to accept a larger quantity of students,
and a wider diversity of students.
223 Wider/better roads
224 Spread the stores around the city. No restaurants are readily accessible to residents off 1518,
traffic and roads are horrible , we don’t have many options for walking/running/biking trails/
paths. We don’t have side walks and there are parts of schertz that are rural and there’s no need
for that. We don’t need more housing we need to accommodate the residents who already live
here. Schertz needs to care and listen to its residents. We don’t want more apartments! We do
want affordable housing, roads that can accommodate traffic both auto, pedestrian & bikers.
Neighborhoods need more street lights and city parks should be well maintained I mean we pay
enough in taxes for it. Flooding needs to be addressed as well as homeless shelters. We know
better so we should do better! We need more grocery store options besides Walmart and HEB.
We need another post office and more schools our kids are crowded at the schools. We need
more and better paying jobs, more community involvement
225 Street maintenance
226 The condition of roads, particularly neighborhood roads! They’re dangerous, unpleasant and
disgraceful. Take Orth Ave. this road is under Cibolo, but the subdivision it leads to is Schertz, so
Cibolo won’t fix the road. Then drive thru Whisper Meadows subdivision (Northcliffe II)!
227 More places for entertainment
228 City league kids sports that are more affordable for everyone (<$50 per child)
229 The racism.
230 Stop building apartments, especially low income apartments.
231 keep it green and not over develop
232 eliminate overhead utility lines.
233 slow down growth and overcrowding
234 promote vertical development and higher density development. Stop building cookie cutter
neighborhoods
235 Stop building tract homes and focus on multi story buildings
236 More dinning in other locations than FM3009.
237 Local government
238 Not forget about North Schertz. We are often forgotten about or thought of as cibolo/new
Braunfels
239 Fixing our road
240 More development of old town Schertz similar to what Cibolo is doing.
241 Stop the developers from putting buildings in every green space!
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242 Decrease traffic
243 Add more higher end restaurants and shopping
244 Less apartments and improving existing infrastructure.
245 Main Street -- relocate automotive repair
246 City Employees trying to force the community to do what they want and not do what the
community wants.
247 I would make better drop off procedures for the elementary schools as current ones block
peoples homes.
248 Stop trying to bring apartments/rental housing and improve what we have. We need better
quality streets (especially Northcliff) and mid to higher end neighborhoods.
249 Improve the infrastructure as far as the quality of streets and sidewalks
250 Permanently stop the developers who want to build on the old golf course!’
251 Appropriate growth with better research in planning and zoning departments
252 City council keeps pushing apartments and low cost housing
253 Redevelop 3009 to keep commercial property outside of 35 and FM 78
254 Better transportation in and out of the region. Most people in Schertz work in neighboring cities
such as San Antonio and the commutes aren’t ideal. If Schwab rd could connect Frobese lane that
would be ideal, so people in the Cypress point and Parklands neighborhood don’t have to drive
1.5 miles down the highway to turn around to merge onto I35 South.
255 To truly not make us into a los Angeles. I am in Texas because I see land and trees not concrete
and buildings.
256 Quit selling us out!!! Invest in parks and green spaces. Quit building low income apartments and
houses. Quit destroying all green spaces and wildlife.
257 Support law enforcement financially. We pay our officers the lowest income in the area. How are
we supposed to hire GOOD, RELIABLE officers
258 Not enough infrastructure to support the population
259 Less apartments, less lower end housing, traffic issues, car break-ins
260 Number of dental offices
261 More green space, better roads, and less traffic congestion
262 Stop growing with apartments. Keep the small community feel. Focus first on controlling growth
that is already here rather than trying to find opportunities to make it happen. Y’all aren’t even
caught up yet.
263 Keeping green belts and green areas
264 Stop build more houses and apartments. Jesus Christ enough is enough of the building. We need
green space not more apartments and condos
265 There’s lack of police presence in Schertz and needs to change -major intersections. The very few
times I see them they’re on the phone
266 Increase police visibility where they are looking at anything other that their phone.
267 Traffic flow problems. Too many people running red lights/speeding
268 The roads. Fix them once & for all quickly & put in sidewalks on both sides of the
streets
269 More money invested in public schools.
270 More sidewalks and biking options, more parks with bike/walk trails, beautification.
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271 Lack of code enforcement
272 Family activities. Change the mayor
273 Slow the building of neighborhoods and stop the building of apartment communities.
274 more park and wild spaces
275 Only allow single home dwelling
276 The roads are not able to accommodate traffic
277 The intersection of IH35 and FM3009. Something has to be done with this intersection. A flyover
like IH35 and Loop 1604!
278 Stop building houses. And fix the roads like it should have been done before u built up.
279 stop building apartments and multi family units near single family homes!!
280 City council that listens to residents needs and push through unfavorable issues.
281 Create median lanes and keep sidewalks
282 Give it a historic identity that bridges the past, present, and future of the city. Who are we as
a city and where are we going? We need a brand for us and an easy slogan that everyone can
remember. Right now we are just another suburb of SATX.
283 Limit irresponsible development and overcrowding areas and getting them congested
284 Public transportation
285 Traffic
286 An inviting downtown / Main Street with many small business shopping and dining options.
287 More attention to sustainability- green building/ landscaping incentives; incentivize less trash
production by businesses and residents & reuse/ recycling, etc
288 Better roads and less apartments.
289 The development of new subdivisions and apartments.
290 More walking/ bike trails
291 Speed control on Schertz parkway
292 Don’t let UC take away land that belongs to Selma and Schertz, keep farms alive, don’t let
housing get so congested need space not ontop of each other
293 Same problem as everywhere else in the area—traffic. The Luas line (tram/ light rail system)
in Dublin, Ireland, made significant changes in the suburban and semi-industrial communities
around Dublin over the last 20 years.
294 Provide public transportation to connect with SA’s Via
295 Improving streets
296 Leave our greenbelts alone - do not destroy old growth forests and trees!
297 Need more community parks and recreation areas
298 Stop building
299 Better roads
300 Stop trying to destroy greenbelts to force connecting paths.
301 I wouldn’t change Schertz. However, if Schertz want’s to become a premier community you will
need to offer residents and corporate citizens responsive services, attractive housing, superior
public education, direct regional highway access, abundant park space, thoughtful and strategic
planning, innovative ideas and technology and a dynamic community life.
302 Randolph aircraft noise. I know not possible, but you asked.
appEnDIx B 147
303 Deport the illegal aliens that work for the home builders. My new house is constructed very
sloppy and incomplete. I’m tripping on the floor and the kitchen sink was not installed, it was just
hanging. That’s just the top of the iceberg.
304 The absence of Customer Service in the utilities department at City of Schertz. I was charged an
$8.00 late fee for a bill I never received. Being a Senior, I rely on the mail to send the bill each
month to remind me to pay the bill each month. The online system wouldn’t allow me to set up
an account to use Auto-Pay. I sent at last three emails asking to resolve the situation, as well as
called, being sent to voicemail. I left a message. All of my communication has been ignored, and
I have had to pay a fee I feel I was not responsible for, and I feel taken advantage of by the City
Of Schertz. I’ve since been able to setup Auto-Pay, but the city owes me an $8.00 refund if they
want my vote of confidence.
305 A realistic viewpoint of the space available and what we can comfortably do with it to live our
best lives.
306 Change city council members that continue to ignore what people actually want in there own
neighborhoods and continue to push high density housing to serve their own interests. That
house for the Mayor also.
307 Businesses should be located in a more centralized area and close together
308 Add another grocery store and restaurants.
309 I will increase the number of cops.
310 The year I started buying houses there......
311 Only allow responsible growth. The current plan of zoning high desity housing without adequite
roads is irresponsible. Expecting the developers of the property to upgrade the roads makes no
sense when all they are going to do is build it and ask for variances.
312 It should remain affordable for all demographics
313 More information on council issues - in magazine or electronic communication
314 A council that listens to the people.
315 bette info about city council projects
316 Bring back all the farms that disappeared when all the people moved here. Improve enforcement
of laws in neighborhoods.
317 Better thought out infrastructure and safer roads.
318 To stop encouraging apartment complexes being built in rural areas of Schertz. Apartments
should be located off the highway where residents would have access to vía if needed, grocery
stores, and retail. Building apartments in rural areas of Schertz only increases traffic in already
overcrowded areas that are still pending road expansions.
319 Make Schertz a ‘destination’ not a pass through industrial city - provide an attraction, locale,
venue that would the community would be proud of an people would want to come to and
convenient access. I-10, before it is all sold out to home developers.. it may already be too late!
322 Apartment complexes to close to established neighborhoods
323 Attract younger residents. Our adult children have chosen to live elsewhere in the area. They
attend high school in Schertz, but currently don’t find it an attractive place to live. One adult is a
married young professional, with no children and the other is a single mother of 3.
324 City council transparency and honesty
325 Growth out pacing the infrastructure
326 I would like Schertz to develop some really nice parks for people to enjoy. Fischer Park in New
Braunfels is a good example of this.
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN148
327 More higher end neighborhoods with larger lots
328 None
329 none
330 Not putting gas stations and apartments right next to housing developments
331 Over Development in areas already experiencing strain, due to current infrastructure
332 Stop building
333 Stop trying to break something that’s not broke
334 That we would stop developing every piece of hreen land. No more strip centers when we can’t
even fill what has been developed and FIX THE FREAKING STREETS!!! THEY ARE UNSAFE!!
335 To not open it up to multiple housing, i.e., apartment living
336 Update business fronts
appEnDIx B 149
QUESTION 13
Which best describes you?
1 I retired from nearly 30 years of teaching at Samuel Clemens High School. I loved being able to
get to work in under five minutes. To reiterate a point above, I would have driven a golf cart to
work almost every day of that had been an option.
2 I am retired.
3 Owned a home in Schertz but moved due to over growth.
4 Retired
5 Grew up in Schertz and am now retired.
6 Part of the development community with projects in Schertz.
7 We have already outgrown pool and senior centre activities
8 I work outside of Schertz
9 As a property owner I will not let a pond stocked with fish come to end as it did in homestead,
what ever fish I transferred into this pond survive and now I haven’t seen any more from that
pond.
10 Retired and moved here
11 Retired live in Northcliffe
12 I live in Cibolo and do a lot of business in Schertz.
13 A concerned citizen.
14 Retired
15 I have a Schertz address.
16 Disabled Veteran and Senior.
17 We’ve live in Schertz 27 years, and work from home full time (67). My spouse is retired (75) and I
have a disabled daughter (29) who lives in the Clyde Ford Village.
Other Answers
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN150
QUESTION 14
If you are a resident, how many years have you lived in Schertz?
QUESTION 15
What is your age?
appEnDIx B 151
QUESTION 16
Which best describes your race?
QUESTION 17
Which best describes your ethnicity?
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN152
INTERACTIVE MAP
Type Threads Comment Up
Votes
Down
Votes
Public Space Public Space-01 The community is currently working on a PID to protect
the greenspace this community has known for its entire
existence, it would be wise of city staff and depts
to support this movement, as opposed to trying to
develop every single blade of grass.
21 5
Transportation Transportation-01 This road is in horrendous shape, and further
development will only exacerbate traffic issues in this
area. Please repair these roads!
17 0
Safety Safety-01 crime is on the rise in this community and there is not
enough daily police presence in this area
12 1
Public Space Public Space-02 The amount of money the city spent on this joke of a
splash pad, and the fewer families it can service with
the removal of the pool is ridiculous, and it continues
to make this annexation area feel disenfranchised
9 4
Public Space Public Space-03 this pond is heavily used by the community, please take
steps to maintain this wonderful public area as public
access
14 3
Safety Safety-02 Approximate corner of RWY 33R Clear Zone (CZ)0 0
Safety Safety-03 Approximate corner of RWY 33R Clear Zone (CZ)0 0
Safety Safety-04 Approximate corner of RWY 33R Accident Potential
Zone I
0 0
Safety Safety-05 Approximate corner of RWY 33R Accident Potential
Zone I
0 0
Safety Safety-06 Approximate corner of RWY 33R Accident Potential
Zone II
0 0
Safety Safety-07 Approximate corner of RWY 33R Accident Potential
Zone II
0 0
Safety Safety-08 Approximate corner of RWY 33L Clear Zone 0 0
Safety Safety-09 Approximate corner of RWY 33L Clear Zone (CZ)0 0
Safety Safety-10 Approximate corner of RWY 33L Accident Potential
Zone I
0 0
Safety Safety-11 Approximate corner of RWY 33L Accident Potential
Zone I
0 0
Safety Safety-12 Approximate corner of RWY 33L Accident Potential
Zone II
0 0
Safety Safety-13 Approximate corner of RWY 33L Accident Potential
Zone II
0 0
Safety Safety-14 65-70 dB noise at ground level from T-38 aircraft using
RWY 15L for departure
0 0
appEnDIx B 153
Safety Safety-15 80-85 dB noise from T-38 aircraft using RWY 15L for
departures
1 0
Safety Safety-16 65-79 dB noise from T-6 aircraft during RWY 15R
departures
1 0
Safety Safety-17 <60 dB noise from T-6 aircraft using RWY 15R for
departure
0 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-01 Recommend City of Schertz adopt an Air Installations
Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) overlay district in
coordinating with JBSA-Randolph. Encroaching these
flight paths puts flying training operations at risk of
stopping; stopping flying training at JBSA-Randolph
would end JBSA-Randolph’s lease of the land and shut
down the major economic power that boosts the local
economy.
5 0
Transportation Transportation-02 Weiderstein Road between Schertz Parkway and Ike
Road is in horrendous condition. Needs repaving asap.
4 0
Public Space Public Space-04 Would like to see a sidewalk or even a bike path
completed along Maske Road from the soccer fields to
Schertz Parkway. I see kids walking to school along this
narrow street, especially from the mobile homes in high
weeds and could be so much safer for them with this
edition.
7 0
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-01
We need more grocery stores that are not HEB or
Walmart that can serve this community.
2 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-02 We need more food and lunch options to serve the
workforce in this area.
3 3
Other Ideas Other Ideas-03 Please do not remove the trees along Arroyo Seco’s
privately owned greenbelt in order to dig for the
routing of the city’s water pipeline. Please re-route
the plans for this pipeline to the opposite side of
the drainage embankment where the commercial
properties are, so as not to diminish the property
values of our homes in the Arroyo Seco subdivision.
8 0
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-02
Can you ask an ice cream or frozen yogurt franchise to
set up shop in this shopping center. It will increase the
foot traffic from the surrounding communities.
3 0
Safety Safety-18 The intersection of FM78 and FM3009 has two turn
lanes: left turn onto 3009 from 78. The right turn lane
is not always available since it is controlled by an
electronic turn light. The safety issue is that vehicles
will start in the left turn lane and finish in the right
turn lane even when both turn lanes are active. I have
almost been hit multiple times from a car merging into
my turn lane WITH ME IN IT! I recommend painted
lane lines to separate the two turn lanes. Thanks.
7 0
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN154
Transportation Transportation-03 There is alot of trash, dirt and debris in this intersection
and on the bridge that makes pedestrian/bike traffic
unsafe. Can you please clean up this intersection of all
trash, dirt, rocks, vegetation and debris so pedestrians
and bikes don’t have to go around or won’t slip on lose
gravel into traffic.
5 0
Public Space Public Space-05 Develop,/use existing space for A dog park 0 0
Transportation Transportation-04 TXDOT needs to make this intersection an interchange
to expedite traffic. This intersection will become a
traffic bottleneck as development occurs.
2 0
Transportation Transportation-05 FM1518 needs to be connected to 3009 and the North
FM1518 as thoroughfares to alleviate the current traffic
bottlenecks and to ensure easy of movement between
the different parts of Schertz.
1 0
Transportation Transportation-06 This roadway needs to be expanded and enhanced so
Schertz residents in North Schertz can access the city
center without having to use IH35.
5 0
Transportation Transportation-07 This intersection at Four Oaks Lane and FM3009 was
not planned well. Congestion is a normal occurrence
with insufficient turn lane length and poor business
access and egress.
3 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-04 Schertz should incorporate its border up to the
Guadalupe river and HW 35 in this corner and use
Randolph AFB, the 1604 and the 10 as the other
border to the south west.
0 0
Public Space Public Space-06 The community has been in constant battle to keep this
green space. They have excellent ideas that need to be
heard. This green space could be turned into waking
trails, playgrounds, dog parks, for kicks a driving range!
Similar to what morning side park has to offer but twice
the size!
9 0
Transportation Transportation-08 Repainting and restriping required. Also, consider
reverting back to previous line markings as two lanes of
3009 become three lanes at the light. Left lane of 3009
should remain as left lane at light and NOT split into
left and center lane options. Right lane on 3009 should
split into center lane and right lane options.
0 1
Transportation Transportation-09 Left turn traffic light at Ripps-Kreusler needs to stay on
longer. Currently at about 8 seconds. Recommend 20
seconds. More traffic using this left turn and getting
stuck through several cycles at blinking left is not a turn
option with large flow of traffic leaving HEB
5 0
Transportation Transportation-10 Need longer left run lane on ripps Kreusler for left turn
onto 3009.
2 1
Transportation Transportation-11 Add plastic white posts on frontage road separating
left lane after freeway exit from other two lanes to
prevent vehicles from cutting across all lanes of traffic
to turn right at Tri-County Parkway/Starbucks.
0 1
appEnDIx B 155
Public Space Public Space-07 Continue the publice walking trail along the power line
access space to the Schertz River drainage then rigth to
Old Weiderstein And also Left to Savannah
1 0
Public Space Public Space-08 Create walking trail all along Schertz River draingage
area
1 1
Transportation Transportation-12 Coordinate with cibolo on improving access to
Crescent Bend Nature area by improving West Shaffer
Road. It is in disrepair.
2 0
Safety Safety-19 Cars are constantly speeding down Covers Cove,
sometimes going upwards of 50mph. The police
presence is rare. The speed humps are too far apart
and do not deter people from speeding. One set is
even missing one of the bumps.
8 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-05 There needs to be a solid comprehensive infrastructure
plan for this focus area. This area does not
have sufficient sewer infrastructure to serve new
development projects.
4 0
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-03
Create zoning options for affordable housing 1 4
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-04
Allow for Multi-Family and more dense type
of residential development and/or mixed use
development.
0 7
Safety Safety-20 Lower Seguin Rd between 1518 & 1604 is nothing
but potholes. And, the city is aware because it is filling
the potholes over & over. I have hit a pothole
so hard, it unlocked my doors. 18 wheelers routinely
cut through here as a shortcut. This road needs to
be repaved. Converse has better upkeep to its part
of Lower Seguin...CONVERSE. There has been no
road improvements that support all the residential
development along Lower Seguin. The city has the
funds.
2 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-06 Water Transmission Main will take 40’ of trees and
run up to the existing back fence line of Private
homeowners - we (Arroyo Verde HOA) do not want
this in our Greenbelt. Other locations along the
Commercial easement, away from the backyards of
homeowners would make more sense!
4 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-07 Has the City revised impact to water/infrastructure, etc
and considered appropriate easement as this area is
developed? Needs to be considered for all areas as
past experience has proven the City has forgot that
expansion takes support infrastructure. Going back
and attempting to cut a path through condemnation
will cost the City $$.
1 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-08 Infrastructure support: City easements as you go.0 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-09 Any requirements for City infrastructure?0 0
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN156
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-05
whatever goes in here - please review surrounding
area impacts and make the improvements as you
expand. You should not build first and then plan for
improvements - best to do them at the same time.
0 0
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-06
Commercial/Industrial use along I35. Transportation
corridor for connecting Austin/San Antonio.
0 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-10 High density varied housing hub with all the family
amenities AND public transport to work areas
(including connection to San Antonio and Austin public
transportation systems).
1 1
Other Ideas Other Ideas-11 Not a good idea to build in aircraft approach/departure
zones (even if its allowed). You want to force close
RAFB, build away. Not a good idea. Its already
impacted the Universal City planning/zoning and
they have determined to build in the zone with low
occupancy uses (warehousing). Still a building is a
building and impacts air space and aircraft. If allowed
to continue - RAFB will be closed.
1 0
Housing Housing-1 This is private property (formerly a golf course). We
would like to see a community-friendly developer
build single family homes in this area of the property,
similar or even more upscale to the ones already in The
Fairways of Scenic Hills. Preserving the pond is a good
idea to attract new home buyers to purchase premium
lots.
3 4
Housing Housing-2 This is private property (formerly a golf course). We
would like to see a community-friendly developer
build single family homes in this area of the property,
similar or even more upscale to the ones already in
The Fairways of Scenic Hills, Scenic Hills 55+, and
Northcliffe communities.
3 3
Housing Housing-3 This is private property (formerly a golf course). We
would like to see a community-friendly developer
build single family homes in this area of the property,
similar or even more upscale to the ones already in The
Fairways of Scenic Hills.
3 3
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-07
This area is zoned as General Business (GB) according
to the City of Schertz zoning map. We would like to see
quality office space, or medical office type businesses
developed here for the convenience of area residents.
1 2
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-08
This area is zoned as General Business (GB) according
to the City of Schertz zoning map. We would like to see
quality office space, or medical office type businesses
developed here for the convenience of area residents.
2 2
Transportation Transportation-13 Road needs to be updated to avoid residents who
require daily usage of this route from having to
continuously repair tires due to potholes.
2 0
appEnDIx B 157
Housing Housing-4 Build multifamily homes on this side of the freeway and
other purple areas, along with other amenities young
professionals like, such as public transportation, walk-
ability, brew pubs, stores etc. There’s easy access to
IH35; convenient to those working in SA or cities north
of us. When young professionals are ready to start
families, the established quiet neighborhoods will still
be there for them.
1 0
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-09
medical services, fire station, post office 0 0
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-10
library 0 0
Public Space Public Space-09 Please keep the greenbelt, but also add a children’s
playground in the flatter open space.
2 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-12 Do Not Destroy these heritage oaks and forest to clear
out a 40 foot wide destruction zone to lay in a water
line. This is natural forested area that is protects a
lot of diverse wildlife (owls, hawks, foxes, etc.) and
these woodlands help prevent flooding and excess
water run off. The city is proposing to pave this 40’
wide area to make a public path through this area
also. Paving through this natural private land to create
public thoroughfare does not enhance the safety of our
residents.
3 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-13 Do Not Destroy these heritage oaks and forest to
clear out a 40 foot wide destruction zone to lay in a
water line. This is natural forested area that is protects
a lot of diverse wildlife (owls, hawks, foxes, etc.) and
these woodlands help prevent flooding and excess
water run off. The city is proposing to pave this 40’
wide area to make a public path through this area
also. Paving through this natural private land to create
public thoroughfare does not enhance the safety of our
residents.
3 0
Public Space Public Space-10 The current city engineering plans show a water
main being laid along this section of Oak Forest Park
possibly requiring the removal of the beautiful oaks
along this section of 3009. That would be a tragedy for
the city and homeowners adjacent to the park.
0 0
Other Ideas Other Ideas-14 The water transmission line project will destroy one
of the last natural green spaces left in Schertz, cut
down Heritage Oaks and severally impact home values
along the green spaces. Paving a path will invite crime
and undesirables into our back yards. As a home any
impact to the value of homes will prompt law suites
against the city.
0 0
Safety Safety-21 Stop allowing vehicles to park along Main Street
blocking the view of traffic. Most vehicles are large and
harder to see over or around than most cars, but any
car presents a problem with the view of oncomming
traffic on Main Street from the West especially.
0 1
CITY OF SCHERTZ | COMPREHENSIVE PLAN158
Types of
Development
Types of
Development-11
PUD here means:
“The most common kind of PUDs,however, are
comprised prediominantly of single-family homes.”
quoted from Duck Duck Go. please read complete
definition which makes it like a community with
amenities “like parks, playgrounds, pools, tennis and
basketball courts,hiking trails, private gated common
landand street lights...”
1 0
Transportation Transportation-14 The idea that you are trying to push through multi-
family homes in this area without proper access in
and out, and the usual build first and figure problems
out later plan, shows the absolute disregard for the
safety and concerns of residents. Hear your residents!
People did not move to this area because they want
another San Antonio, Austin, or Houston. Look at their
disasters of building first and then trying to figure out
problems later- too many people, not enough roads,
neverending constru
0 0
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING: 02/07/2024
Agenda Item 5 B
TO:Planning and Zoning Commission
PREPARED
BY:Ameriz Gamez, Planner
SUBJECT:PLZC20230223 Hold a public hearing, consider and make a recommendation on a request to rezone approximately 26.11
acres of land from Single - Family Residential / Agricultural District (R-A) to General Business District (GB), a portion of
11209 E FM 1518 generally located 600ft northwest of the intersection of Lisa Meadows and FM 1518, Parcel ID: 308363,
City of Schertz, Bexar County, Texas.
BACKGROUND
The applicant is proposing to rezone approximately 26.11 acres of land, a portion of 11209 E FM 1518 from
Single-Family Residential / Agriculture District (R-A) to General Business District (GB). Currently, the subject
property is utilized for residential / agricultural. The proposed zone change to General Business District (GB) per
the letter of intent, is being requested in order to develop a Commercial Multi-Sport Complex.
On January 22, 2024 a total of five (5) Public Hearing Notices were sent out to the surrounding properties that are
within the 200-foot notification buffer. At the time of this staff report, (0) responses in favor, (0) responses neutral,
and (0) responses in opposition have been received. A public hearing notice is to be published in the San Antonio
Express prior to the City Council Meeting.
Subject Property:
Zoning Land Use
Existing Residential / Agricultural District (R-A)Residential Agricultural
Proposed General Business District (GB)Commercial Amusement Indoor
Adjacent Properties:
Zoning Land Use
North Right-of-Way E FM 1518 N
South Outside City Limits JBSA Randolph Air Force Base
East Residential Agricultural District (R-A)Single Family Residential
West Residential Agricultural District (R-A)Single Family Residential
GOAL
The purpose of this request is to allow for the property to be rezoned from Single-Family Residential / Agricultural
District (R-A) to General Business District (GB) to allow for the permitted use of Commercial Amusement Indoor
in which the applicant is proposing a Commercial Multi-Sport Complex.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT
It is the City’s desire to promote safe, orderly, efficient development and ensure compliance with the
City’s vision of future growth.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION
1.Whether the proposed zoning change or zoning map amendment implements the policies of the adopted
1.Whether the proposed zoning change or zoning map amendment implements the policies of the adopted
Comprehensive Land Plan, including the land use classification of the property on the Future Land Use Map;
The subject property was designated as Air Installation Compatible as part of the 2013 Sector Plan Amendment, the
City's Unified Development Code Sec. 21.5.9 A.1 states that Air Installation Compatibility is established to provide
control on encroachment around the military air field. There was concern about the property being directly adjacent
to Joint Base San Antonio - Randolph. Due to the proximity of the subject property to Randolph, staff received a
formal letter of approval from JBSA stating that the base has no objection to the rezone but does require the
developer to maintain a 20' - 30' clear zone. The 2013 Sector Plan is vague on the appropriate zoning and land uses
for the Air Installation Compatibility zone. However, in the Framework Implementations Recommendation section,
the Sector Plan recommends that staff analyze and make recommendations at the time of development applications
for the Air Installation Compatible Zone. As JBSA has approved the rezone staff concurs with JBSA and feels that
the rezone is compatible with the 2013 Sector Plan.
2.Whether the proposed zoning change or zoning map amendment promotes the health, safety, or general
welfare of the City and the safe, orderly, efficient and healthful development of the City;
As part of promoting safe, orderly, efficient and healthful development, the City encourages that the zoning be
compatible with the surrounding uses to alleviate any negative impact. FM 1518 is classified in the Master
Thoroughfare Plan as a Principal Arterial at this time TXDOT is beginning the process to widen it. The
classification of a principal arterial is becoming realized and the trajectory of the FM 1518 corridor is one that will
see significant commercial activity. As a result, the proposed General Business zoning aligns more closely with the
direction that this corridor is heading.
3.Whether the uses permitted by the proposed change in zoning district classification and the standards
applicable to such uses will be appropriate in the immediate area of the land to be reclassified;
While the adjacent properties are zoned Single-Family Residential Agriculture, the wider area in this section of FM
1518 has established commercial districts. Given this and the realization of FM 1518 as a principal arterial the
proposed General Business zone change is constiant with the immediate area and the future development of the
corridor.
4.Whether the proposed change is in accord with any existing or proposed plans for providing public
schools, streets, water supply, sanitary sewers or other public services and utilities to the area;
To the best of staff's knowledge, this zone change should have minimal impact on the public services, to include
schools, fire, police, and sanitation services. The proposed rezoning should have minimal impact on the existing
water and wastewater systems. The subject property is directly adjacent to the FM 1518 Right-of-way. At this
time, a TXDOT project to improve FM 1518 is underway. The project will widen FM 1518 into two travel lanes in
each direction with a center median which will be able to accommodate any additional impact that this proposed
zone change will create.
5.Whether there have been environmental and/or economical changes which warrant the requested change;
FM 1518 is a Principal Arterial that is intended to accommodate larger volumes of traffic, the current TXDOT
project to improve FM 1518 by widening into two travel lanes in each direction with a center median causing an
economical change that will ultimately benefit commercial uses in the area.
6.Whether there is an error in the original zoning of the property for which a change is requested;
The was no error in the original zoning of this property.
7.Whether all of the applicant's back taxed owed to the City have been paid in full (no application will
receive final approval until all back taxes are paid in full); and,
This does not impact consideration by the Planning and Zoning Commission or the first reading from City Council.
8.Whether other criteria are met, which, at the discretion of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the
City Council, are deemed relevant and important in the consideration of the amendment.
The upcoming public hearing will provide a format for which the Planning and Zoning Commission can hear other
potential issues and public opinion. The Commission may deem relevant and important consideration to inform
their recommendation to City Council during this time.
RECOMMENDATION
The proposed zone change meets each of the requirements set forth by the City's Unified Development Code, is
consistent with the current Sector Plan, and is compatible with the surrounding zoning district and uses. The
Planning and Engineering Department have reviewed the zone change with no objection and JBSA has no concerns
regarding the proposed rezone to General Business District (GB).
Therefore, Staff recommends approval of the proposed rezoning from Single-Family Residential / Agricultural
District (R-A) to General Business District (GB), based on the following.
Attachments
Aerial
Public Hearing Notice Map
Zoning Exhibit
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PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING: 02/07/2024
Agenda Item 5 C
TO:Planning and Zoning Commission
PREPARED
BY:Samuel Haas, Senior Planner
CASE:PLUDC20230222
SUBJECT:PLUDC20230222 - Hold a public hearing, workshop and discussion and possible action to make a recommendation on
amendments to Part III of the Schertz Code of Ordinances, Unified Development Code (UDC) to Article 16 - Definitions.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
As stated in the Unified Development Code (UDC), City Council from time to time, on its own motion, or at the
recommendation of City staff amend, change, or modify text in any portion of the UDC to establish and maintain
stable and desirable development. It is generally considered good practice to periodically review and update the
development regulations due to changing conditions, community goals, and/or State and Federal regulations.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
Background:
Article 16 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) is a 25-page section that gives meanings and definitions to a
long list of terms, phrases, and words that are used throughout the UDC.
One section of the UDC that relies heavily on Article 16 is the Permitted Use Table, which is in Article 5, Section
21.5.8. When a possible applicant proposes a project in the city, staff uses the Permitted Use Table with Article 16
to properly define an applicant's proposed development/use. Staff then determines which zoning districts permit the
use. Over time, Article 5 has undergone numerous amendments to either add, and/or remove uses from the table.
This has not consistently coincided with updates to Article 16 to properly define these uses. Similarly, when a use is
removed from the Permitted Use Table there has not always been a corresponding removal from Article 16.
As a result, we have undefined uses that require a definition, and we have unused definitions that are cluttering
Article 16. The purpose of PLUDC20230222 is to clean up these unused definitions in Article 16, and to add
definitions to certain uses that are found in the Permitted Use Table. Doing this will help Article 16 and Article 5
align better, and thus making the UDC more cohesive as a whole.
Additionally, two items are coming from the Engineering Department. One is a revision to the definition of "Alley",
and the other is the addition and defining of the "Public Works Specification Manual". A document that was
formally called the Public Works Design Guide. This new Public Works Specification Manual is proposed to be
codified with a separate UDC amendment application, and will be referenced in the UDC with supplemental
requirements for the development process.
Proposed Amendments:
Article 16 - Definitions
Additions Removals
Adult Media
Bakery
Book Store
Department Store
Florist
Furniture Sales
Gated Community
Government Facilities
Boarding House
Convalescent Home
Filling, Retail Service Station
Industrialized Home
Insurance Office
Retail Food Store
Shopping Center
Variety Store
Government Facilities
Hazardous Material
Hazardous Waste
Heavy Equipment Service and Sales, or Rental
Home Improvement Center
Microbrewery/Brewpub
Museum
Pet Store
Pharmacy
Portable Building Sales
Post Office
Public Works Specification Manual
Railroad/Bus Station Terminal
Recreational Vehicle Sales and Service
Tool Rental
Truck Terminal
Variety Store
Revisions
Alley: A means of vehicular access to abutting property and which is used primarily for vehicular traffic to the
rear or side of properties which otherwise abut on a street.
STAFF ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION:
When evaluating UDC amendments, staff uses the Criteria of Approval found in 21.4.7.D.
1. The proposed amendment promotes the health, safety, or general welfare of the City and the safe, orderly,
efficient and healthful development of the City;
In order to promote orderly and efficient development, the UDC functions better when there is continuity
throughout the code. Not properly defining uses in the Permitted Use Table (or the items from Engineering) opens
the door for interpretation, and thus creates the potential for inconsistency. Moreover, having items exclusively in
Article 16 and found nowhere else in the UDC creates clutter and even confusion for applicants and staff.
2. An amendment to the text is consistent with other policies of this UDC and the City
The main purpose of these amendments is to make the UDC more consistent by making an effort to better align
Article 5 and Article 16.
3. Any proposed amendment is consistent with the goals and objectives of this UDC and the City
The City of Schertz Strategic Plan has clear stated goals for the Operational Values of the city. Among these is the
goal to be proactive; "Proactive means initiating change by anticipating future situations in order to make things
happen". Within this framework, it is the responsibility of staff to be "continuously improving and
evolving", "forward thinking", and have "the ability to forecast and meet needs even before the customer identifies
them". These amendments would achieve these goals in the Strategic Plan.
4. Other criteria which, at the discretion of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council, are
deemed relevant and important in the consideration of the amendment.
The scheduled public hearing provides the opportunity for the Planning and Zoning commission to determine this.
For these reasons, staff is recommending approval of PLUDC20230222.
COMMISSIONERS CRITERIA FOR CONSIDERATION:
The Planning and Zoning Commission in making a recommendation to City Council on the proposed Unified
Development Code Amendment. In considering action on a UDC Amendment, the Commission should consider the
criteria within UDC, Section 21.4.7 D.
Attachments
UDC Article 16 - redlines
UDC Article 16 - clean
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
Schertz, Texas, Unified Development Code Created: 2022-09-12 11:25:14 [EST]
(Supp. No. 6)
Page 1 of 25
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this UDC, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the
meaning given in this section. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the
future; words used in the singular number include the plural number; and words in the plural number include the
singular number. The words "shall" and "will" are always mandatory, while the word "may" is merely discretionary.
Any term not expressly defined in this Article shall be defined by a common planning definition from the
American Planning Association's, A Planners Dictionary. The City Manager, upon the recommendation of the City
Manager or his/her designee, shall determine the appropriateness of a definition.
"A" Frame Sign: A temporary sign constructed in such a manner as to form an "A" or a tent-like shape, hinged
or not hinged at the top with each angular face held at an appropriate distance so as to be adequately secured by a
supporting member. These signs may also be referred to as sandwich board signs.
Abandoned or Obsolete Sign: A sign that no longer serves to direct attention to an event, person, product,
good, service, or activity, which is no longer conducted.
Accessory Buildings, Uses or Structures: One which:
a. is subordinate to and serves a principal structure, building or use;
b. is subordinate in area, extent or purpose to the principal structure building or use served;
c. contributes to the comfort, convenience and necessity of occupants of the principal structure, building
or use served;
d. is located on the same building lot as the principal structure, building or use served; or
e. may be part of the principal building.
Accessory Dwelling Unit: A residential dwelling unit, but not a mobile home, located on the same lot as a
single-family dwelling unit, either within the same building as the single family dwelling unit or in a detached unit
or in a detached building.
Adult Media: Books, magazines, and other periodicals, or photographs, drawings, slides, films, and novelty
items which are distinguished or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
Advertising: To convey information, to seek the attraction of or to direct the attention of the public to any
location, event, person, product, good, service, activity, institution or business.
Advertising Vehicle: Any vehicle which has as its primary purpose the advertisement of an event, person,
product, good, service, activity, institution or business, whether located on-premises or off-premises.
Agriculture: The use of land for the production and primary processing of food and fibers for sale, including
cultivating, dairying, horticulture, pasturing, floriculture, silviculture, viticulture, animal and poultry husbandry, and
such incidental accessory facilities as greenhouses and nurseries, provided that the operation of such accessory
facilities shall be clearly secondary to normal agricultural activities. Agriculture includes, but is not limited to, the
related activities of tillage, fertilization, pest control, harvesting, and marketing. It also includes, but is not limited
to, the activities of feeding, housing, and maintaining of animals such as cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, hogs,
horses, and poultry and handling their by-products.
Airport, Heliport or Landing Field: A place where aircraft and/or helicopters can land and take off, usually
equipped with hangars, facilities for refueling and repair, and various accommodations for passengers.
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
Schertz, Texas, Unified Development Code Created: 2022-09-12 11:25:14 [EST]
(Supp. No. 6)
Page 2 of 25
Alcohol Package Sales: An establishment engaged in the selling of alcoholic beverages to the general public
for off-site personal or household consumption.
Alley: A public right-of-way which provides a secondary means of vehicular access to abutting property and
which is used primarily for vehicular traffic to the rear or side of properties which otherwise abut on a street.
Specifically authorized in garden home subdivisions for access to rear entrance garages.
Alluvial Fan Flooding: Flooding occurring on the surface of an alluvial fan or similar landform which originates
at the apex and is characterized by high-velocity flows; active processes of erosion, sediment transport, and
deposition; and unpredictable flow paths.
Alternative Tower Structure: Clock towers, steeples, light poles and similar alternative-design mounting
structures that camouflage or conceal the presence of antennas or towers. See also the definition of "stealth
facility".
Amateur Radio Antenna: A radio communication antenna used by a person holding an amateur radio station
license from the Federal Communications Commission.
Annexation: The act of incorporating an area into the domain of the City.
Antenna: A device used in communications, which transmits or receives radio signals, television signals,
digital signals, analog signals, radio frequencies (excluding radar signals), wireless telecommunications signals or
other communication signals.
Antenna and/or Antenna Support Structure, commercial: An antenna and its support structure used for commercial
broadcasting or telecommunication purposes and the transmission, retransmission, and/or reception of
electromagnetic radio, television, or microwave signals. All radiating equipment must comply with Federal
Communications Commission (FCC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Health and Safety
Administration (OSHA), and all other applicable State and Federal regulatory agency requirements and guidelines
for human safety, as they exist or may be amended. The antenna may be a tower, mast, pole, tripod or box frame.
Preferably the antenna may be in stealth form designed to be non-obtrusive, or virtually transparent or invisible to
the surrounding neighborhood. Stealth antennas include, but are not limited to:
a. antennas within a building's attic space;
b. on the roof of a minimum three story building and not visible from the property line of the lot in which
the antenna is located;
c. a public utility structure, such as a water tower or high transmission support tower;
d. a flagpole;
e. a church steeple;
f. a clock tower; or
g. an athletic field light pole.
Antenna, Building Attached: An antenna attached to an existing structure in two (2) general forms: (1) roof-
mounted, in which antennas are placed on the roofs of buildings, or (2) building-mounted, in which antennas are
placed on the sides of buildings. These antennas can also be mounted on structures such as water tanks,
billboards, church steeples, electrical transmission towers, etc.
Antenna Facility: The mast, pole, structure, tower, building, equipment and other supporting material used
to mount the antenna and equipment, equipment storage buildings and equipment concealing or screening
structures needed to operate an antenna.
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
Schertz, Texas, Unified Development Code Created: 2022-09-12 11:25:14 [EST]
(Supp. No. 6)
Page 3 of 25
Antique Shop: A retail establishment engaged in the selling of works of art, furniture, or other artifacts of an
earlier period, with all sales and storage occurring inside a building.
Apartment: A dwelling unit in an apartment building.
Apartment Building: A building or portion thereof housing three (3) or more dwelling units.
Apex: A point on an alluvial fan or similar landform below which the flow path of the major stream that
formed the fan becomes unpredictable and alluvial fan flooding can occur.
Appliance, Furniture and Home Furnishings Store: Retail establishments selling goods used for furnishing the
home, including, but not limited to, furniture, floor coverings, draperies, domestic stoves, refrigerators, and other
household electrical and gas appliances.
Approved Plat: The plat of a subdivision which has been approved in accordance with the requirements of
this UDC and which has been filed for record with the county clerk in which the land lies.
Area of Shallow Flooding: A designated AO, AH, or VO zone on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the
City and its ETJ with a one percent (1%) or greater chance of flooding in any given year to an average depth of one
(1) to three (3) feet where a clearly defined channel does not exit, where path of flooding is unpredictable and
where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.
Area of Special Flood Hazard: The land in the floodplain within the City and its ETJ subject to a one percent
(1%) or greater chance of flooding in any given year. The area may be designated as Zone A or AE on the FIRM.
Art Gallery/Library/Museum: A building serving as a repository for a collection of natural, scientific, artistic,
or literary objects of interest, and designed to be used for viewing, with or without an admission charge, and which
may include as an accessory use the sale of goods.
Assisted Care or Living Facility: A facility which provides residence and care to ten (10) or more persons regardless
of legal relationship who are:
a. elderly;
b. disabled;
c. orphaned;
d. abandoned;
e. abused, or neglected children;
f. victims of domestic violence;
g. convalescing from illness;
h. terminally ill; or
i. temporarily homeless due to fire, natural disaster, or financial setback together with supervisory
personnel.
This definition shall also include a facility providing health care or rehabilitative services over a long period of
time to persons chronically ill, aged, or disabled due to injury or disease.
Automobile Parking Structure/Garage: An area or structure where the parking of motor vehicles serves as
the primary use of the lot whether or not a fee is charged. This use does not include the storage of gasoline.
Automobile Parts Sales: The use of any building for the display and sale of new or used parts, including tires.
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
Schertz, Texas, Unified Development Code Created: 2022-09-12 11:25:14 [EST]
(Supp. No. 6)
Page 4 of 25
Automobile Repair, Major: General repairs or reconditioning of engines, air-conditioning systems, and
transmissions for motor vehicles; wrecker or towing service with on-site storage of vehicles; collision services
including body, frame, or fender straightening or repair; customizing; painting; vehicle steam cleaning; tire
retreading; muffler services; upholstery shop; insurance estimations with on-site storage; undercoating and rust
proofing, and other similar uses.
Automobile Repair, Minor: An establishment used for the dispensing or sales of automobile fuels, lubricants,
and automobile accessories; the minor repair or replacement of parts and performing State inspections and
making minor repairs necessary to pass said inspection; automobile detailing; window tinting; and the sales and
installation of automobile radios. Uses listed under "Automobile Repair, Major" or any other similar uses are not
included.
Automobile Sales New or Used: Sales, rental, and/or lease of new or used automobiles or light load vehicles,
including as an accessory use: Automobile Repair, Major.
Balloon Sign: One or more inflatable devices filled with lighter-than-air gas used as a temporary sign for the
purpose of directing attention to any location, event, person, product, good, service, activity, institution or
business.
Bakery: A retail establishment for preparing, cooking, baking, and selling products on the premises.
Bandit Sign: Any temporary ground sign announcing a subdivision, new development or builder.
Bank, Saving and LOoan, Credit Union: An establishment for the custody, loan, exchange or issue of money,
the extension of credit, and/or facilitating the transmission of funds, including automated teller machines.
Banner Sign: A temporary sign constructed of a natural or man-made flexible material including, but not
limited to, cloth, canvas, vinyl, or fabric which can be easily folded or rolled that is mounted with or without an
enclosing framework that is attached or tethered to the building or structures.
Base Flood: The flood having a one percent (1%) chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
Basement: A story (or portion of a story) wholly or partly below curb level with at least one-half of its height
(measured from floor to ceiling) below the curb level. The curb level nearest to a story (or portion of a story) shall
be used to determine whether such story (or portion of a story) is a basement.
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop: An establishment primarily engaged in providing services generally involved in
the care of the person or his/her appearance including, but not limited to, barber and beauty shops, nail and
pedicure salons, tanning salons, ear piercing shops, cosmetic tattooing shops, and reducing salons.
Bed and Breakfast Inn: An owner (or operator) occupied residence with up to five (5) bedrooms available for
overnight guests. A Bed and Breakfast Inn may provide for guest stays up to 14 consecutive days; however, it shall
not offer weekly rental rates. Kitchen and dining facilities may be included to provide meals for guests only;
however, no food preparation shall be permitted in guest bedrooms. A Bed and Breakfast Inn shall not include
restaurants, banquet facilities, or similar services.
Billboard: Any sign erected and used for, or designed to be used for, the display of advertising material for
the purpose of advertising a location, event, person, product, good, service, activity, institution or business not
located on the same premises as the billboard. Mobile advertising and hand-carried signs shall not be considered
as billboards.
Block: A tract of land bounded by streets or a combination of streets and public parks, or corporate
boundaries of the City.
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
Schertz, Texas, Unified Development Code Created: 2022-09-12 11:25:14 [EST]
(Supp. No. 6)
Page 5 of 25
Board of Adjustment (BOA): The Board established by City Council under the City Charter the Texas Local
Government Code that reviews and acts upon requests for variances or appeals and whose duties and
responsibilities are specifically provided for in section 21.3.4 of this UDC.
Boarding House: A building other than hotel, motel, or an apartment hotel where, for compensation and
prearrangement for a definite period, meals or lodging and meals are provided for three (3) or more persons, but
not exceeding twenty (20) persons.
Book Store: A retail establishment that, as a primary business, engages in the sale, rental, or other charge-
for-use books, magazines, newspapers, greeting cards, postcards, videotapes, computer software, or any other
printed or electronically conveyed information or media, excluding any adult media.
Bottling Works: A manufacturing facility designed to place a beverage into a bottle or can for distribution.
Boundary Street: A public street which is adjacent to and abutting one (1) or more sides of the proposed site.
Buffer Zone: A strip of land created to separate and protect one type of land use from another.
Building: Any structure which:
a. is permanently affixed to the land;
b. has one or more floors and a roof; and
c. is bounded by either open area or lot lines.
A building shall not include such structures as billboards, fences or radio towers, or structures with interior
surfaces not normally accessible for human use, such as tanks, smoke stacks, grain elevators, oil cracking towers or
similar structures.
Building Area: The total square footage on a lot covered by a building measured on a horizontal plane at
mean grade level.
Building, Detached: A building which is surrounded by yards or open space on its own building lot.
Building Envelope: The net cubic space that remains for placing a structure on a site after building line,
setback, side yard, height and bulk regulations are observed.
Building Height: The vertical distance between the average natural grade of the ground under the footprint
of a building and the highest point of the coping of a flat roof, or to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the mean
height level between the eaves and ridge for a gable, hip or gambrel roof. A chimney, cupola or dormer (four feet
or less in height), flagpole or residential television antenna shall be exempt from the above requirements.
Building Materials And Hardware Store: An establishment for the sale of materials customarily used in the
construction of buildings and other structures.
Building Mounted Sign: A sign attached to, or supported by any part of the building that encloses or covers
usable space and is related to the business within, including but not limited to wall signs, signage on awnings,
canopies, or marquees, and projecting signs.
Building Setback Line: A building limit fixed at a specific distance from the front, rear or side boundaries of a
lot beyond which a building cannot lawfully extend.
Building Sign: Any sign identifying the name or title of a specific building.
Cabinet/Upholstery Shop: An establishment for the production, display, and sale of cabinets, furniture, and
soft coverings for furniture.
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
Schertz, Texas, Unified Development Code Created: 2022-09-12 11:25:14 [EST]
(Supp. No. 6)
Page 6 of 25
Camping Trailer: A folding structure, mounted on wheels and designed for travel, recreation, and vacation
and which can be readily towed over the road by a motor vehicle.
Canopy: A roof like cover including an awning that projects from the wall of a building over a door, entrance
or window; a free standing or projecting cover above an outdoor service area such as a gasoline service station.
Carport: A roofed structure for use as an automobile shelter, open on at least two sides with inside
dimensions not less than 10' by 20'.
Car Wash, Automated: A facility where a customer can have a motorcycle, automobile and light load vehicle
washed in exchange for financial consideration.
Car Wash, Self Serve: A facility, typically coin operated, used by the customer to wash motorcycles,
automobiles and light load vehicles.
Cemetery or Mausoleum: Property used for the interring of the dead.
Church, Temple, Place of Worship: A building designed and used primarily for religious assembly and worship
and those accessory activities which are customarily associated therewith, and the place of residence for ministers,
priests, nuns or rabbis in a detached residential facility on the same premises, that is exempt from ad valorem
taxes as permitted by State law. For the purposes of this definition, bible study and other similar activities which
occur in a person's primary residence shall not be considered as a church, temple or place or worship.
City: The City of Schertz, Texas
City Council: The City Council of the City of Schertz, Texas.
City Engineer: A registered professional engineer employed or designated by the City to provide professional
engineering services for and on behalf of the City.
Civic/Convention Center: A building or complex of buildings used for cultural, recreational, athletic,
convention, or entertainment purposes.
Clinic: An establishment of offices in which a group of physicians, dentists or other practitioners of the
healing arts and allied professional assistants are associated for the purpose of diagnosing and treating ill or
injured persons. A clinic may include a medical or dental laboratory, but may not include facilities for providing
room or board for patients, nor may a clinic include offices or facilities for veterinarians.
Club or Lodge: An association of persons for the promotion of some nonprofit common objective such as
literature, science, politics, good fellowship and similar objectives which meets periodically and which is limited to
members.
Co-location: The act of locating wireless communications equipment for more than one (1)
telecommunications carrier on a single Antenna Facility.
College, University, or Trade School: An institution established for educational purposes offering courses for
study beyond the secondary education level, including trade schools and commercial schools offering training or
instruction in a trade, art, or occupation.
Commercial Amusement, Indoor: An enterprise providing for indoor recreational activities, services,
amusements, and instruction for an admission fee. Uses include, but are not limited to, bowling alleys, ice or roller
skating rinks, bingo parlors, amusement arcades, and/or practice areas.
Commercial Amusement, Outdoor: An enterprise providing for outdoor recreational activities, services,
amusements, and instruction for an admission fee, including, but not limited to, batting cages, miniature golf, go-
kart tracts, and carnivals.
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Commercial Farm Ranch: A tract of unplatted land which is used for agricultural activities such as production
of cash crops or raising of livestock for the purpose of obtaining a profit in money. Includes agricultural dwelling
and accessory buildings and structures necessary to the operation of the farm/ranch.
Common Area: An area within a subdivision not used for development which is usually owned and
maintained by subdivision homeowners associations.
Community Center: A building or portion of a building owned and/or operated by a government entity or
not-for-profit agency in which facilities are provided for civic, educational, political, or social purposes.
Community Service Sign: Any sign that solicits support for or advertises a non-profit community location,
event, person, product, good, service, institution or business, a public activity, location, event, person, product,
good, service institution or business.
Comprehensive Land Plan: The Comprehensive Land Plan of the City, as approved by the City Council and
including any unit or part of such plan separately adopted and any amendments to such plan or parts thereof.
Concrete/Asphalt Batching Plant: A permanent manufacturing facility for the production of concrete or
asphalt.
Convalescent Home: Any structure used or occupied by three (3) or more persons recovering from illness or
receiving geriatric care for compensation.
Convenience Store with Gas Pumps: A retail establishment that sells food and other consumable and non-
consumable products for off-premise use or consumption. This definition shall also include the dispensing or sale
of motor vehicle fuels, lubricants, and accessories, but shall not include automotive repair or the sale of
replacement parts.
Court: An open, unoccupied space bounded on more than two (2) sides by walls. An inner court is entirely
surrounded by the exterior walls of a building. An outer court has one (1) side open to a street, alley, yard or other
permanent open space.
Critical Feature: An integral and readily identifiable part of a flood protection system, without which the
flood protection provided by the entire system would be compromised.
Cul-de-sac: A street having but one (1) outlet to another street, and terminated on the opposite end by a
vehicular turn around.
Damaged Sign:
a. any sign where any portion of the finished material, surface or message area of the sign is visibly faded,
flaked, broken off, missing, cracked, splintered, defective or is otherwise deteriorated or in a state of
disrepair so as not to substantially appear as it was intended or designed to appear when originally
constructed; or
b. any sign whose elements or the structural support or frame members are visibly bent, broken, dented,
torn, twisted, leaning or at angles other than those at which it was originally erected.
Dance Hall/Night Club: An establishment open to the general public for entertainment; in particular, dancing.
Day Care Center: A commercial institution or place designed for the care of children or adults and is subject
to registration with the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. This use shall not include
overnight lodging, medical treatment, counseling, or rehabilitative services and does not apply to any school.
Dead End Street: A roadway, other than cul-de-sac, with only one (1) outlet.
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Density: The number of units per acre that may be placed on a tract in a particular zoning district under
specified development conditions.
Department Store: A business conducted under a single owner’s name wherein a variety of unrelated
merchandise and services are housed, enclosed, and are exhibited and sold directly to the customer for whom the
goods and services are furnished.
Development: Any manmade change in improved and unimproved real estate, including but not limited to
buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage
of equipment.
Development Permit: Any permit, license, authority, order, approval, certificate, endorsement, or permission,
required from the City prior to the commencement or completion of any phase of development.
Development Sign: A temporary freestanding sign which, by means of symbol or name, identifies a shopping
center, commercial or industrial park, residential subdivision or other development that may contain a mixture of
residential, commercial, or industrial uses.
Directional Sign: Any sign designed to provide direction to pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic.
Distribution Center: A warehouse or storage facility where the emphasis is on processing and moving goods
on to wholesalers, retailers, or consumers rather than on storage.
Dormitory: Any structure specifically designed to house student tenants associated with a university, college
or school.
Dry Cleaning, Major: An industrial facility where fabrics are cleaned with substantially non-aqueous organic
solvents on a commercial or wholesale basis.
Dry Cleaning, Minor: A custom cleaning shop or pick-up station not exceeding six thousand (6,000) square
feet of floor area, including, but not limited to, dry cleaning plants having no more than one thousand five hundred
(1,500) square feet of floor area for dry cleaning equipment.
Dwelling: Any building or portion thereof which is designed for or used for residential purposes.
Dwelling, Duplex: A building designed for or occupied exclusively, but separately, by two (2) families.
Dwelling, Multifamily: A building or portion thereof containing three (3) or more dwelling units.
Dwelling, Single-Family: A building designed for or occupied exclusively by one (1) family.
Dwelling Unit: A room, or suite of two (2) or more rooms, designed or intended for use by an individual or
family in which culinary and sanitary convenience are provided for the exclusive use of such individual or family.
Easement: An acquired privilege or right-of-way use which one (1) person, business, entity and/or public
agency has across, over or under land of another person, business, entity and/or public agency.
Electronic Sign: A variable message sign that utilizes computer-generated messages or some other electronic
means of changing copy. These signs include displays using incandescent lamps, LEDs, or LCDs.
Elevated Building: A non-basement building (i) built, in the case of the building in Zones A1-30, AE, A, A99,
AO, AH, B, C, X, and D, to have the top of the elevated floor, or the case of the building in Zones V1-30, VE, or V, to
have the bottom level of the lowest horizontal structure member of the pilings, columns (posts and pliers), or
shear walls parallel to the floor of the water and (ii) adequately anchored so as not to impair the structural
integrity of the building during a flood of up to the magnitude of the base flood. In the case of Zones A1-30, AE, A,
A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, D, "elevated building" also includes a building elevated by means of fill or solid foundation
perimeter walls with openings sufficient to facilitate the unimpeded movement of flood waters. In the case of
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Zones V1-30, VI, or V, "elevated building" also includes a building otherwise meeting the definition of "elevated
building", even though the lower area is enclosed by standards of section 60.3 (e)(5) of the National Flood
Insurance Program regulations.
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ): The ETJ of the City is the portion of the unincorporated area that is
contiguous to the corporate boundaries of the City and not already in the incorporated area or ETJ of another City
as set out in Section 42.021 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Family: Two or more persons occupying a single dwelling unit where all members are related by blood,
marriage or adoption. No single dwelling unit shall have more than four unrelated individuals residing therein, nor
shall any "family" have, additionally, more than four unrelated individuals residing with such family. The term
"family" does not include any organization or institutional group that receives federal or State funding for the care
of the individual.
Family Home: A community-based residential home operated by either the State of Texas, a nonprofit corporation,
a community center organized pursuant to State statute, or an entity which is certified by the State as a provider
for a program for the mentally retarded. Family homes provide care for persons who have mental and/or physical
impairments that substantially limit one (1) or more major life activities. To qualify as a family home, a home must
meet all of the following requirements:
a. not more than six (6) disabled persons and two (2) supervisory personnel may reside in a family home
at the same time;
b. the home must provide food and shelter, personal guidance, care, rehabilitation services, or
supervision; and
c. all applicable licensing requirements must be met.
Farmers Market: An area containing individual vendors who offer fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, edible
seeds, nuts, live plants, flowers, and honey for sale.
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Filling, Retail Service Station: An establishment where gasoline, oil and grease, or automobile accessories are
sold, supplied or dispensed to the motor vehicle trade or where motor vehicles receive limited repair, are
equipped for service, or where electric storage batteries are charged and cared for, or a place where any two (2) or
more such activities are carried on or conducted as the principal use of the establishment.
Fire Lane: A concrete or asphalt driving surface identified for use by fire, EMS and other emergency vehicles
within and maintained by the owners of a manufactured home park, recreational vehicle park, apartment complex,
malls/shopping center, commercial or business area.
Flag: A piece of cloth, varying in size, shape, color, and design, usually attached at one edge to a staff or cord,
and used as the symbol of a nation, state, or organization, or as a means of signaling.
Flea Market, Inside: A building or structure wherein space is rented to vendors on a short-term basis for the
sale of merchandise. The principal sales shall include new and used household goods, personal effects, tools, art
work, small household appliances, and similar merchandise, objects, or equipment in small quantities. The term
flea market shall not be deemed to include wholesale sales establishments or rental services establishments, but
shall be deemed to include personal services establishments, food services establishments, retail sales
establishments, and auction establishments.
Flea Market, Outside: An outdoor site where space is rented to vendors on a short-term basis for the sale of
merchandise. The principal sales shall include new and used household goods, personal effects, tools, art work,
small household appliances, and similar merchandise, objects, or equipment in small quantities. The term flea
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market shall not be deemed to include wholesale sales establishments or rental services establishments, but shall
be deemed to include personal services establishments, food services establishments, retail sales establishments,
and auction establishments.
Flood or Flooding: A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of areas not ordinarily
covered by water due to:
a. the overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
b. the usual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM): The official maps of the City and its ETJ on which the FEMA has delineated
both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zones applicable to the areas mapped.
Flood Insurance Study: The official report provided by the FEMA. The report contains flood profiles, water
surface elevation of the base flood, as well as the Flood Boundary-Floodway Map.
Flood Management: The operation of an overall program of corrective and preventive measures for reducing
flood damage, including but not limited to emergency preparedness plans, flood control works and floodplain
management regulations.
Flood Management Regulations: Zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes, health
regulations, special purpose ordinances (such as the floodplain ordinance, grading ordinance and erosion control
ordinance) and other applications of police power. The term describes such State or local regulations, in any
combination thereof, which provide standards for the purpose of flood damage prevention and reduction.
Flood Protection System: Those physical structural works for which funds have been authorized,
appropriated, and expended and which have been constructed specifically to modify flooding in order to reduce
the extent of the area within the City and its ETJ subject to a "special flood hazard" and the extent of the depths of
associated flooding. Such a system typically includes dams, reservoirs, levees or dikes. These specialized flood
modifying works are those constructed in conformance with sound engineering standards.
Flood Proofing: Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to
structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary
facilities, structures and their contents.
Floodplain: Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source.
Floodway: The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in
order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a
designated height.
Florist: Retail business whose principal activity is the selling of plants which are not grown on the site and
conducting business within an enclosed building.
Fraternity, Sorority, Civic Club or Lodge: An organized group having a restricted membership and specific
purpose related to the welfare of the members including, but not limited to, Elks, Masons, Knights of Columbus,
Rotary International, Shriners, or a labor union.
Fraternity, Sorority or Group Student House: A building occupied by and maintained exclusively for students
affiliated with an academic or vocational institution.
Freestanding Sign: A sign that is not attached to a building and which is self supporting by use of a pole,
mast, pylon or other similar vertical support structure and has a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches of ground
clearance.
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Frontage: All the property on one (1) side of a street between two (2) intersecting streets (crossing or
terminating) measured along the line of the street, or if the street is dead-ended, then all the property abutting on
one (1) side between an intersecting street and the dead end of the street.
Furniture Sales: Retail business whose principal activity is the selling of finished furniture products and
conducting business within an enclosed building.
Garage, Private: A building designed or used for the storage of personally owned motor-driven vehicles used
by the occupants of the building.
Garage, Public: A structure or building, other than a private garage, which is available to the general public
used primarily for the parking and storage of vehicles.
Garage Sale Sign: Any sign utilized to direct interested persons to the location of a garage sale in accordance
with Chapter 50 of the City's Code of Ordinances.
Garden Home: An individually owned single-family home, separated from its neighbor by a minimum of ten
(10') feet on a lot having a minimum of five thousand (5,000) square feet.
Gasoline Station/Fuel Pumps: A facility, equipment, or fixture used for retail dispensing of motor vehicle
fuels.
Gated Community: Residential areas that restrict access to normally public spaces. The type of gates can
range from elaborate guard houses to similar electronic arms. Residents may enter by electronic cards,
identification stickers, codes, or remote-control devices. Visitors must stop to be verified for entry.
General Manufacturing/Industrial Uses: Manufacturing of finished products and component products or
parts through the processing of materials or substances, including basic industrial processing. Such operations shall
be determined by Health, Fire, and building officials not to be a hazard or nuisance to adjacent property or the
community at large, due to the possible emission of excessive smoke, noise, gas, fumes, dust, odor, or vibration, or
the danger of fire, explosion, or radiation.
Golf Course and/or Country Club: A land area and buildings used for golf, including fairways, greens, tee
boxes, driving range, putting green, and associated maintenance and retail facilities. This definition shall also
include clubhouses, dining rooms, swimming pools, tennis courts, and similar recreational or service uses available
only to members and their guests.
Government Facilities: A building or structure owned, operated, or occupied by governmental agency to
provide a governmental service to the public.
Governmental Sign: Any sign indicating public facilities, public work projects, public services, or other places,
events, persons, products, goods, programs, activities or institutions conducted by the Federal, State or any local
government.
Group Home: A specialized lodging house and boarding house which provides long term supervised housing
in a conventional residential setting for no more than three (3) persons who are physically or mentally
handicapped, developmentally disabled or are victims of crime, and having no more than two (2) supervisory
personnel in residence at the same time.
Gymnastics/Dance Studio: A building or portion of a building used as a place of work for a gymnast, dancer,
or martial artist or for instructional classes in gymnastics, dance, or martial arts.
Hazardous Material: Any substance that because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical
characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment.
This term includes but is not limited to hazardous wastes.
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Hazardous Waste: Any refuse or discarded material or combinations of refuse or discarded materials in solid,
semisolid, liquid, or gaseous form which cannot be handled by routine waste management techniques because
they pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or other living organisms because of their
chemical, biological, or physical properties. Categories of hazardous waste include but are not limited to
explosives, flammables, oxidizers, poisons, irritants, and corrosives. Hazardous waste does not include sewage
sludge and source, special nuclear, or by-product material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended.
Health/Fitness Center: A public or private facility operated to promote physical health and fitness. Activities
may include exercise, physical therapy, training, and education pertaining to health and fitness. Uses or
combination of uses or facilities typically include, but are not limited to, game courts, weight lifting and exercise
equipment, aerobics, swimming pools and spas, and running or jogging tracts.
Heavy Equipment Service and Sales, or Rental: An establishment providing Sales, Service, or Rental of
movable or transportable vehicles or other apparatus commonly used in commercial, industrial, or construction
enterprises, such as but not limited to trucks, trailers, bulldozers, cranes, backhoes, rollers, loaders, lifts.
Highest Adjacent Grade: The highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction next to the
proposed walls of structure.
Historic Structure: Any structure that is:
a. listed individually in the Natural Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the Department of
Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for
individual listing in the National Register;
b. certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical
significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to
qualify as a registered historic district;
c. individually listed on the State inventory of historic places with historic preservation programs that
have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
d. individually listed on a local inventory or historic places in communities with historic preservation
programs that have been certified either:
1. By any approved state program as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or
2. Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states with approved programs.
Home Improvement Center: An establishment providing the sale or rental of building supplies, construction
equipment, or home decorating fixtures and accessories. This term includes a lumber yard or a contractors’
building supply business and may include outdoor storage or tool and equipment sales or rental. This term does
not include an establishment devoted exclusively to the retail sale of paint, wallpaper, or hardware or activities
classified under vehicle/equipment sales and services, including vehicle towing services.
Home Occupation: Any occupation or activity carried on by a member of the immediate family, residing on
the premises, which there is no sign used relating to the business or no display that will indicate from the exterior
that the building is being utilized in part for any purpose other than that of a dwelling, and there is no commodity
sold upon the premises; no person is employed other than a member of the immediate family residing on the
premises; and no mechanical equipment is used except of a type that is similar in character to that normally used
for purely domestic or household purposes.
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Homeowners Association: An organization formed for the maintenance and operation of the common areas
of the development. The membership in the association must be automatic with the purchase of a dwelling unit or
other property in the development.
Hospital, Sanitarium, Nursing or Convalescent home: A building or portion thereof used or designed for the
housing or treatment of the sick, aged, mentally ill, injured, convalescent or infirm persons; provided that this
definition shall not include rooms in any residential dwelling, hotel, apartment hotel not ordinarily intended to be
occupied by said persons.
Hotel: A building used or intended to be used as living quarters for transient guests, but not excluding
permanent guests, and may include a cafe, drugstore, clothes pressing shop, barbershop or other service facilities
for the guests for compensation. This definition does not include bed and breakfast and boarding houses.
Household Appliance Service and Repair: The maintenance and rehabilitation of appliances customarily used
in the home, including, but not limited to, washing and drying machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, trash
compactors, ovens and ranges, countertop kitchen appliances, and vacuum cleaners.
Identification Sign: A sign whose purpose is to identify:
a. Street Address Sign/Markers: Address signs are composed of a numeric address and street or complex
name. Street markers are signs adjacent to streets required by local government.
b. On-Premise Business Signs: Any sign which relates to the premises on which it is located, referring
exclusively to the location, event, person, product, good, service, or activity of those premises, or the
sale, lease or construction of those premises.
c. Personal or Professional Signs and Nameplates: Any sign that lists exclusively a name or names
(including family/farm name signs).
Illegal Sign: A sign erected without a required permit, without the property owner's permission, or any sign
not meeting the requirements established in this UDC.
Impervious Coverage: Impervious cover means impermeable surfaces which prevent the infiltration of water
into the underlying soil and bedrock (such as pavement, concrete or rooftops).
Industrialized Home: See "Modular Home".
In-Home Day Care: A home occupation that provides care for less than twenty-four (24) hours a day to no
more than six (6) children under the age of fourteen (14), plus no more than six (6) additional elementary school-
age children (age five (5) to thirteen (13)). The total number of children, including the caretaker's own children, is
no more than twelve (12) at any time. This use is subject to registration with the Texas Department of Protective
and Regulatory Services.
Insurance Office: A building or facility used for the sales, management, and administration of insurance
services, including the estimation of automobile damages, but excluding on-site parking/storage of damaged
vehicles.
Kindergarten: Any school, private or parochial, operating for profit or not, attended by four (4) or more
children at any one (1) time during part of a twenty-four (24) hour day, which provides a program of instruction for
children below the first grade level in which constructive endeavors, object lessons and helpful games are
prominent features of the curriculum.
Landfill: A tract of land used for the burial of farm, residential, institutional, industrial, or commercial waste
that is not hazardous, medical, or radioactive.
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Landscape: Covering, adorning, or improving property with living plants (such as trees, shrubs, vines, grass or
flowers), loose natural materials (such as rock, wood chips or shavings), decorative manmade material (such as
patterned paving materials, fences, walls, fountains, or pools), or land contouring. "Landscape" does not include
improving property with artificial trees, shrubs, turf or other artificial plants.
Laundromat: A facility where patrons wash, dry, or dry-clean clothing and other fabrics in machines operated
by the patron.
Levee: A manmade structure, usually an earthen embankment, designed and constructed in accordance with
sound engineering practices to contain, control, or divert the flow of water so as to provide protection from
temporary flooding.
Levee System: A flood protection system which consists of a levee, or levees, and associated structures, such
as closure and drainage devices, which are constructed and operated in accordance with sound engineering
practices.
Limited Access Highways: Interstate Highway 35 and Interstate Highway 10.
Livestock: Domestic animals used, raised or bred on a farm, especially those kept for a profit, including, but not
limited to, horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, cattle, goats, rabbits, sheep, or fowl, regardless of age, sex or breed.
Persons who possess, own or otherwise keep livestock within the City in a residential zoned district where livestock
is being kept, shall follow these restrictions:
a. Livestock shall be kept on a parcel of land that is at least one (1) acre in size.
b. Livestock shall be kept in a stable, shed, pen or other enclosure wherever located within the City,
which shall be distance of at least one hundred feet (100') for every building/structure (other than the
owner of such livestock) used for sleeping, dining and living, and shall be kept in such a manner as will
be reasonably calculated not be offensive to neighbors or to the public.
c. Swine are prohibited.
d. The Code of Ordinances may include further restrictions.
Loading Dock Space: A space within the main building, or on the same lot therewith, providing for the
standing, loading or unloading of trucks and having a minimum dimension of twelve by thirty-five feet (12' x 35')
and a vertical clearance of at least fourteen feet (14').
Locksmith/Security System Company: Establishments primarily engaged in providing, installing, repairing,
and/or monitoring locks and electronic security systems.
Lot: A physically undivided tract or parcel of land having frontage on a public street or other approved access
and which is, or in the future may be, offered for sale, conveyance, transfer or improvements; which is designated
as a distinct and separate tract; and/or, which is identified by a tract or lot number or symbol in a duly approved
subdivision plat which has been properly recorded.
Lot Depth: The distance of a line connecting the midpoints of the front and rear lot lines, which line shall be
at right angle to the front lot or radial to a curved lot line.
Lot Width: The distance of a line (drawn perpendicular to the lot depth line) connecting the side lot lines at
the building setback line or at a point no farther than thirty-five (35') feet from the front lot line.
Lot Area: The area of a lot between lot lines, including any portion of an easement which may exist within
such lot lines.
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Lot, Corner: A lot which has an interior angle of less than 135 degrees at the intersection of two (2) street
lines. A lot abutting upon a curved street shall be considered a corner lot if the tangents of the curve at the points
of the intersection of the side lot lines intersect at an interior angle of less than 135 degrees.
Lot, Double Frontage: A lot having a frontage on two (2) nonintersecting streets as distinguished from a
corner lot.
Lot, Interior: A building lot other than a corner lot.
Lot of record: A lot which is part of a subdivision, the plat having been duly approved by the appropriate
authority and recorded in the office of the County recorder of deeds and records.
Lowest floor: The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood
resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking or vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a
basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor; provided that such enclosure is not built so as render the
structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirement of section 60.3 of the National Flood
Insurance Program regulations.
Manufactured Home, HUD Code: A structure constructed after June 15, 1976, according to the rules of the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, transportable in one (1) or more sections which, in
the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in length, or, when
erected on site, is three hundred twenty (320) or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent foundation
designed to be used as a dwelling when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air
conditioning and electrical systems and bears a seal issued in accordance with state law. All references in this UDC
to manufactured housing or manufactured home(s) shall be references to HUD Code Manufactured Housing,
unless otherwise specified.
Manufactured Home Park: A contiguous parcel or lot which is owned by an individual, firm, trust,
partnership, public or private association or corporation and on which individual portions are leased for the
placement of manufactured homes as a primary residence.
Manufactured Home Subdivision: A subdivision of land planned and improved for the placement of
manufactured homes for residential use on single lots with each lot individually owned and meeting all
requirements of this UDC.
Mean Sea Level: For the purposes of the National Flood Insurance Program, the National Geodetic Vertical
Datum (NGVD) of 1929 or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown on a community's Flood Insurance
Rate Map are referenced.
Medical, Dental or Professional Office/Clinic: A building used for the provision of executive, management, or
administrative services. Typical uses include, but are not limited to, administrative offices and services including
real estate, property management, investment, insurance, medical, dental, legal, architect, engineer, travel,
secretarial, accounting, auditing and bookkeeping organizations and associations, and vehicle rental office without
on-site storage of fleet vehicles.
Menu Board Sign: A permanent freestanding sign displaying the type and price of food, beverages or other
products sold in connection with permitted outdoor dining or in connection with a restaurant with drive-through
service.
Microbrewery/Brewpub: A facility authorized to manufacture, brew, bottle, can, package, and label beer; and
sell or offer without charge, on the premise of the brew pub, beer produced by the holder, in or from lawful
containers to the extent the sales or offers are allowed under the holder's primary Texas Alcoholic Beverage
Commission license. The development may include other uses such as a standard restaurant, bar or live
entertainment as otherwise permitted in the zoning district.
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Mini-Warehouse/Public Storage: A building(s) containing separate, individual self-storage units for rent or
lease. The conduct of sales, business, or any activity other than storage shall be prohibited within any individual
storage unit.
Miscellaneous Hazardous Industrial Use: Any industrial use not specifically defined in this section that is
determined by Health, Fire or building officials to be a hazard or nuisance to adjacent property or the community
at large, due to the possible emission of excessive smoke, noise, gas, fumes, dust, odor, or vibration, or the danger
of fire, explosion, or radiation.
Mobile Home: A structure that was constructed before June 15, 1976, transportable in one (1) or more
sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in
length, or when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis designed to
be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and
includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems.
Modular Home: A dwelling that is manufactured in two (2) or more modules at a location other than the
home site and which is designed to be used as a residence when the modules are transported to the home site and
joined together and installed on a permanent foundation system in accordance with the appropriate Building
Codes of the City including plumbing, heating/air conditioning and electrical systems to be contained in the
structure. The term modular home shall not mean nor apply to a mobile home as defined in the Texas
Manufactured Housing Standards Act, nor is it to include building modules incorporating concrete or masonry as a
primary component.
Monopole Tower: A self-supporting tower facility composed of a single spire used to support
telecommunication antennas. Monopole towers cannot have guy wires or bracing.
Monument Sign: A permanent freestanding ground sign whose base is directly on the ground or has a
maximum of twelve inches (12") of clearance from the adjacent grade.
Mortuary/Funeral Parlor: A place for the storage of human bodies prior to their burial or cremation, or a
building used for the preparation of the deceased for burial and the display of the deceased and ceremonies
connected therewith before burial or cremation.
Motel or Motor Hotel: A building or group of buildings including either separate units or a row of units used
or intended to be used as living quarters for transient guests, and provide off-street parking space on the same
building lot for use of its occupants.
Multi-Tenant Sign: A sign that identifies the names and locations of tenants in a multi-tenant building or in a
development made up of a group of buildings.
Municipal Uses Operated by the City: Any area, land, building, structure, and/or facility owned, used, leased,
or operated by the City including, but not limited to, administrative office, maintenance facility, fire station, library,
sewage treatment plan, police station, water tower, service center, and park.
Museum: An Institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting value or
interest.
Neon Sign: Any sign containing exposed transparent or translucent tubing illuminated by neon, argon or a
similar gas on or near the exterior of a building or window. This shall not include those signs lighted by an internal
light source and designed so that the rays go through the face of the sign.
Non-access Easement: The limitation of public access rights to and from properties abutting a highway or street, by
restricting curb cuts and access to rear or side of property or to an area abutting a developed area that may have a
deprecating and/or potentially dangerous effect on the developed properties.
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a. One-foot non-access easement: The limitation of public access rights to and from properties abutting a
highway or street by restricting curb cuts and access to rear or side of property when the property has
another dedicated access to a public right-of-way.
b. One-foot partial access easement: The limitation of public access rights to and from properties abutting
a highway or street only by use of portable ramps, and restricting curb cuts when the property has
another dedicated access to public right-of-way.
c. Non-access easement: A designated area abutting a development which may be considered to have a
deprecating and/or potentially dangerous effect to the property because it backs up to a railroad right-
of-way, gas line, etc.
Noncommercial Farm or Hobby Farm: An agricultural operation whose income is incidental to the total
household income of the occupants who are usually commuter suburbanites. Products produced are for the
consumption by owner or provide insignificant income.
Non-Conforming Sign: A sign that was legally installed or modified in accordance with local laws, codes,
ordinances and approvals in effect at the time of installation or last significant modification, but which does not
comply to laws, ordinances, codes or other regulations enacted subsequent to that time.
Nonconforming use, structure or lot: The use of land or a building, or a portion thereof, which use does not
conform with the regulations of the zoning district in which it is situated and which was in existence prior to the
effective date of this UDC and/or prior to being annexed into the City.
Nursery, Major: An establishment for the cultivation and propagation, display, storage, and sale (retail and
wholesale) of large plants, shrubs, trees, and other materials used in indoor and outdoor plantings; and the
contracting for installation and/or maintenance of landscape material as an accessory use. Outdoor display and
storage is permitted.
Nursery, Minor: A retail business for the display and/or sale of small trees, shrubs, flowers, ornamental
plants, seeds, garden and lawn supplies, and other materials used in indoor and outdoor planting, without outside
storage or display.
Off-Premise Sign: Any sign displaying advertising copy that pertains to a business, person, organization,
activity, event, place, service or product not principally located or primarily manufactured or sold on the premises
on which the sign is located.
Office Showroom: A building that primarily consists of sales offices and sample display areas for products
and/or services delivered or performed off-premises. Catalog and telephone sales facilities are appropriate.
Incidental retail sales of products associated with the primary products and/or services are permitted.
Office-Warehouse: A building primarily devoted to the storage, warehousing, and distribution of goods,
merchandise, supplies, and equipment. Accessory uses may include retail and wholesale sales areas, sales offices,
and display area for products sold and distributed from the storage and warehousing areas.
On-Premise Sign: Any sign relating to the premises on which it is located referring to events, persons,
products, goods, services, activities, institutions or businesses on or offered on such premises, or the sale, lease, or
construction of such premises.
Open Space: The part of the countryside which has not been developed and which is desirable for
preservation in its natural state for ecological, historical or recreational purposes, or in its cultivated state to
preserve agricultural, forest or urban greenbelt areas.
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Packaging/Mailing Store: An establishment where services are provided for the mailing and packaging of
parcels. These services may include U.S. mail, UPS, FedEx and other similar services. Incidental uses may also
include, but not limited to, copy services, printing, and stationary supplies.
Parking Spaces: A surfaced area, enclosed or unenclosed, sufficient in size to store one (1) motor vehicle,
with a surfaced driveway connecting the parking space with the street or alley and permitting ingress and egress of
a motor vehicle.
Pavement Width: The portion of a street available for vehicular traffic between the face of curbs and gutters.
Pawn Shop: An establishment where money is loaned on the security of personal property pledged and
retained by the owners (pawnbroker).
Peak Hour Trips (PHT): The number of traffic units generated by and attracted to the proposed development
during its heaviest hour of use, dependent on type of use.
Pennant: Any long, narrow, usually triangular flag composed primarily of cloth, paper, fabric or other similar
non-rigid material which may be used as a temporary sign to announce grand openings and/or special events.
Permit: An official document or certificate issued by the authority having jurisdiction authorizing
performance of a specified activity.
Person: Any individual, association, firm, corporation, governmental agency or political subdivision.
Pervious Concrete: Concrete that is permeable as supported by an engineered drainage study.
Pet Store: A retail sales establishment primarily involved in the sale of domestic animals, such as dogs, cats,
fish, birds, and reptiles, excluding exotic animals and farm animals such as horses, goats, sheep, and poultry.
Pharmacy: A business substantially devoted only to the sale of pharmaceutical items, supplies, and
equipment such as prescription.
Planning and Zoning Commission: The body established by City Council under the City Charter and the LGC
whose duties and responsibilities are specifically provided for in section 21.3.3 of this UDC.
Plat: The map, drawing or chart on which a subdivider's plan of a subdivision is presented and submitted for
approval.
Political Sign: A sign pertaining to any national, state, county or local election, or issue and erected for the
purpose of announcing a political candidate, political party or ballot measure, or a position on a political issue.
Portable Building Sales: An establishment which factory-manufactured portable buildings, such as
manufactured homes and jobsite offices, are displayed and offered for sale, lease, or order to the general public.
Post Office: A facility that contains service windows for mailing packages and letters, post office boxes,
offices, vehicle storage areas, and sorting and distribution facilities for mail.
Portable or Mobile Sign: Any sign designed or constructed to be easily moved from one location to another
or designed to be mounted upon a trailer, wheeled carrier, or other non-motorized mobile structure. A portable or
mobile sign which has its wheels removed shall still be considered a portable or mobile sign under this UDC.
Porte-cochere: A structure attached to a residence and erected over a driveway, not exceeding one story in
height, and open on two or more sides.
Power Storage System: A facility or installation whose primary function is to store produced electrical energy,
regardless of source.
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Preexisting Towers and Preexisting Antennas: Any Tower or Antenna for which a building permit or variance
has been properly issued prior to the effective date of this UDC, including permitted towers or antennas that have
not yet been constructed so long as such approval is current and not expired.
Print Shop, Major: An establishment specializing in long-run printing operations including, but not limited to,
book, magazine, and newspaper publishing using engraving, die cutting, lithography, and thermography processes.
Print Shop, Minor: An establishment specializing in short-run operations to produce newsletters, flyers,
resumes, maps, construction documents and plans, and similar materials using photocopying, duplicating, and blue
printing processes. This definition shall include mailing and shipping services.
Private Club: An establishment providing social and dining facilities, as well as alcoholic beverage service, to
an association of persons, and otherwise falling within the definition of, and permitted under the provisions of,
State law, as the same may be hereafter amended, and as it pertains to the operation of private clubs.
Prohibited Sign: Any sign that does not meet the requirements established in Article 11, any sign specifically
prohibited in this UDC or any type of sign not specifically identified as permitted in this UDC.
Projected Traffic: The traffic which is projected to exist on an existing or proposed street during the proposed
development's peak hour of use.
Public Infrastructure: Infrastructure that is generally for public use to include but not be limited to
improvements of the following: water system (including water distribution lines, fire hydrants, valves and
associated devices), wastewater (including lines, manholes, and lift stations), drainage system (including drainage
easements, channels, storm sewer lines and inlets and associated landscaping), sidewalks, and roadways.
Public Schools: include elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high, high and alternate schools operated by
a public school district but does not include administrative and support facilities and buildings not located on a
school campus or do not solely support one campus.
Public Water and Wastewater Facility: Any reservoirs, towers, tanks, pump stations or other related
appurtenances used for the purpose of providing potable water or wastewater utility service. Occupiable space is
not considered a part of the public water and/or wastewater facility.
Public Works Specification Manual: The Public Works Specification Manual includes the Public Works Design
and Construction Standards Guide, Lift Station Design Guide, Standard Construction Details, and Public Works
Technical Specifications.
Railroad/Bus Station Terminal: A facility for the boarding of bus and/or railroad passengers and related
ticketing sales and offices.
Real Estate Sign: A sign pertaining to the sale or lease of the premises, or a portion of the premises, on which
the sign is located.
Recreational Vehicle: A bus conversion, Class A camper, Class C camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel trailer, or
pop-up camper.
Recreational Vehicle Park: Any premise where recreational vehicles are parked for living and sleeping
purposes, which includes any buildings, structures, vehicles, or enclosure used or intended for use as a part of the
equipment of such park.
Recreational Vehicle Sales and Service: An establishment dedicated to the sales, service, and displaying of
recreational vehicles.
Recycling Collection Center: A building and/or site in which source separated recoverable materials, such as
newspapers, glassware, and metal cans are collected, stored, flattened, crushed, or bundled prior to shipment to
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others who will use those materials to manufacture new products. The materials are stored on-site in bins or
trailers for shipment to market.
Recycling Collection Point: An incidental use that serves as a neighborhood drop-off point for temporary
storage of recoverable resources. No processing of such items is allowed. This facility would generally be located in
a shopping center parking lot or in other public/quasi-public areas such as in churches and schools.
Recycling Facility: A building or site that is not a salvage yard and in which recoverable resources, such as
newspapers, magazines, books, and other paper products, glass, metal cans, and other products are collected,
stored and recycled, reprocessed, and treated to return such products to a condition in which they may again be
used for production.
Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation: The elevation of the regulatory flood plus one (1') foot of freeboard to
provide a safety factor.
Rehabilitation Care Facility: A facility which provides residence and care to persons who have demonstrated
a tendency toward alcoholism, drug abuse, mental illness, or antisocial or criminal conduct.
Restaurant or Cafeteria: An establishment where food and drink are prepared and consumed primarily on
the premises. Drive-up windows are permitted.
Restaurant, Drive-In: An eating establishment where food or drink is served to customers in motor vehicles
or where facilities are provided on the premise which encourage the serving and consumption of food in
automobiles on or near the restaurant premises.
Retail Food Store: A retail establishment selling meats, fruits, vegetables, bakery products, dairy products,
light hardware and other similar items which are purchased for use and/or consumption off the premises; may be
a drive-in or supermarket type.
Retail Stores and Shops: An establishment engaged in the selling of goods and merchandise to the general
public for personal or household consumption and rendering services incidental to the sale of such goods.
Right-of-Way: The right of passage acquired for or by the public through dedication, purchase or
condemnation and intended to provide pedestrian and vehicular access to abutting lots, tracts or areas which may
also be used for utilities and to provide for drainage ways.
Road: See the definition of "Street".
Roof Sign: Any sign wholly erected on, affixed to or supported by a roof of a building.
Safety Lanes: Paved easements granted to the City, to the public generally, emergency vehicles and/or to a
private utility corporation, for installing or maintaining utilities across, over or under private land, together with
the right to enter thereon with machinery and vehicles necessary for the maintenance of said utilities. These
easements may at times be referred to as fire lanes. Safety lanes may also be used as ingress and egress to the
property.
Sandwich Board Sign: See "A" Frame Sign.
Satellite Antenna: An antenna, greater than one (1) meter in diameter, which enables the transmission of
signals directly to and from satellites. Such antennas are commonly known as a satellite dish, dish antenna,
parabolic antenna, or satellite earth station antenna.
Satellite Receive-Only Antenna: An antenna, one (1) meter or less in diameter that enables the receipt of
television signals transmitted directly from satellites to be viewed on a television monitor. Such antennas are
commonly known as a satellite dish, television receive-only antenna, dish antenna, parabolic antenna, or satellite
earth station antenna.
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School, Private: A school operated by a private or religious agency or corporation other than an independent
school district, having a curriculum generally equivalent to a public elementary or secondary school.
School, Public: A school operated by an independent school district or charter school and providing
elementary or secondary curriculum.
Secured (Gated) Community: A residential area surrounded by a masonry or wrought iron fence with at least
two (2) entrances, electrically or manually controlled gates and administered by a Homeowners Association.
Setback: The minimum distance specified by this UDC from the front, rear, and side lot lines, and extending
across the full width of the lot, on which no building or structure may be erected.
Sexually Oriented Business: A business described as such in, and regulated by, Chapter 74 of the Code of
Ordinances, as amended from time to time
Shopping Center: A development containing a grouping of retail, service, and/or other commercial
establishments in one (1) or more buildings on one (1) or more legally platted lots and constructed and designed to
utilize shared parking and access.
Sign: A name, identification, description, display, or illustration which is affixed directly or indirectly upon the
exterior of a building or structure or upon a piece of land which directs attention to an object, location, event,
person, product, good, service, activity, institution, or business.
Sign Area: The area of any sign shall be the sum of the area enclosed by the minimum imaginary rectangles,
triangles, or circles which fully contain all extremities of the sign, including the frame, all words, numbers, figures,
devices, designs, or trademarks by which anything is made known, but excluding any supports. To compute the
allowable square footage of sign area, only one (1) side of a double-face sign shall be considered.
Sign Height: The vertical distance between the highest part of a sign or its supporting structure, whichever is
higher, and the average established ground level beneath the sign.
Solar Energy: Radiant energy (direct, diffuse, and reflected) received from the sun.
Solar/Photovoltaic Facility: A structure, assembly, equipment, or any combination thereof relating to the
generation, transportation, and storage of solar energy. Pertains to standalone facilities and not solar equipment
that is added to residential structures.
Subdivision or Neighborhood Sign: Any sign used to mark the entrance to a specific subdivision or
neighborhood. Usually a low profile monument sign designed in such a way as to indicate the name of the specific
community and placed at the main entry to such community.
Site Plan: A development plan, drawn to scale, showing uses and structures proposed for a parcel of land
required by this UDC. This includes, but is not limited to, existing and proposed conditions of the lot and major
landscaping figures, the location of all existing and proposed buildings, lot lines, streets, driveways, parking spaces,
walkways, means of ingress and egress, drainage facilities, utility service, landscaping, structures and signs,
lighting, screening devices and other information that may be reasonably required in order to make an informed
determination as opposed to a subdivision plan which relates to the layout of lots and parcels, platting of lots and
parcels and the provision of public facilities necessary to build a subdivision.
Stable, Commercial: A stable used for the rental of stall space or for the sale or rental of horses or mules.
Start of Construction (includes substantial improvements): The date the building permit was issued, provided
the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, placement, or other improvement
was within 180 days of the permit date. The actual start means either the first placement of permanent
construction or a structure on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the
construction of columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement of a manufactured home
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on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling;
nor does it include the installation of streets, and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for basement,
footings, piers or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the
property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main
structure. For a substantial improvement, the actual start of construction means the first alteration of any wall,
ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions
of the building.
State: The State of Texas.
Stealth Facility: "Stealth" is a generic term describing a method that would hide or conceal an antenna,
supporting electrical or mechanical equipment, or any other support structure that is identical to, or closely
compatible with, the color of the supporting structure so as to make the antenna and related equipment as visually
unobtrusive as possible to the surrounding neighborhood. Stealth facilities may include totally enclosed antennas,
wireless facilities that replicate or duplicate the construction of common structures such as flagpoles, alternative
tower structures, and camouflaged wireless facilities that are constructed to blend into the surrounding
environment.
Storage or Wholesale Warehouse: A building used primarily for the storage of goods and materials.
Story: That portion of a building, other than a basement, included between the surface of any floor and the
surface of the floor next above it, or if there be no floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling
next above it.
Street: A strip of land comprising the entire paved area between the face of curbs and gutters and within the
right-of-way, intended for use as a means of vehicular and pedestrian circulation to provide access to more than
one (1) lot.
Street, Collector: A roadway which collects traffic from local streets and connects within major/minor arterial
streets.
Street Line: A dividing line between a lot, tract, or parcel of land and a contiguous street.
Street, Major/Minor Arterial: A designated principal traffic thoroughfare more or less continuous across the
City, which is intended to connect remote parts of the City or areas adjacent thereto, and act as principal
connecting street with State and Federal highways.
Street, Private: Any street right-of-way not dedicated to public use.
Street, Public: Any roadway for use of vehicular traffic dedicated to public use and/or owned, controlled and
maintained by the City, a County, or the State.
Street Width: The shortest horizontal distance between the lines which delineate the street.
Structural Alterations: Any change of a supporting member of a structure such as bearing walls, columns,
beams or girders.
Structure: Anything constructed or built, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground or
attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground.
Studio, Tattoo or Body Piercing: A building or portion of a building used for selling or applying tattoos by
injecting dyes/inks into the skin, and/or to pierce the skin with needles, jewelry or other paraphernalia, primarily
for the purpose of ornamentation of the human body.
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Substantial Damage: Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the
structure to its prior condition would equal or exceed fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure
before damage occurred.
Substantial Improvement: Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the
cost of which equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure before "start of
construction" of the improvement. This includes structures which have incurred "substantial damage", regardless
of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either:
a. a project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary,
or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and
which are the minimum necessary conditions; or
b. any alteration of an "historic structure" provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's
continued designation as an "historic structure".
Subdivider or Developer: Are synonymous and include any person, partnership, firm, association, corporation
(or combination thereof), or any officer, agent, employee, servant, or trustee thereof, who performs, or
participates in the performance of, any act toward the subdivision of land within the intent, scope and purview of
this UDC.
Subdivision: The division of any lot, tract or parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, tracts or parcels of land
for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or rebuilding development, situated within the City's
corporate limits or within the ETJ. It also includes vacation and resubdivision of land or lots.
Surveyor: A State licensed land surveyor or registered public surveyor, as authorized by the state statutes, to
practice the profession of surveying.
Tavern: An establishment primarily in the business of serving alcoholic beverages to the general public which
may also include the sale of food.
Tax Certificate: A certificate from the applicable tax assessor's office confirming that all City ad valorem taxes
levied on a property that are due have been paid or that the property owner is lawfully contesting such taxes. If
such taxes are being contested, the property owner must establish, to the satisfaction of the City Manager, in
his/her sole discretion, that such contest is being conducted by the property owner with reasonable speed.
Taxidermist: An establishment whose principle business is the practice of preparing, stuffing, and mounting
the skins of dead animals for exhibition in a lifelike state.
Telecommunications Equipment Storage Building: An unmanned, single story equipment building or structure
used to house telecommunications equipment necessary to operate a telecommunications network.
Telecommunications Tower: Any structure that is designed and constructed for the purpose of supporting
one (1) or more antennae used for the provision of commercial wireless telecommunications services. This
definition includes monopole towers, alternative mounting structures or any other vertical support used for
wireless telecommunications antennae. This definition does not include commercial radio or television towers; nor
does it include such things as Satellite Receive Only Antenna or Amateur Radio Antennas.
Telecommunications Tower Facility: A facility that contains a telecommunications tower and equipment
storage building or structure.
Temporary Sign: Any sign identified by this UDC which is intended to be displayed for seasonal or brief
activities including, but not limited to, sales, specials, promotions, holidays, auctions, and/or business grand
openings.
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Temporary Structure: A structure that is manufactured off-site and brought to the site. It is to be temporary
in nature and used only until a permanent structure can be constructed or refurbished.
Theater, Drive-In/Outdoor: An open lot devoted to the showing of motion pictures or theatrical productions
on a paid admission basis to patrons seated in automobiles.
Theater, Indoor: A building or part of a building devoted to the showing of motion pictures or for dramatic,
musical, or live performances.
Tool Rental: An establishment or business in which tools and accessories are offered or kept for rent, lease or
hire under agreement for compensation.
Townhouse: A single-family dwelling unit in a row of such structures and attached by one or more common
walls.
Travel Trailer: A structure designed for temporary dwelling for travel, recreation and vacation, and which can
be readily towed over the road by a motor vehicle.
Truck Sales, Heavy Equipment: The display, storage, sale, leasing, or rental of new or used panel trucks, vans,
trailers, recreational vehicles, or buses in operable condition.
Truck Terminal: The premises used for loading or unloading of trucks upon which storage of cargo is
incidental to the primary function of motor freight shipment or shipment point and which is designed to
accommodate simultaneous loading or unloading. Such premises may include retail stores, facilities engaged in
fueling, servicing, repairing, washing, and/or parking of trucks, tractor trailers, or other heavy commercial vehicles.
TV Antenna: An antenna that enables the receipt of television signals transmitted from broadcast stations.
Unlimited Access Highways: State Farm to Market Roads 78, 482, 1103, 1518, 2252, and 3009 and Schertz
Parkway.
Use: The purpose or activity for which the land or building thereby is designed, arranged or intended, or for
which it is occupied or maintained, and shall include any manner of performance of such activity with respect to
the performance standards of this UDC.
Utility Easement: An interest in land granted to the City, to the public generally, and/or to a private utility
corporation, for installing utilities across, on, over, upon or under private land, together with the right to enter
thereon with machinery and vehicles necessary for the maintenance of said utilities.
Variance: Permission to depart from this UDC when, because of special circumstances applicable to the
property, strict application of the provisions of this UDC deprives such property of privileges commonly enjoyed by
other properties in the same vicinity.
Variety Store: A retail commercial establishment which supplies a variety of household goods, toys, light
hardware items, candy, some clothing and other general merchandise.
Veterinarian Clinic and/or Kennel, Indoor: An establishment, with no outside pens, where animals and pets
are admitted for examination and medical treatment, or where domesticated animals are housed, groomed, bred,
boarded, trained, or sold for commercial purposes.
Veterinarian Clinic and/or Kennel, Outdoor: An establishment with outside pens, where animals and pets are
admitted for examination and medical treatment, or where domesticated animals are housed, groomed, bred,
boarded, trained, or sold for commercial purposes.
Visibility Triangle: The triangular sight area from the corner of converging streets to a distance of 25 feet
along each street with the triangle completed by drawing a line through the property from both 25 foot points on
the converging streets.
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Wall Sign: Any sign painted on, attached to or projected from the wall surface of a building, including
window signs and signs on awnings and/or marquees.
Water Surface Elevation: The height, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929 (or
other datum, where specified), of floods of various magnitudes and frequencies in the floodplains of coastal or
riverine areas.
Welding/Machine Shop: A workshop where metal fabrication tools, including, but not limited to, welders,
lathes, presses, and mills are used for making, finishing, or repairing machines or machine parts.
Wind Sign: Any display or series of displays, banners, flags, pennants or other such objects designed and
fashioned in such a manner as to move when subjected to wind pressure. Wind signs shall only be permitted as
temporary signs.
Wrecking or Salvage Yard: An open air place where waste, discarded or salvage materials are bought, sold,
exchanged, baled, packed, disassembled or handled. This definition includes automobile wrecking yards, house
wrecking yards, used lumber yards, and places for storage of salvaged materials of house wrecking, automobile
scrap metal, and structural steel materials and equipment.
Xeriscape: Environmental design of residential and park land using various methods for minimizing the need
for water use.
Yard, Front Setback: A yard extending across the front of a lot between the side lot lines, and being the
minimum horizontal distance between the street right-of-way line and the main building or any projections of the
usual uncovered steps, uncovered balconies, or uncovered porch. On corner lots the front yard shall be considered
a parallel to the street upon which the lot has its least dimension.
Yard, Rear Setback: A yard extending across the rear of a lot and being the required minimum horizontal
distance between the rear lot line and the rear of the main building or any projections thereof, other than the
projections of uncovered steps, unenclosed balconies, or unenclosed porches.
Yard, Setback: An open space at grade between a building and the adjoining lot lines, unoccupied and
unobstructed by any portion of a structure from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided herein. In
measuring a yard for the purpose of determining the width of a side yard, the depth of a front yard or the depth of
the rear yard, the minimum horizontal distance between the lot line and the main building shall be used.
Yard, Side: A yard between the main building and the side line of the lot, and extending from the required
front yard to the required rear yard, and being the minimum horizontal distance between a side lot line and the
side of the building.
Zoning District: Any area of the City for which the zoning regulations governing the use of land and buildings,
the height of buildings, the size of lots and the intensity of use are uniform pursuant to this UDC.
(Ord. No. 13-S-22 , § 9, 7-16-2013; Ord. No. 14-S-11 , § 1, 3-11-2014; Ord. No. 16-S-27 , § 10, 8-30-2016; Ord. No.
17-S-41 , § 1(Exh. A), 10-24-2017; Ord. No. 18-S-04 , § 1(Exh. A), 1-23-2018; Ord. No. 18-S-24 , § 1(Exh. A), 8-7-
2018)
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this UDC, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the
meaning given in this section. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the
future; words used in the singular number include the plural number; and words in the plural number include the
singular number. The words "shall" and "will" are always mandatory, while the word "may" is merely discretionary.
Any term not expressly defined in this Article shall be defined by a common planning definition from the
American Planning Association's, A Planners Dictionary. The City Manager, upon the recommendation of the City
Manager or his/her designee, shall determine the appropriateness of a definition.
"A" Frame Sign: A temporary sign constructed in such a manner as to form an "A" or a tent-like shape, hinged
or not hinged at the top with each angular face held at an appropriate distance so as to be adequately secured by a
supporting member. These signs may also be referred to as sandwich board signs.
Abandoned or Obsolete Sign: A sign that no longer serves to direct attention to an event, person, product,
good, service, or activity, which is no longer conducted.
Accessory Buildings, Uses or Structures: One which:
a. is subordinate to and serves a principal structure, building or use;
b. is subordinate in area, extent or purpose to the principal structure building or use served;
c. contributes to the comfort, convenience and necessity of occupants of the principal structure, building
or use served;
d. is located on the same building lot as the principal structure, building or use served; or
e. may be part of the principal building.
Accessory Dwelling Unit: A residential dwelling unit, but not a mobile home, located on the same lot as a
single-family dwelling unit, either within the same building as the single family dwelling unit or in a detached unit
or in a detached building.
Adult Media: Books, magazines, and other periodicals, or photographs, drawings, slides, films, and novelty
items which are distinguished or relating to specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
Advertising: To convey information, to seek the attraction of or to direct the attention of the public to any
location, event, person, product, good, service, activity, institution or business.
Advertising Vehicle: Any vehicle which has as its primary purpose the advertisement of an event, person,
product, good, service, activity, institution or business, whether located on-premises or off-premises.
Agriculture: The use of land for the production and primary processing of food and fibers for sale, including
cultivating, dairying, horticulture, pasturing, floriculture, silviculture, viticulture, animal and poultry husbandry, and
such incidental accessory facilities as greenhouses and nurseries, provided that the operation of such accessory
facilities shall be clearly secondary to normal agricultural activities. Agriculture includes, but is not limited to, the
related activities of tillage, fertilization, pest control, harvesting, and marketing. It also includes, but is not limited
to, the activities of feeding, housing, and maintaining of animals such as cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, hogs,
horses, and poultry and handling their by-products.
Airport, Heliport or Landing Field: A place where aircraft and/or helicopters can land and take off, usually
equipped with hangars, facilities for refueling and repair, and various accommodations for passengers.
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Alcohol Package Sales: An establishment engaged in the selling of alcoholic beverages to the general public
for off-site personal or household consumption.
Alley: A means of vehicular access to abutting property and which is used primarily for vehicular traffic to the
rear or side of properties which otherwise abut on a street..
Alluvial Fan Flooding: Flooding occurring on the surface of an alluvial fan or similar landform which originates
at the apex and is characterized by high-velocity flows; active processes of erosion, sediment transport, and
deposition; and unpredictable flow paths.
Alternative Tower Structure: Clock towers, steeples, light poles and similar alternative-design mounting
structures that camouflage or conceal the presence of antennas or towers. See also the definition of "stealth
facility".
Amateur Radio Antenna: A radio communication antenna used by a person holding an amateur radio station
license from the Federal Communications Commission.
Annexation: The act of incorporating an area into the domain of the City.
Antenna: A device used in communications, which transmits or receives radio signals, television signals,
digital signals, analog signals, radio frequencies (excluding radar signals), wireless telecommunications signals or
other communication signals.
Antenna and/or Antenna Support Structure, commercial: An antenna and its support structure used for commercial
broadcasting or telecommunication purposes and the transmission, retransmission, and/or reception of
electromagnetic radio, television, or microwave signals. All radiating equipment must comply with Federal
Communications Commission (FCC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Health and Safety
Administration (OSHA), and all other applicable State and Federal regulatory agency requirements and guidelines
for human safety, as they exist or may be amended. The antenna may be a tower, mast, pole, tripod or box frame.
Preferably the antenna may be in stealth form designed to be non-obtrusive, or virtually transparent or invisible to
the surrounding neighborhood. Stealth antennas include, but are not limited to:
a. antennas within a building's attic space;
b. on the roof of a minimum three story building and not visible from the property line of the lot in which
the antenna is located;
c. a public utility structure, such as a water tower or high transmission support tower;
d. a flagpole;
e. a church steeple;
f. a clock tower; or
g. an athletic field light pole.
Antenna, Building Attached: An antenna attached to an existing structure in two (2) general forms: (1) roof-
mounted, in which antennas are placed on the roofs of buildings, or (2) building-mounted, in which antennas are
placed on the sides of buildings. These antennas can also be mounted on structures such as water tanks,
billboards, church steeples, electrical transmission towers, etc.
Antenna Facility: The mast, pole, structure, tower, building, equipment and other supporting material used
to mount the antenna and equipment, equipment storage buildings and equipment concealing or screening
structures needed to operate an antenna.
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Antique Shop: A retail establishment engaged in the selling of works of art, furniture, or other artifacts of an
earlier period, with all sales and storage occurring inside a building.
Apartment: A dwelling unit in an apartment building.
Apartment Building: A building or portion thereof housing three (3) or more dwelling units.
Apex: A point on an alluvial fan or similar landform below which the flow path of the major stream that
formed the fan becomes unpredictable and alluvial fan flooding can occur.
Appliance, Furniture and Home Furnishings Store: Retail establishments selling goods used for furnishing the
home, including, but not limited to, furniture, floor coverings, draperies, domestic stoves, refrigerators, and other
household electrical and gas appliances.
Approved Plat: The plat of a subdivision which has been approved in accordance with the requirements of
this UDC and which has been filed for record with the county clerk in which the land lies.
Area of Shallow Flooding: A designated AO, AH, or VO zone on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the
City and its ETJ with a one percent (1%) or greater chance of flooding in any given year to an average depth of one
(1) to three (3) feet where a clearly defined channel does not exit, where path of flooding is unpredictable and
where velocity flow may be evident. Such flooding is characterized by ponding or sheet flow.
Area of Special Flood Hazard: The land in the floodplain within the City and its ETJ subject to a one percent
(1%) or greater chance of flooding in any given year. The area may be designated as Zone A or AE on the FIRM.
Art Gallery/Library/Museum: A building serving as a repository for a collection of natural, scientific, artistic,
or literary objects of interest, and designed to be used for viewing, with or without an admission charge, and which
may include as an accessory use the sale of goods.
Assisted Care or Living Facility: A facility which provides residence and care to ten (10) or more persons regardless
of legal relationship who are:
a. elderly;
b. disabled;
c. orphaned;
d. abandoned;
e. abused, or neglected children;
f. victims of domestic violence;
g. convalescing from illness;
h. terminally ill; or
i. temporarily homeless due to fire, natural disaster, or financial setback together with supervisory
personnel.
This definition shall also include a facility providing health care or rehabilitative services over a long period of
time to persons chronically ill, aged, or disabled due to injury or disease.
Automobile Parking Structure/Garage: An area or structure where the parking of motor vehicles serves as
the primary use of the lot whether or not a fee is charged. This use does not include the storage of gasoline.
Automobile Parts Sales: The use of any building for the display and sale of new or used parts, including tires.
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Automobile Repair, Major: General repairs or reconditioning of engines, air-conditioning systems, and
transmissions for motor vehicles; wrecker or towing service with on-site storage of vehicles; collision services
including body, frame, or fender straightening or repair; customizing; painting; vehicle steam cleaning; tire
retreading; muffler services; upholstery shop; insurance estimations with on-site storage; undercoating and rust
proofing, and other similar uses.
Automobile Repair, Minor: An establishment used for the dispensing or sales of automobile fuels, lubricants,
and automobile accessories; the minor repair or replacement of parts and performing State inspections and
making minor repairs necessary to pass said inspection; automobile detailing; window tinting; and the sales and
installation of automobile radios. Uses listed under "Automobile Repair, Major" or any other similar uses are not
included.
Automobile Sales New or Used: Sales, rental, and/or lease of new or used automobiles or light load vehicles,
including as an accessory use: Automobile Repair, Major.
Balloon Sign: One or more inflatable devices filled with lighter-than-air gas used as a temporary sign for the
purpose of directing attention to any location, event, person, product, good, service, activity, institution or
business.
Bakery: A retail establishment for preparing, cooking, baking, and selling products on the premises.
Bandit Sign: Any temporary ground sign announcing a subdivision, new development or builder.
Bank, Saving and Loan, Credit Union: An establishment for the custody, loan, exchange or issue of money,
the extension of credit, and/or facilitating the transmission of funds, including automated teller machines.
Banner Sign: A temporary sign constructed of a natural or man-made flexible material including, but not
limited to, cloth, canvas, vinyl, or fabric which can be easily folded or rolled that is mounted with or without an
enclosing framework that is attached or tethered to the building or structures.
Base Flood: The flood having a one percent (1%) chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.
Basement: A story (or portion of a story) wholly or partly below curb level with at least one-half of its height
(measured from floor to ceiling) below the curb level. The curb level nearest to a story (or portion of a story) shall
be used to determine whether such story (or portion of a story) is a basement.
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop: An establishment primarily engaged in providing services generally involved in
the care of the person or his/her appearance including, but not limited to, barber and beauty shops, nail and
pedicure salons, tanning salons, ear piercing shops, cosmetic tattooing shops, and reducing salons.
Bed and Breakfast Inn: An owner (or operator) occupied residence with up to five (5) bedrooms available for
overnight guests. A Bed and Breakfast Inn may provide for guest stays up to 14 consecutive days; however, it shall
not offer weekly rental rates. Kitchen and dining facilities may be included to provide meals for guests only;
however, no food preparation shall be permitted in guest bedrooms. A Bed and Breakfast Inn shall not include
restaurants, banquet facilities, or similar services.
Billboard: Any sign erected and used for, or designed to be used for, the display of advertising material for
the purpose of advertising a location, event, person, product, good, service, activity, institution or business not
located on the same premises as the billboard. Mobile advertising and hand-carried signs shall not be considered
as billboards.
Block: A tract of land bounded by streets or a combination of streets and public parks, or corporate
boundaries of the City.
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Board of Adjustment (BOA): The Board established by City Council under the City Charter the Texas Local
Government Code that reviews and acts upon requests for variances or appeals and whose duties and
responsibilities are specifically provided for in section 21.3.4 of this UDC.
Book Store: A retail establishment that, as a primary business, engages in the sale, rental, or other charge-
for-use books, magazines, newspapers, greeting cards, postcards, videotapes, computer software, or any other
printed or electronically conveyed information or media, excluding any adult media.
Bottling Works: A manufacturing facility designed to place a beverage into a bottle or can for distribution.
Boundary Street: A public street which is adjacent to and abutting one (1) or more sides of the proposed site.
Buffer Zone: A strip of land created to separate and protect one type of land use from another.
Building: Any structure which:
a. is permanently affixed to the land;
b. has one or more floors and a roof; and
c. is bounded by either open area or lot lines.
A building shall not include such structures as billboards, fences or radio towers, or structures with interior
surfaces not normally accessible for human use, such as tanks, smoke stacks, grain elevators, oil cracking towers or
similar structures.
Building Area: The total square footage on a lot covered by a building measured on a horizontal plane at
mean grade level.
Building, Detached: A building which is surrounded by yards or open space on its own building lot.
Building Envelope: The net cubic space that remains for placing a structure on a site after building line,
setback, side yard, height and bulk regulations are observed.
Building Height: The vertical distance between the average natural grade of the ground under the footprint
of a building and the highest point of the coping of a flat roof, or to the deck line of a mansard roof, or to the mean
height level between the eaves and ridge for a gable, hip or gambrel roof. A chimney, cupola or dormer (four feet
or less in height), flagpole or residential television antenna shall be exempt from the above requirements.
Building Materials And Hardware Store: An establishment for the sale of materials customarily used in the
construction of buildings and other structures.
Building Mounted Sign: A sign attached to, or supported by any part of the building that encloses or covers
usable space and is related to the business within, including but not limited to wall signs, signage on awnings,
canopies, or marquees, and projecting signs.
Building Setback Line: A building limit fixed at a specific distance from the front, rear or side boundaries of a
lot beyond which a building cannot lawfully extend.
Building Sign: Any sign identifying the name or title of a specific building.
Cabinet/Upholstery Shop: An establishment for the production, display, and sale of cabinets, furniture, and
soft coverings for furniture.
Camping Trailer: A folding structure, mounted on wheels and designed for travel, recreation, and vacation
and which can be readily towed over the road by a motor vehicle.
Canopy: A roof like cover including an awning that projects from the wall of a building over a door, entrance
or window; a free standing or projecting cover above an outdoor service area such as a gasoline service station.
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Carport: A roofed structure for use as an automobile shelter, open on at least two sides with inside
dimensions not less than 10' by 20'.
Car Wash, Automated: A facility where a customer can have a motorcycle, automobile and light load vehicle
washed in exchange for financial consideration.
Car Wash, Self Serve: A facility, typically coin operated, used by the customer to wash motorcycles,
automobiles and light load vehicles.
Cemetery or Mausoleum: Property used for the interring of the dead.
Church, Temple, Place of Worship: A building designed and used primarily for religious assembly and worship
and those accessory activities which are customarily associated therewith, and the place of residence for ministers,
priests, nuns or rabbis in a detached residential facility on the same premises, that is exempt from ad valorem
taxes as permitted by State law. For the purposes of this definition, bible study and other similar activities which
occur in a person's primary residence shall not be considered as a church, temple or place or worship.
City: The City of Schertz, Texas
City Council: The City Council of the City of Schertz, Texas.
City Engineer: A registered professional engineer employed or designated by the City to provide professional
engineering services for and on behalf of the City.
Civic/Convention Center: A building or complex of buildings used for cultural, recreational, athletic,
convention, or entertainment purposes.
Clinic: An establishment of offices in which a group of physicians, dentists or other practitioners of the
healing arts and allied professional assistants are associated for the purpose of diagnosing and treating ill or
injured persons. A clinic may include a medical or dental laboratory, but may not include facilities for providing
room or board for patients, nor may a clinic include offices or facilities for veterinarians.
Club or Lodge: An association of persons for the promotion of some nonprofit common objective such as
literature, science, politics, good fellowship and similar objectives which meets periodically and which is limited to
members.
Co-location: The act of locating wireless communications equipment for more than one (1)
telecommunications carrier on a single Antenna Facility.
College, University, or Trade School: An institution established for educational purposes offering courses for
study beyond the secondary education level, including trade schools and commercial schools offering training or
instruction in a trade, art, or occupation.
Commercial Amusement, Indoor: An enterprise providing for indoor recreational activities, services,
amusements, and instruction for an admission fee. Uses include, but are not limited to, bowling alleys, ice or roller
skating rinks, bingo parlors, amusement arcades, and/or practice areas.
Commercial Amusement, Outdoor: An enterprise providing for outdoor recreational activities, services,
amusements, and instruction for an admission fee, including, but not limited to, batting cages, miniature golf, go-
kart tracts, and carnivals.
Commercial Farm Ranch: A tract of unplatted land which is used for agricultural activities such as production
of cash crops or raising of livestock for the purpose of obtaining a profit in money. Includes agricultural dwelling
and accessory buildings and structures necessary to the operation of the farm/ranch.
Common Area: An area within a subdivision not used for development which is usually owned and
maintained by subdivision homeowners associations.
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Community Center: A building or portion of a building owned and/or operated by a government entity or
not-for-profit agency in which facilities are provided for civic, educational, political, or social purposes.
Community Service Sign: Any sign that solicits support for or advertises a non-profit community location,
event, person, product, good, service, institution or business, a public activity, location, event, person, product,
good, service institution or business.
Comprehensive Land Plan: The Comprehensive Land Plan of the City, as approved by the City Council and
including any unit or part of such plan separately adopted and any amendments to such plan or parts thereof.
Concrete/Asphalt Batching Plant: A permanent manufacturing facility for the production of concrete or
asphalt.
Convenience Store with Gas Pumps: A retail establishment that sells food and other consumable and non-
consumable products for off-premise use or consumption. This definition shall also include the dispensing or sale
of motor vehicle fuels, lubricants, and accessories, but shall not include automotive repair or the sale of
replacement parts.
Court: An open, unoccupied space bounded on more than two (2) sides by walls. An inner court is entirely
surrounded by the exterior walls of a building. An outer court has one (1) side open to a street, alley, yard or other
permanent open space.
Critical Feature: An integral and readily identifiable part of a flood protection system, without which the
flood protection provided by the entire system would be compromised.
Cul-de-sac: A street having but one (1) outlet to another street, and terminated on the opposite end by a
vehicular turn around.
Damaged Sign:
a. any sign where any portion of the finished material, surface or message area of the sign is visibly faded,
flaked, broken off, missing, cracked, splintered, defective or is otherwise deteriorated or in a state of
disrepair so as not to substantially appear as it was intended or designed to appear when originally
constructed; or
b. any sign whose elements or the structural support or frame members are visibly bent, broken, dented,
torn, twisted, leaning or at angles other than those at which it was originally erected.
Dance Hall/Night Club: An establishment open to the general public for entertainment; in particular, dancing.
Day Care Center: A commercial institution or place designed for the care of children or adults and is subject
to registration with the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. This use shall not include
overnight lodging, medical treatment, counseling, or rehabilitative services and does not apply to any school.
Dead End Street: A roadway, other than cul-de-sac, with only one (1) outlet.
Density: The number of units per acre that may be placed on a tract in a particular zoning district under
specified development conditions.
Department Store: A business conducted under a single owner’s name wherein a variety of unrelated
merchandise and services are housed, enclosed, and are exhibited and sold directly to the customer for whom the
goods and services are furnished.
Development: Any manmade change in improved and unimproved real estate, including but not limited to
buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or storage
of equipment.
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Development Permit: Any permit, license, authority, order, approval, certificate, endorsement, or permission,
required from the City prior to the commencement or completion of any phase of development.
Development Sign: A temporary freestanding sign which, by means of symbol or name, identifies a shopping
center, commercial or industrial park, residential subdivision or other development that may contain a mixture of
residential, commercial, or industrial uses.
Directional Sign: Any sign designed to provide direction to pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic.
Distribution Center: A warehouse or storage facility where the emphasis is on processing and moving goods
on to wholesalers, retailers, or consumers rather than on storage.
Dormitory: Any structure specifically designed to house student tenants associated with a university, college
or school.
Dry Cleaning, Major: An industrial facility where fabrics are cleaned with substantially non-aqueous organic
solvents on a commercial or wholesale basis.
Dry Cleaning, Minor: A custom cleaning shop or pick-up station not exceeding six thousand (6,000) square
feet of floor area, including, but not limited to, dry cleaning plants having no more than one thousand five hundred
(1,500) square feet of floor area for dry cleaning equipment.
Dwelling: Any building or portion thereof which is designed for or used for residential purposes.
Dwelling, Duplex: A building designed for or occupied exclusively, but separately, by two (2) families.
Dwelling, Multifamily: A building or portion thereof containing three (3) or more dwelling units.
Dwelling, Single-Family: A building designed for or occupied exclusively by one (1) family.
Dwelling Unit: A room, or suite of two (2) or more rooms, designed or intended for use by an individual or
family in which culinary and sanitary convenience are provided for the exclusive use of such individual or family.
Easement: An acquired privilege or right-of-way use which one (1) person, business, entity and/or public
agency has across, over or under land of another person, business, entity and/or public agency.
Electronic Sign: A variable message sign that utilizes computer-generated messages or some other electronic
means of changing copy. These signs include displays using incandescent lamps, LEDs, or LCDs.
Elevated Building: A non-basement building (i) built, in the case of the building in Zones A1-30, AE, A, A99,
AO, AH, B, C, X, and D, to have the top of the elevated floor, or the case of the building in Zones V1-30, VE, or V, to
have the bottom level of the lowest horizontal structure member of the pilings, columns (posts and pliers), or
shear walls parallel to the floor of the water and (ii) adequately anchored so as not to impair the structural
integrity of the building during a flood of up to the magnitude of the base flood. In the case of Zones A1-30, AE, A,
A99, AO, AH, B, C, X, D, "elevated building" also includes a building elevated by means of fill or solid foundation
perimeter walls with openings sufficient to facilitate the unimpeded movement of flood waters. In the case of
Zones V1-30, VI, or V, "elevated building" also includes a building otherwise meeting the definition of "elevated
building", even though the lower area is enclosed by standards of section 60.3 (e)(5) of the National Flood
Insurance Program regulations.
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ): The ETJ of the City is the portion of the unincorporated area that is
contiguous to the corporate boundaries of the City and not already in the incorporated area or ETJ of another City
as set out in Section 42.021 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Family: Two or more persons occupying a single dwelling unit where all members are related by blood,
marriage or adoption. No single dwelling unit shall have more than four unrelated individuals residing therein, nor
shall any "family" have, additionally, more than four unrelated individuals residing with such family. The term
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"family" does not include any organization or institutional group that receives federal or State funding for the care
of the individual.
Family Home: A community-based residential home operated by either the State of Texas, a nonprofit corporation,
a community center organized pursuant to State statute, or an entity which is certified by the State as a provider
for a program for the mentally retarded. Family homes provide care for persons who have mental and/or physical
impairments that substantially limit one (1) or more major life activities. To qualify as a family home, a home must
meet all of the following requirements:
a. not more than six (6) disabled persons and two (2) supervisory personnel may reside in a family home
at the same time;
b. the home must provide food and shelter, personal guidance, care, rehabilitation services, or
supervision; and
c. all applicable licensing requirements must be met.
Farmers Market: An area containing individual vendors who offer fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, edible
seeds, nuts, live plants, flowers, and honey for sale.
FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Fire Lane: A concrete or asphalt driving surface identified for use by fire, EMS and other emergency vehicles
within and maintained by the owners of a manufactured home park, recreational vehicle park, apartment complex,
malls/shopping center, commercial or business area.
Flag: A piece of cloth, varying in size, shape, color, and design, usually attached at one edge to a staff or cord,
and used as the symbol of a nation, state, or organization, or as a means of signaling.
Flea Market, Inside: A building or structure wherein space is rented to vendors on a short-term basis for the
sale of merchandise. The principal sales shall include new and used household goods, personal effects, tools, art
work, small household appliances, and similar merchandise, objects, or equipment in small quantities. The term
flea market shall not be deemed to include wholesale sales establishments or rental services establishments, but
shall be deemed to include personal services establishments, food services establishments, retail sales
establishments, and auction establishments.
Flea Market, Outside: An outdoor site where space is rented to vendors on a short-term basis for the sale of
merchandise. The principal sales shall include new and used household goods, personal effects, tools, art work,
small household appliances, and similar merchandise, objects, or equipment in small quantities. The term flea
market shall not be deemed to include wholesale sales establishments or rental services establishments, but shall
be deemed to include personal services establishments, food services establishments, retail sales establishments,
and auction establishments.
Flood or Flooding: A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of areas not ordinarily
covered by water due to:
a. the overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
b. the usual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM): The official maps of the City and its ETJ on which the FEMA has delineated
both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zones applicable to the areas mapped.
Flood Insurance Study: The official report provided by the FEMA. The report contains flood profiles, water
surface elevation of the base flood, as well as the Flood Boundary-Floodway Map.
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Flood Management: The operation of an overall program of corrective and preventive measures for reducing
flood damage, including but not limited to emergency preparedness plans, flood control works and floodplain
management regulations.
Flood Management Regulations: Zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes, health
regulations, special purpose ordinances (such as the floodplain ordinance, grading ordinance and erosion control
ordinance) and other applications of police power. The term describes such State or local regulations, in any
combination thereof, which provide standards for the purpose of flood damage prevention and reduction.
Flood Protection System: Those physical structural works for which funds have been authorized,
appropriated, and expended and which have been constructed specifically to modify flooding in order to reduce
the extent of the area within the City and its ETJ subject to a "special flood hazard" and the extent of the depths of
associated flooding. Such a system typically includes dams, reservoirs, levees or dikes. These specialized flood
modifying works are those constructed in conformance with sound engineering standards.
Flood Proofing: Any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes, or adjustments to
structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary
facilities, structures and their contents.
Floodplain: Any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source.
Floodway: The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in
order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than a
designated height.
Florist: Retail business whose principal activity is the selling of plants which are not grown on the site and
conducting business within an enclosed building.
Fraternity, Sorority, Civic Club or Lodge: An organized group having a restricted membership and specific
purpose related to the welfare of the members including, but not limited to, Elks, Masons, Knights of Columbus,
Rotary International, Shriners, or a labor union.
Fraternity, Sorority or Group Student House: A building occupied by and maintained exclusively for students
affiliated with an academic or vocational institution.
Freestanding Sign: A sign that is not attached to a building and which is self supporting by use of a pole,
mast, pylon or other similar vertical support structure and has a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches of ground
clearance.
Frontage: All the property on one (1) side of a street between two (2) intersecting streets (crossing or
terminating) measured along the line of the street, or if the street is dead-ended, then all the property abutting on
one (1) side between an intersecting street and the dead end of the street.
Furniture Sales: Retail business whose principal activity is the selling of finished furniture products and
conducting business within an enclosed building.
Garage, Private: A building designed or used for the storage of personally owned motor-driven vehicles used
by the occupants of the building.
Garage, Public: A structure or building, other than a private garage, which is available to the general public
used primarily for the parking and storage of vehicles.
Garage Sale Sign: Any sign utilized to direct interested persons to the location of a garage sale in accordance
with Chapter 50 of the City's Code of Ordinances.
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Garden Home: An individually owned single-family home, separated from its neighbor by a minimum of ten
(10') feet on a lot having a minimum of five thousand (5,000) square feet.
Gasoline Station/Fuel Pumps: A facility, equipment, or fixture used for retail dispensing of motor vehicle
fuels.
Gated Community: Residential areas that restrict access to normally public spaces. The type of gates can
range from elaborate guard houses to similar electronic arms. Residents may enter by electronic cards,
identification stickers, codes, or remote-control devices. Visitors must stop to be verified for entry.
General Manufacturing/Industrial Uses: Manufacturing of finished products and component products or
parts through the processing of materials or substances, including basic industrial processing. Such operations shall
be determined by Health, Fire, and building officials not to be a hazard or nuisance to adjacent property or the
community at large, due to the possible emission of excessive smoke, noise, gas, fumes, dust, odor, or vibration, or
the danger of fire, explosion, or radiation.
Golf Course and/or Country Club: A land area and buildings used for golf, including fairways, greens, tee
boxes, driving range, putting green, and associated maintenance and retail facilities. This definition shall also
include clubhouses, dining rooms, swimming pools, tennis courts, and similar recreational or service uses available
only to members and their guests.
Government Facilities: A building or structure owned, operated, or occupied by governmental agency to
provide a governmental service to the public.
Governmental Sign: Any sign indicating public facilities, public work projects, public services, or other places,
events, persons, products, goods, programs, activities or institutions conducted by the Federal, State or any local
government.
Group Home: A specialized lodging house and boarding house which provides long term supervised housing
in a conventional residential setting for no more than three (3) persons who are physically or mentally
handicapped, developmentally disabled or are victims of crime, and having no more than two (2) supervisory
personnel in residence at the same time.
Gymnastics/Dance Studio: A building or portion of a building used as a place of work for a gymnast, dancer,
or martial artist or for instructional classes in gymnastics, dance, or martial arts.
Hazardous Material: Any substance that because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical
characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment.
This term includes but is not limited to hazardous wastes.
Hazardous Waste: Any refuse or discarded material or combinations of refuse or discarded materials in solid,
semisolid, liquid, or gaseous form which cannot be handled by routine waste management techniques because
they pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or other living organisms because of their
chemical, biological, or physical properties. Categories of hazardous waste include but are not limited to
explosives, flammables, oxidizers, poisons, irritants, and corrosives. Hazardous waste does not include sewage
sludge and source, special nuclear, or by-product material as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended.
Health/Fitness Center: A public or private facility operated to promote physical health and fitness. Activities
may include exercise, physical therapy, training, and education pertaining to health and fitness. Uses or
combination of uses or facilities typically include, but are not limited to, game courts, weight lifting and exercise
equipment, aerobics, swimming pools and spas, and running or jogging tracts.
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Heavy Equipment Service and Sales, or Rental: An establishment providing Sales, Service, or Rental of
movable or transportable vehicles or other apparatus commonly used in commercial, industrial, or construction
enterprises, such as but not limited to trucks, trailers, bulldozers, cranes, backhoes, rollers, loaders, lifts.
Highest Adjacent Grade: The highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction next to the
proposed walls of structure.
Historic Structure: Any structure that is:
a. listed individually in the Natural Register of Historic Places (a listing maintained by the Department of
Interior) or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as meeting the requirements for
individual listing in the National Register;
b. certified or preliminarily determined by the Secretary of the Interior as contributing to the historical
significance of a registered historic district or a district preliminarily determined by the Secretary to
qualify as a registered historic district;
c. individually listed on the State inventory of historic places with historic preservation programs that
have been approved by the Secretary of the Interior; or
d. individually listed on a local inventory or historic places in communities with historic preservation
programs that have been certified either:
1. By any approved state program as determined by the Secretary of the Interior; or
2. Directly by the Secretary of the Interior in states with approved programs.
Home Improvement Center: An establishment providing the sale or rental of building supplies, construction
equipment, or home decorating fixtures and accessories. This term includes a lumber yard or a contractors’
building supply business and may include outdoor storage or tool and equipment sales or rental. This term does
not include an establishment devoted exclusively to the retail sale of paint, wallpaper, or hardware or activities
classified under vehicle/equipment sales and services, including vehicle towing services.
Home Occupation: Any occupation or activity carried on by a member of the immediate family, residing on
the premises, which there is no sign used relating to the business or no display that will indicate from the exterior
that the building is being utilized in part for any purpose other than that of a dwelling, and there is no commodity
sold upon the premises; no person is employed other than a member of the immediate family residing on the
premises; and no mechanical equipment is used except of a type that is similar in character to that normally used
for purely domestic or household purposes.
Homeowners Association: An organization formed for the maintenance and operation of the common areas
of the development. The membership in the association must be automatic with the purchase of a dwelling unit or
other property in the development.
Hospital, Sanitarium, Nursing or Convalescent home: A building or portion thereof used or designed for the
housing or treatment of the sick, aged, mentally ill, injured, convalescent or infirm persons; provided that this
definition shall not include rooms in any residential dwelling, hotel, apartment hotel not ordinarily intended to be
occupied by said persons.
Hotel: A building used or intended to be used as living quarters for transient guests, but not excluding
permanent guests, and may include a cafe, drugstore, clothes pressing shop, barbershop or other service facilities
for the guests for compensation. This definition does not include bed and breakfast and boarding houses.
Household Appliance Service and Repair: The maintenance and rehabilitation of appliances customarily used
in the home, including, but not limited to, washing and drying machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, trash
compactors, ovens and ranges, countertop kitchen appliances, and vacuum cleaners.
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Identification Sign: A sign whose purpose is to identify:
a. Street Address Sign/Markers: Address signs are composed of a numeric address and street or complex
name. Street markers are signs adjacent to streets required by local government.
b. On-Premise Business Signs: Any sign which relates to the premises on which it is located, referring
exclusively to the location, event, person, product, good, service, or activity of those premises, or the
sale, lease or construction of those premises.
c. Personal or Professional Signs and Nameplates: Any sign that lists exclusively a name or names
(including family/farm name signs).
Illegal Sign: A sign erected without a required permit, without the property owner's permission, or any sign
not meeting the requirements established in this UDC.
Impervious Coverage: Impervious cover means impermeable surfaces which prevent the infiltration of water
into the underlying soil and bedrock (such as pavement, concrete or rooftops).
In-Home Day Care: A home occupation that provides care for less than twenty-four (24) hours a day to no
more than six (6) children under the age of fourteen (14), plus no more than six (6) additional elementary school-
age children (age five (5) to thirteen (13)). The total number of children, including the caretaker's own children, is
no more than twelve (12) at any time. This use is subject to registration with the Texas Department of Protective
and Regulatory Services.
Kindergarten: Any school, private or parochial, operating for profit or not, attended by four (4) or more
children at any one (1) time during part of a twenty-four (24) hour day, which provides a program of instruction for
children below the first grade level in which constructive endeavors, object lessons and helpful games are
prominent features of the curriculum.
Landfill: A tract of land used for the burial of farm, residential, institutional, industrial, or commercial waste
that is not hazardous, medical, or radioactive.
Landscape: Covering, adorning, or improving property with living plants (such as trees, shrubs, vines, grass or
flowers), loose natural materials (such as rock, wood chips or shavings), decorative manmade material (such as
patterned paving materials, fences, walls, fountains, or pools), or land contouring. "Landscape" does not include
improving property with artificial trees, shrubs, turf or other artificial plants.
Laundromat: A facility where patrons wash, dry, or dry-clean clothing and other fabrics in machines operated
by the patron.
Levee: A manmade structure, usually an earthen embankment, designed and constructed in accordance with
sound engineering practices to contain, control, or divert the flow of water so as to provide protection from
temporary flooding.
Levee System: A flood protection system which consists of a levee, or levees, and associated structures, such
as closure and drainage devices, which are constructed and operated in accordance with sound engineering
practices.
Limited Access Highways: Interstate Highway 35 and Interstate Highway 10.
Livestock: Domestic animals used, raised or bred on a farm, especially those kept for a profit, including, but not
limited to, horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, cattle, goats, rabbits, sheep, or fowl, regardless of age, sex or breed.
Persons who possess, own or otherwise keep livestock within the City in a residential zoned district where livestock
is being kept, shall follow these restrictions:
a. Livestock shall be kept on a parcel of land that is at least one (1) acre in size.
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b. Livestock shall be kept in a stable, shed, pen or other enclosure wherever located within the City,
which shall be distance of at least one hundred feet (100') for every building/structure (other than the
owner of such livestock) used for sleeping, dining and living, and shall be kept in such a manner as will
be reasonably calculated not be offensive to neighbors or to the public.
c. Swine are prohibited.
d. The Code of Ordinances may include further restrictions.
Loading Dock Space: A space within the main building, or on the same lot therewith, providing for the
standing, loading or unloading of trucks and having a minimum dimension of twelve by thirty-five feet (12' x 35')
and a vertical clearance of at least fourteen feet (14').
Locksmith/Security System Company: Establishments primarily engaged in providing, installing, repairing,
and/or monitoring locks and electronic security systems.
Lot: A physically undivided tract or parcel of land having frontage on a public street or other approved access
and which is, or in the future may be, offered for sale, conveyance, transfer or improvements; which is designated
as a distinct and separate tract; and/or, which is identified by a tract or lot number or symbol in a duly approved
subdivision plat which has been properly recorded.
Lot Depth: The distance of a line connecting the midpoints of the front and rear lot lines, which line shall be
at right angle to the front lot or radial to a curved lot line.
Lot Width: The distance of a line (drawn perpendicular to the lot depth line) connecting the side lot lines at
the building setback line or at a point no farther than thirty-five (35') feet from the front lot line.
Lot Area: The area of a lot between lot lines, including any portion of an easement which may exist within
such lot lines.
Lot, Corner: A lot which has an interior angle of less than 135 degrees at the intersection of two (2) street
lines. A lot abutting upon a curved street shall be considered a corner lot if the tangents of the curve at the points
of the intersection of the side lot lines intersect at an interior angle of less than 135 degrees.
Lot, Double Frontage: A lot having a frontage on two (2) nonintersecting streets as distinguished from a
corner lot.
Lot, Interior: A building lot other than a corner lot.
Lot of record: A lot which is part of a subdivision, the plat having been duly approved by the appropriate
authority and recorded in the office of the County recorder of deeds and records.
Lowest floor: The lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement). An unfinished or flood
resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking or vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a
basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor; provided that such enclosure is not built so as render the
structure in violation of the applicable nonelevation design requirement of section 60.3 of the National Flood
Insurance Program regulations.
Manufactured Home, HUD Code: A structure constructed after June 15, 1976, according to the rules of the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, transportable in one (1) or more sections which, in
the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in length, or, when
erected on site, is three hundred twenty (320) or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent foundation
designed to be used as a dwelling when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air
conditioning and electrical systems and bears a seal issued in accordance with state law. All references in this UDC
to manufactured housing or manufactured home(s) shall be references to HUD Code Manufactured Housing,
unless otherwise specified.
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Manufactured Home Park: A contiguous parcel or lot which is owned by an individual, firm, trust,
partnership, public or private association or corporation and on which individual portions are leased for the
placement of manufactured homes as a primary residence.
Manufactured Home Subdivision: A subdivision of land planned and improved for the placement of
manufactured homes for residential use on single lots with each lot individually owned and meeting all
requirements of this UDC.
Mean Sea Level: For the purposes of the National Flood Insurance Program, the National Geodetic Vertical
Datum (NGVD) of 1929 or other datum, to which base flood elevations shown on a community's Flood Insurance
Rate Map are referenced.
Medical, Dental or Professional Office/Clinic: A building used for the provision of executive, management, or
administrative services. Typical uses include, but are not limited to, administrative offices and services including
real estate, property management, investment, insurance, medical, dental, legal, architect, engineer, travel,
secretarial, accounting, auditing and bookkeeping organizations and associations, and vehicle rental office without
on-site storage of fleet vehicles.
Menu Board Sign: A permanent freestanding sign displaying the type and price of food, beverages or other
products sold in connection with permitted outdoor dining or in connection with a restaurant with drive-through
service.
Microbrewery/Brewpub: A facility authorized to manufacture, brew, bottle, can, package, and label beer; and
sell or offer without charge, on the premise of the brew pub, beer produced by the holder, in or from lawful
containers to the extent the sales or offers are allowed under the holder's primary Texas Alcoholic Beverage
Commission license. The development may include other uses such as a standard restaurant, bar or live
entertainment as otherwise permitted in the zoning district.
Mini-Warehouse/Public Storage: A building(s) containing separate, individual self-storage units for rent or
lease. The conduct of sales, business, or any activity other than storage shall be prohibited within any individual
storage unit.
Miscellaneous Hazardous Industrial Use: Any industrial use not specifically defined in this section that is
determined by Health, Fire or building officials to be a hazard or nuisance to adjacent property or the community
at large, due to the possible emission of excessive smoke, noise, gas, fumes, dust, odor, or vibration, or the danger
of fire, explosion, or radiation.
Mobile Home: A structure that was constructed before June 15, 1976, transportable in one (1) or more
sections, which, in the traveling mode, is eight (8) body feet or more in width or forty (40) body feet or more in
length, or when erected on site, is 320 or more square feet, and which is built on a permanent chassis designed to
be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and
includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems.
Modular Home: A dwelling that is manufactured in two (2) or more modules at a location other than the
home site and which is designed to be used as a residence when the modules are transported to the home site and
joined together and installed on a permanent foundation system in accordance with the appropriate Building
Codes of the City including plumbing, heating/air conditioning and electrical systems to be contained in the
structure. The term modular home shall not mean nor apply to a mobile home as defined in the Texas
Manufactured Housing Standards Act, nor is it to include building modules incorporating concrete or masonry as a
primary component.
Monopole Tower: A self-supporting tower facility composed of a single spire used to support
telecommunication antennas. Monopole towers cannot have guy wires or bracing.
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Monument Sign: A permanent freestanding ground sign whose base is directly on the ground or has a
maximum of twelve inches (12") of clearance from the adjacent grade.
Mortuary/Funeral Parlor: A place for the storage of human bodies prior to their burial or cremation, or a
building used for the preparation of the deceased for burial and the display of the deceased and ceremonies
connected therewith before burial or cremation.
Motel or Motor Hotel: A building or group of buildings including either separate units or a row of units used
or intended to be used as living quarters for transient guests, and provide off-street parking space on the same
building lot for use of its occupants.
Multi-Tenant Sign: A sign that identifies the names and locations of tenants in a multi-tenant building or in a
development made up of a group of buildings.
Municipal Uses Operated by the City: Any area, land, building, structure, and/or facility owned, used, leased,
or operated by the City including, but not limited to, administrative office, maintenance facility, fire station, library,
sewage treatment plan, police station, water tower, service center, and park.
Museum: An Institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting value or
interest.
Neon Sign: Any sign containing exposed transparent or translucent tubing illuminated by neon, argon or a
similar gas on or near the exterior of a building or window. This shall not include those signs lighted by an internal
light source and designed so that the rays go through the face of the sign.
Non-access Easement: The limitation of public access rights to and from properties abutting a highway or street, by
restricting curb cuts and access to rear or side of property or to an area abutting a developed area that may have a
deprecating and/or potentially dangerous effect on the developed properties.
a. One-foot non-access easement: The limitation of public access rights to and from properties abutting a
highway or street by restricting curb cuts and access to rear or side of property when the property has
another dedicated access to a public right-of-way.
b. One-foot partial access easement: The limitation of public access rights to and from properties abutting
a highway or street only by use of portable ramps, and restricting curb cuts when the property has
another dedicated access to public right-of-way.
c. Non-access easement: A designated area abutting a development which may be considered to have a
deprecating and/or potentially dangerous effect to the property because it backs up to a railroad right-
of-way, gas line, etc.
Noncommercial Farm or Hobby Farm: An agricultural operation whose income is incidental to the total
household income of the occupants who are usually commuter suburbanites. Products produced are for the
consumption by owner or provide insignificant income.
Non-Conforming Sign: A sign that was legally installed or modified in accordance with local laws, codes,
ordinances and approvals in effect at the time of installation or last significant modification, but which does not
comply to laws, ordinances, codes or other regulations enacted subsequent to that time.
Nonconforming use, structure or lot: The use of land or a building, or a portion thereof, which use does not
conform with the regulations of the zoning district in which it is situated and which was in existence prior to the
effective date of this UDC and/or prior to being annexed into the City.
Nursery, Major: An establishment for the cultivation and propagation, display, storage, and sale (retail and
wholesale) of large plants, shrubs, trees, and other materials used in indoor and outdoor plantings; and the
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contracting for installation and/or maintenance of landscape material as an accessory use. Outdoor display and
storage is permitted.
Nursery, Minor: A retail business for the display and/or sale of small trees, shrubs, flowers, ornamental
plants, seeds, garden and lawn supplies, and other materials used in indoor and outdoor planting, without outside
storage or display.
Off-Premise Sign: Any sign displaying advertising copy that pertains to a business, person, organization,
activity, event, place, service or product not principally located or primarily manufactured or sold on the premises
on which the sign is located.
Office Showroom: A building that primarily consists of sales offices and sample display areas for products
and/or services delivered or performed off-premises. Catalog and telephone sales facilities are appropriate.
Incidental retail sales of products associated with the primary products and/or services are permitted.
Office-Warehouse: A building primarily devoted to the storage, warehousing, and distribution of goods,
merchandise, supplies, and equipment. Accessory uses may include retail and wholesale sales areas, sales offices,
and display area for products sold and distributed from the storage and warehousing areas.
On-Premise Sign: Any sign relating to the premises on which it is located referring to events, persons,
products, goods, services, activities, institutions or businesses on or offered on such premises, or the sale, lease, or
construction of such premises.
Open Space: The part of the countryside which has not been developed and which is desirable for
preservation in its natural state for ecological, historical or recreational purposes, or in its cultivated state to
preserve agricultural, forest or urban greenbelt areas.
Packaging/Mailing Store: An establishment where services are provided for the mailing and packaging of
parcels. These services may include U.S. mail, UPS, FedEx and other similar services. Incidental uses may also
include, but not limited to, copy services, printing, and stationary supplies.
Parking Spaces: A surfaced area, enclosed or unenclosed, sufficient in size to store one (1) motor vehicle,
with a surfaced driveway connecting the parking space with the street or alley and permitting ingress and egress of
a motor vehicle.
Pavement Width: The portion of a street available for vehicular traffic between the face of curbs and gutters.
Pawn Shop: An establishment where money is loaned on the security of personal property pledged and
retained by the owners (pawnbroker).
Peak Hour Trips (PHT): The number of traffic units generated by and attracted to the proposed development
during its heaviest hour of use, dependent on type of use.
Pennant: Any long, narrow, usually triangular flag composed primarily of cloth, paper, fabric or other similar
non-rigid material which may be used as a temporary sign to announce grand openings and/or special events.
Permit: An official document or certificate issued by the authority having jurisdiction authorizing
performance of a specified activity.
Person: Any individual, association, firm, corporation, governmental agency or political subdivision.
Pervious Concrete: Concrete that is permeable as supported by an engineered drainage study.
Pet Store: A retail sales establishment primarily involved in the sale of domestic animals, such as dogs, cats,
fish, birds, and reptiles, excluding exotic animals and farm animals such as horses, goats, sheep, and poultry.
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Pharmacy: A business substantially devoted only to the sale of pharmaceutical items, supplies, and
equipment such as prescription.
Planning and Zoning Commission: The body established by City Council under the City Charter and the LGC
whose duties and responsibilities are specifically provided for in section 21.3.3 of this UDC.
Plat: The map, drawing or chart on which a subdivider's plan of a subdivision is presented and submitted for
approval.
Political Sign: A sign pertaining to any national, state, county or local election, or issue and erected for the
purpose of announcing a political candidate, political party or ballot measure, or a position on a political issue.
Portable Building Sales: An establishment which factory-manufactured portable buildings, such as
manufactured homes and jobsite offices, are displayed and offered for sale, lease, or order to the general public.
Post Office: A facility that contains service windows for mailing packages and letters, post office boxes,
offices, vehicle storage areas, and sorting and distribution facilities for mail.
Portable or Mobile Sign: Any sign designed or constructed to be easily moved from one location to another
or designed to be mounted upon a trailer, wheeled carrier, or other non-motorized mobile structure. A portable or
mobile sign which has its wheels removed shall still be considered a portable or mobile sign under this UDC.
Porte-cochere: A structure attached to a residence and erected over a driveway, not exceeding one story in
height, and open on two or more sides.
Power Storage System: A facility or installation whose primary function is to store produced electrical energy,
regardless of source.
Preexisting Towers and Preexisting Antennas: Any Tower or Antenna for which a building permit or variance
has been properly issued prior to the effective date of this UDC, including permitted towers or antennas that have
not yet been constructed so long as such approval is current and not expired.
Print Shop, Major: An establishment specializing in long-run printing operations including, but not limited to,
book, magazine, and newspaper publishing using engraving, die cutting, lithography, and thermography processes.
Print Shop, Minor: An establishment specializing in short-run operations to produce newsletters, flyers,
resumes, maps, construction documents and plans, and similar materials using photocopying, duplicating, and blue
printing processes. This definition shall include mailing and shipping services.
Private Club: An establishment providing social and dining facilities, as well as alcoholic beverage service, to
an association of persons, and otherwise falling within the definition of, and permitted under the provisions of,
State law, as the same may be hereafter amended, and as it pertains to the operation of private clubs.
Prohibited Sign: Any sign that does not meet the requirements established in Article 11, any sign specifically
prohibited in this UDC or any type of sign not specifically identified as permitted in this UDC.
Projected Traffic: The traffic which is projected to exist on an existing or proposed street during the proposed
development's peak hour of use.
Public Infrastructure: Infrastructure that is generally for public use to include but not be limited to
improvements of the following: water system (including water distribution lines, fire hydrants, valves and
associated devices), wastewater (including lines, manholes, and lift stations), drainage system (including drainage
easements, channels, storm sewer lines and inlets and associated landscaping), sidewalks, and roadways.
Public Schools: include elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high, high and alternate schools operated by
a public school district but does not include administrative and support facilities and buildings not located on a
school campus or do not solely support one campus.
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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Public Water and Wastewater Facility: Any reservoirs, towers, tanks, pump stations or other related
appurtenances used for the purpose of providing potable water or wastewater utility service. Occupiable space is
not considered a part of the public water and/or wastewater facility.
Public Works Specification Manual: The Public Works Specification Manual includes the Public Works Design
and Construction Standards Guide, Lift Station Design Guide, Standard Construction Details, and Public Works
Technical Specifications.
Railroad/Bus Station Terminal: A facility for the boarding of bus and/or railroad passengers and related
ticketing sales and offices.Real Estate Sign: A sign pertaining to the sale or lease of the premises, or a portion of
the premises, on which the sign is located.
Recreational Vehicle: A bus conversion, Class A camper, Class C camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel trailer, or
pop-up camper.
Recreational Vehicle Park: Any premise where recreational vehicles are parked for living and sleeping
purposes, which includes any buildings, structures, vehicles, or enclosure used or intended for use as a part of the
equipment of such park.
Recreational Vehicle Sales and Service: An establishment dedicated to the sales, service, and displaying of
recreational vehicles.
Recycling Collection Center: A building and/or site in which source separated recoverable materials, such as
newspapers, glassware, and metal cans are collected, stored, flattened, crushed, or bundled prior to shipment to
others who will use those materials to manufacture new products. The materials are stored on-site in bins or
trailers for shipment to market.
Recycling Collection Point: An incidental use that serves as a neighborhood drop-off point for temporary
storage of recoverable resources. No processing of such items is allowed. This facility would generally be located in
a shopping center parking lot or in other public/quasi-public areas such as in churches and schools.
Recycling Facility: A building or site that is not a salvage yard and in which recoverable resources, such as
newspapers, magazines, books, and other paper products, glass, metal cans, and other products are collected,
stored and recycled, reprocessed, and treated to return such products to a condition in which they may again be
used for production.
Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation: The elevation of the regulatory flood plus one (1') foot of freeboard to
provide a safety factor.
Rehabilitation Care Facility: A facility which provides residence and care to persons who have demonstrated
a tendency toward alcoholism, drug abuse, mental illness, or antisocial or criminal conduct.
Restaurant or Cafeteria: An establishment where food and drink are prepared and consumed primarily on
the premises. Drive-up windows are permitted.
Restaurant, Drive-In: An eating establishment where food or drink is served to customers in motor vehicles
or where facilities are provided on the premise which encourage the serving and consumption of food in
automobiles on or near the restaurant premises.
Retail Stores and Shops: An establishment engaged in the selling of goods and merchandise to the general
public for personal or household consumption and rendering services incidental to the sale of such goods.
Right-of-Way: The right of passage acquired for or by the public through dedication, purchase or
condemnation and intended to provide pedestrian and vehicular access to abutting lots, tracts or areas which may
also be used for utilities and to provide for drainage ways.
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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Road: See the definition of "Street".
Roof Sign: Any sign wholly erected on, affixed to or supported by a roof of a building.
Safety Lanes: Paved easements granted to the City, to the public generally, emergency vehicles and/or to a
private utility corporation, for installing or maintaining utilities across, over or under private land, together with
the right to enter thereon with machinery and vehicles necessary for the maintenance of said utilities. These
easements may at times be referred to as fire lanes. Safety lanes may also be used as ingress and egress to the
property.
Sandwich Board Sign: See "A" Frame Sign.
Satellite Antenna: An antenna, greater than one (1) meter in diameter, which enables the transmission of
signals directly to and from satellites. Such antennas are commonly known as a satellite dish, dish antenna,
parabolic antenna, or satellite earth station antenna.
Satellite Receive-Only Antenna: An antenna, one (1) meter or less in diameter that enables the receipt of
television signals transmitted directly from satellites to be viewed on a television monitor. Such antennas are
commonly known as a satellite dish, television receive-only antenna, dish antenna, parabolic antenna, or satellite
earth station antenna.
School, Private: A school operated by a private or religious agency or corporation other than an independent
school district, having a curriculum generally equivalent to a public elementary or secondary school.
School, Public: A school operated by an independent school district or charter school and providing
elementary or secondary curriculum.
Secured (Gated) Community: A residential area surrounded by a masonry or wrought iron fence with at least
two (2) entrances, electrically or manually controlled gates and administered by a Homeowners Association.
Setback: The minimum distance specified by this UDC from the front, rear, and side lot lines, and extending
across the full width of the lot, on which no building or structure may be erected.
Sexually Oriented Business: A business described as such in, and regulated by, Chapter 74 of the Code of
Ordinances, as amended from time to time
Sign: A name, identification, description, display, or illustration which is affixed directly or indirectly upon the
exterior of a building or structure or upon a piece of land which directs attention to an object, location, event,
person, product, good, service, activity, institution, or business.
Sign Area: The area of any sign shall be the sum of the area enclosed by the minimum imaginary rectangles,
triangles, or circles which fully contain all extremities of the sign, including the frame, all words, numbers, figures,
devices, designs, or trademarks by which anything is made known, but excluding any supports. To compute the
allowable square footage of sign area, only one (1) side of a double-face sign shall be considered.
Sign Height: The vertical distance between the highest part of a sign or its supporting structure, whichever is
higher, and the average established ground level beneath the sign.
Solar Energy: Radiant energy (direct, diffuse, and reflected) received from the sun.
Solar/Photovoltaic Facility: A structure, assembly, equipment, or any combination thereof relating to the
generation, transportation, and storage of solar energy. Pertains to standalone facilities and not solar equipment
that is added to residential structures.
Subdivision or Neighborhood Sign: Any sign used to mark the entrance to a specific subdivision or
neighborhood. Usually a low profile monument sign designed in such a way as to indicate the name of the specific
community and placed at the main entry to such community.
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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Site Plan: A development plan, drawn to scale, showing uses and structures proposed for a parcel of land
required by this UDC. This includes, but is not limited to, existing and proposed conditions of the lot and major
landscaping figures, the location of all existing and proposed buildings, lot lines, streets, driveways, parking spaces,
walkways, means of ingress and egress, drainage facilities, utility service, landscaping, structures and signs,
lighting, screening devices and other information that may be reasonably required in order to make an informed
determination as opposed to a subdivision plan which relates to the layout of lots and parcels, platting of lots and
parcels and the provision of public facilities necessary to build a subdivision.
Stable, Commercial: A stable used for the rental of stall space or for the sale or rental of horses or mules.
Start of Construction (includes substantial improvements): The date the building permit was issued, provided
the actual start of construction, repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, placement, or other improvement
was within 180 days of the permit date. The actual start means either the first placement of permanent
construction or a structure on a site, such as the pouring of slab or footings, the installation of piles, the
construction of columns, or any work beyond the stage of excavation; or the placement of a manufactured home
on a foundation. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, such as clearing, grading and filling;
nor does it include the installation of streets, and/or walkways; nor does it include excavation for basement,
footings, piers or foundations or the erection of temporary forms; nor does it include the installation on the
property of accessory buildings, such as garages or sheds not occupied as dwelling units or not part of the main
structure. For a substantial improvement, the actual start of construction means the first alteration of any wall,
ceiling, floor, or other structural part of a building, whether or not that alteration affects the external dimensions
of the building.
State: The State of Texas.
Stealth Facility: "Stealth" is a generic term describing a method that would hide or conceal an antenna,
supporting electrical or mechanical equipment, or any other support structure that is identical to, or closely
compatible with, the color of the supporting structure so as to make the antenna and related equipment as visually
unobtrusive as possible to the surrounding neighborhood. Stealth facilities may include totally enclosed antennas,
wireless facilities that replicate or duplicate the construction of common structures such as flagpoles, alternative
tower structures, and camouflaged wireless facilities that are constructed to blend into the surrounding
environment.
Storage or Wholesale Warehouse: A building used primarily for the storage of goods and materials.
Story: That portion of a building, other than a basement, included between the surface of any floor and the
surface of the floor next above it, or if there be no floor above it, then the space between the floor and the ceiling
next above it.
Street: A strip of land comprising the entire paved area between the face of curbs and gutters and within the
right-of-way, intended for use as a means of vehicular and pedestrian circulation to provide access to more than
one (1) lot.
Street, Collector: A roadway which collects traffic from local streets and connects within major/minor arterial
streets.
Street Line: A dividing line between a lot, tract, or parcel of land and a contiguous street.
Street, Major/Minor Arterial: A designated principal traffic thoroughfare more or less continuous across the
City, which is intended to connect remote parts of the City or areas adjacent thereto, and act as principal
connecting street with State and Federal highways.
Street, Private: Any street right-of-way not dedicated to public use.
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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Street, Public: Any roadway for use of vehicular traffic dedicated to public use and/or owned, controlled and
maintained by the City, a County, or the State.
Street Width: The shortest horizontal distance between the lines which delineate the street.
Structural Alterations: Any change of a supporting member of a structure such as bearing walls, columns,
beams or girders.
Structure: Anything constructed or built, the use of which requires permanent location on the ground or
attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground.
Studio, Tattoo or Body Piercing: A building or portion of a building used for selling or applying tattoos by
injecting dyes/inks into the skin, and/or to pierce the skin with needles, jewelry or other paraphernalia, primarily
for the purpose of ornamentation of the human body.
Substantial Damage: Damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the
structure to its prior condition would equal or exceed fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure
before damage occurred.
Substantial Improvement: Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a structure, the
cost of which equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) of the market value of the structure before "start of
construction" of the improvement. This includes structures which have incurred "substantial damage", regardless
of the actual repair work performed. The term does not, however, include either:
a. a project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of state or local health, sanitary,
or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and
which are the minimum necessary conditions; or
b. any alteration of an "historic structure" provided that the alteration will not preclude the structure's
continued designation as an "historic structure".
Subdivider or Developer: Are synonymous and include any person, partnership, firm, association, corporation
(or combination thereof), or any officer, agent, employee, servant, or trustee thereof, who performs, or
participates in the performance of, any act toward the subdivision of land within the intent, scope and purview of
this UDC.
Subdivision: The division of any lot, tract or parcel of land into two (2) or more lots, tracts or parcels of land
for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or rebuilding development, situated within the City's
corporate limits or within the ETJ. It also includes vacation and resubdivision of land or lots.
Surveyor: A State licensed land surveyor or registered public surveyor, as authorized by the state statutes, to
practice the profession of surveying.
Tavern: An establishment primarily in the business of serving alcoholic beverages to the general public which
may also include the sale of food.
Tax Certificate: A certificate from the applicable tax assessor's office confirming that all City ad valorem taxes
levied on a property that are due have been paid or that the property owner is lawfully contesting such taxes. If
such taxes are being contested, the property owner must establish, to the satisfaction of the City Manager, in
his/her sole discretion, that such contest is being conducted by the property owner with reasonable speed.
Taxidermist: An establishment whose principle business is the practice of preparing, stuffing, and mounting
the skins of dead animals for exhibition in a lifelike state. Telecommunications Equipment Storage Building: An
unmanned, single story equipment building or structure used to house telecommunications equipment necessary
to operate a telecommunications network.
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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Telecommunications Tower: Any structure that is designed and constructed for the purpose of supporting
one (1) or more antennae used for the provision of commercial wireless telecommunications services. This
definition includes monopole towers, alternative mounting structures or any other vertical support used for
wireless telecommunications antennae. This definition does not include commercial radio or television towers; nor
does it include such things as Satellite Receive Only Antenna or Amateur Radio Antennas.
Telecommunications Tower Facility: A facility that contains a telecommunications tower and equipment
storage building or structure.
Temporary Sign: Any sign identified by this UDC which is intended to be displayed for seasonal or brief
activities including, but not limited to, sales, specials, promotions, holidays, auctions, and/or business grand
openings.
Temporary Structure: A structure that is manufactured off-site and brought to the site. It is to be temporary
in nature and used only until a permanent structure can be constructed or refurbished.
Theater, Drive-In/Outdoor: An open lot devoted to the showing of motion pictures or theatrical productions
on a paid admission basis to patrons seated in automobiles.
Theater, Indoor: A building or part of a building devoted to the showing of motion pictures or for dramatic,
musical, or live performances.
Tool Rental: An establishment or business in which tools and accessories are offered or kept for rent, lease or
hire under agreement for compensation.
Townhouse: A single-family dwelling unit in a row of such structures and attached by one or more common
walls.
Travel Trailer: A structure designed for temporary dwelling for travel, recreation and vacation, and which can
be readily towed over the road by a motor vehicle.
Truck Sales, Heavy Equipment: The display, storage, sale, leasing, or rental of new or used panel trucks, vans,
trailers, recreational vehicles, or buses in operable condition.
Truck Terminal: The premises used for loading or unloading of trucks upon which storage of cargo is
incidental to the primary function of motor freight shipment or shipment point and which is designed to
accommodate simultaneous loading or unloading. Such premises may include retail stores, facilities engaged in
fueling, servicing, repairing, washing, and/or parking of trucks, tractor trailers, or other heavy commercial vehicles.
TV Antenna: An antenna that enables the receipt of television signals transmitted from broadcast stations.
Unlimited Access Highways: State Farm to Market Roads 78, 482, 1103, 1518, 2252, and 3009 and Schertz
Parkway.
Use: The purpose or activity for which the land or building thereby is designed, arranged or intended, or for
which it is occupied or maintained, and shall include any manner of performance of such activity with respect to
the performance standards of this UDC.
Utility Easement: An interest in land granted to the City, to the public generally, and/or to a private utility
corporation, for installing utilities across, on, over, upon or under private land, together with the right to enter
thereon with machinery and vehicles necessary for the maintenance of said utilities.
Variance: Permission to depart from this UDC when, because of special circumstances applicable to the
property, strict application of the provisions of this UDC deprives such property of privileges commonly enjoyed by
other properties in the same vicinity.
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ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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Veterinarian Clinic and/or Kennel, Indoor: An establishment, with no outside pens, where animals and pets
are admitted for examination and medical treatment, or where domesticated animals are housed, groomed, bred,
boarded, trained, or sold for commercial purposes.
Veterinarian Clinic and/or Kennel, Outdoor: An establishment with outside pens, where animals and pets are
admitted for examination and medical treatment, or where domesticated animals are housed, groomed, bred,
boarded, trained, or sold for commercial purposes.
Visibility Triangle: The triangular sight area from the corner of converging streets to a distance of 25 feet
along each street with the triangle completed by drawing a line through the property from both 25 foot points on
the converging streets.
Wall Sign: Any sign painted on, attached to or projected from the wall surface of a building, including
window signs and signs on awnings and/or marquees.
Water Surface Elevation: The height, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD) of 1929 (or
other datum, where specified), of floods of various magnitudes and frequencies in the floodplains of coastal or
riverine areas.
Welding/Machine Shop: A workshop where metal fabrication tools, including, but not limited to, welders,
lathes, presses, and mills are used for making, finishing, or repairing machines or machine parts.
Wind Sign: Any display or series of displays, banners, flags, pennants or other such objects designed and
fashioned in such a manner as to move when subjected to wind pressure. Wind signs shall only be permitted as
temporary signs.
Wrecking or Salvage Yard: An open air place where waste, discarded or salvage materials are bought, sold,
exchanged, baled, packed, disassembled or handled. This definition includes automobile wrecking yards, house
wrecking yards, used lumber yards, and places for storage of salvaged materials of house wrecking, automobile
scrap metal, and structural steel materials and equipment.
Xeriscape: Environmental design of residential and park land using various methods for minimizing the need
for water use.
Yard, Front Setback: A yard extending across the front of a lot between the side lot lines, and being the
minimum horizontal distance between the street right-of-way line and the main building or any projections of the
usual uncovered steps, uncovered balconies, or uncovered porch. On corner lots the front yard shall be considered
a parallel to the street upon which the lot has its least dimension.
Yard, Rear Setback: A yard extending across the rear of a lot and being the required minimum horizontal
distance between the rear lot line and the rear of the main building or any projections thereof, other than the
projections of uncovered steps, unenclosed balconies, or unenclosed porches.
Yard, Setback: An open space at grade between a building and the adjoining lot lines, unoccupied and
unobstructed by any portion of a structure from the ground upward, except as otherwise provided herein. In
measuring a yard for the purpose of determining the width of a side yard, the depth of a front yard or the depth of
the rear yard, the minimum horizontal distance between the lot line and the main building shall be used.
Yard, Side: A yard between the main building and the side line of the lot, and extending from the required
front yard to the required rear yard, and being the minimum horizontal distance between a side lot line and the
side of the building.
Zoning District: Any area of the City for which the zoning regulations governing the use of land and buildings,
the height of buildings, the size of lots and the intensity of use are uniform pursuant to this UDC.
- SCHERTZ UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE
ARTICLE 16. DEFINITIONS
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(Ord. No. 13-S-22 , § 9, 7-16-2013; Ord. No. 14-S-11 , § 1, 3-11-2014; Ord. No. 16-S-27 , § 10, 8-30-2016; Ord. No.
17-S-41 , § 1(Exh. A), 10-24-2017; Ord. No. 18-S-04 , § 1(Exh. A), 1-23-2018; Ord. No. 18-S-24 , § 1(Exh. A), 8-7-
2018)
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING: 02/07/2024
Agenda Item 7 A
TO:Planning and Zoning Commission
PREPARED BY:Emily Delgado, Planning Manager
SUBJECT:Current Projects and City Council Status Update
BACKGROUND
DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION
The following is being provided for information purposes only so that the Planning and Zoning Commission is
aware of the current status of new site plan applications, status of applications heard by the Commission and
recommended for final action by the City Council, and the status of administratively approved applications.
NEW SITE PLAN APPLICATIONS: The following site plan development application was submitted between
January 26, 2024 and February 1, 2024
Royal Manufacturing Phase III Lot 1, Block 3, 17218 Tejas Way
Site Plan for a proposed 196,560 square foot office / warehouse.
CITY COUNCIL RESULTS: The following development applications were
recommended for final action to the City Council:
Ord. 24-S-01- Conduct a public hearing and consider amendments to Part III of the Schertz Code of
Ordinances, Unified Development Code (UDC) to Article 5 - Zoning Districts, Article 9 - Site Design
Standards, and Article 14 - Transportation.
Recommend for approval at the January 10, 2024 P&Z Meeting
Scheduled for first reading at the February 6, 2024 CC Meeting
Ord. 24-S-02- Conduct a public hearing and consider a request for a Specific Use Permit to allow
Automobile Repairs & Service, Major on approximately 1.5 acres of land, located 250 feet east of the
intersection of FM 3009 and Borgfeld Road, also known as Guadalupe County Property Identification
Number 129949, also known as 1205 Borgfeld Road, City of Schertz, Guadalupe County, Texas.
Recommend for approval with conditions at the January 31, 2024 P&Z Meeting
Scheduled for first reading at the February 6, 2024 CC Meeting
ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED PROJECTS:
The following applications were administratively approved between January 26, 2024 and February 1, 2024
Saddlebrook Ranch Unit 1A, Site Plan
Lift station will service Saddlebrook Ranch and surrounding area.
Approved January 30, 2024
Address: 13011 Lower Seguin Road
Parklands Unit 3B Preliminary Plat
Approved: January 17, 2024
57 Buildable Single Family Residential Lots
Eckhardt Road Retail Preliminary Plat
Approved: January 17, 2024
4 Buildable Lots