The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 102, No. 57, Ed. 1 Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Page: 5 of 26
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TUESDAY, July 15, 2008
The BOERNE Star
Page 5A
4
City officials look at setting
boundaries for downtown
ECORDS
BY DAVE Pasley________
Staff Writer
Three zoning cases moving
through Boerne’s review process
have focused attention on land-
use concerns in older residential
areas near downtown. City lead-
ers are struggling to determine
where the downtown business
district should end, where the
near-downtown residential areas
should begin, and how the transi-
tion from one to the other should
occur.
“Where do we stop, where do
we draw the line?” Councilman
Rob Ziegler asked at a city coun-
cil retreat Thursday.
Last week before the council
retreat, the Planning and Zon-
ing Commission unanimously
approved requests to change
the zoning of two lots on East
San Antonio Street, from R-3,
high-density residential, to
B-1, high-density residential
and neighborhood commercial.
Older, restored single-family
homes stand on both lots, at 409
and 501 E. San Antonio St.
A month earlier the commis-
sion backed a similar request for
a lot at 103 E. Kronkosky St.,
directly behind the Boerne Vis-
tro Restaurant, where an historic
house has fallen into disrepair.
In each case the houses are
unoccupied.
The owner of one of the San
Antonio Street houses wants to
re-locate his accounting firm’s
offices there while the other two
owners have expressed interest in
attracting similar office or light
retail uses.
The day after the commission
met, the city council voted 4-1 to
table the case on East Kronkosky
so that the broader implications
of the zoning case could be
discussed.
In an exchange at the retreat,
City Councilman Ron Warden
outlined his vision for the future
of the near-downtown residen-
tial areas, describing a mixed-use
area of homes, apartments, offices
and small businesses intercon-
nected with one another and the
downtown area by sidewalks.
“That’s exactly what I would
like to see happen,” said Coun-
cilman Bob Manning, “I’m just
not sure we agree on how we get
there.”
All of the council members
seemed to like Warden’s sug-
gestion to develop a downtown
area master plan, although there
was no consensus on the specific
boundaries.
Another idea that seemed to
gain traction during the dis-
cussion was creating a new,
mixed-use zoning designation
that could be applied to near-
downtown neighborhoods.
Last week Planning and Zon-
ing Commission Chairman Bill
Haas appointed a sub-committee
of commissioners to explore that
very topic.
“This seems to be part of a
natural process,” Haas said. “As
communities continue to grow,
the old downtown areas and other
commercial areas tend to expand.
As more services are required
to support growing communities,
these services need an area to
locate, and downtown is a desir-
able location.”
Former Boerne Councilman
John B. Moring, Jr. has a more
ominous take.
“You can hear the wood chips
hitting the floor,” Moring told
commissioners before they voted
on the East Kronkosky zoning
case last month, “this is another
example of the city whittling
away at residential areas.
“You look at the history of this
city over the last 20 years and we
have consistently whittled away
at our residential areas. If we
keep it up we’re going to end
up being one big shopping cen-
ter with nobody living here,” he
said.
Haas doesn’t disagree that the
commercial areas are expanding,
pointing out that San Antonio
Street, between Main Street and
Plant Avenue is mostly commer-
cial and retail even though many
of the buildings were former resi-
dences that have been converted
to commercial use.
“Personally, I don’t believe that
residential uses are incompatible
with light retail-commercial,”
Haas said. “Those areas might
not be best-suited for a family
with young children, but oth-
ers might find the location quite
desirable. We all wish it was that
simple, to draw a line and say
this is in and this is out — clear
as day.”
Haas does draw a distinction
between changing the zoning of
a lot with an existing structure
versus changing the zoning of a
lot so that a new structure can
be built.
“If there was evidence that the
existing structures would be torn
down and replaced by a ‘modern’
B-1 development, I doubt that
idea would gather much sup-
port,” Haas said. “Replacement
of the existing structures would
be very disruptive and change the
character of the neighborhood.
The transition provided by the
proposed re-zoning and adaptive
reuse of the existing structures
would be lost.”
He notes, however, that once
the zoning is changed, there is
nothing prohibiting a property
owner from demolishing an
existing structure and building
a new one that conforms to the
underlying zoning of the lot.
In response to Ziegler’s ques-
tion about where the line should
be drawn Warden suggested
maybe there doesn’t need to be
a hard and fast line. Instead he
suggested that natural boundaries
would form and that economic
incentives can help to preserve
older neighborhoods rather than
destroy them.
“Business is not the enemy”.
Warden said. “It can actually add
value to the neighborhood and
can help save historic structures
like the one on the Kronkosky
Street property.”
Ziegler said he wants to explore
using a special-use permitting
system that would give the city
council case-by-case control
over changes in land use in the
sensitive, near-downtown areas
and would be specific to indi-
vidual users without changing
the underlying zoning.
“We’ve discussed such a pro-
vision in the past, but there has
not been much support,” Haas
said. “Although on the surface
it seems quite straight forward,
I’m sure there would be some
drawbacks.”
Haas said there would need
to be a process for handling
what could be a large number of
requests and that it would have to
be general enough to account for
the wide variety of “use-existing
zoning” combinations that could
be requested and flexible enough
to take into account things that
can’t be quantified.
“In short, this is not as easy as
it might initially appear,” Haas
said.
Dave Pasley can be reached at
dave@ boernestar.com.
KENDALL
COUNTY SHERIFF’S
DEPARTMENT
July 6
100 block Oak Acres Lane,
6:08 p.m. A caller reported
that his neighbor broke his
fence while moving.
100 block Privilege Pass,
9:18 p.m. Neighbors com-
plained that a German
Shepherd and “medium-sized
mutt” was loose, preventing
nearby residents from going
outside.
BOERNE POLICE
DEPARTMENT
July 8
900 block E. Blanco, 9:45
a.m. Police were called
because of a snake in front
of the location.
July 9
800 block E. Blanco, 8:02
p.m. A driver was stopped
when he was recognized as
having an outstanding war-
rant. He was arrested and
SAVINGS ACCOI INTS
MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS
$0 - $24,999
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $99,999
$100,000 +
Good Neighbor.
GREAT RATES.
2.20% APY*
2.30% APY*
2.45% APY*
2.60% APY*
$0 - $99
$100-$9,999
$10,000 - $24,999
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $99,999
$100,000 +
Please talk to your State
Farm agent today for
more information.
transported to the jail.
31700 W. IH 10 5:36 p.m.
Landscaping sprinklers came
on at a business and employ-
ees didn’t know how to turn
them off.
July 10
300 block Ivy, 9:36 a.m.
A caller reported find-
ing a small child standing
around her mailbox who
had appeared there the day
before as well. Police dis-
covered the child’s mother
works night and was sleep-
ing when her daughter
apparently opened the front
door and wandered away.
They advised Mom to put
different locks on the doors.
July 11,
400 block S. Main, 9:44
a.m. A new restaurant
reported a theft that occurred
on July 2
200 block John’s Road,
11:48 a.m. Boerne Mid-
dle School North reported
the theft of fixed lighting
equipment.
0.00% APY*
2.20% APY*
2.25% APY*
2.35% APY*
2.45% APY*
2.60% APY*
CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.
90 Day
180 Day
1 Year
2 Years
3 Years
4 Years
5 Years
2.35% APY*
2.40% APY*
2.25% APY*
2.35% APY*
2.60% APY*
2.95% APY*
3.35% APY*
ZIPLINE
FROM PAGE 1A
vay up and maybe, just maybe, once
outdoor stuff right now. People are
into it. It’s a big deal. We’ve all done
the amusement park - the theme park
thing. And this is a little different. This
is real.”
ELECTION
FROM PAGE 1A
Ruben Cardenas Jr ChFC CASL
State Farm Agent
Boerne, TX 78006-2073
Bus: 830-249-3325 Fax: 830-331-9555
www.rubencardenasjr.com
Bank.
LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR,
STATE FARM IS THERE.®
Of course, the new undertaking is a bit
climbers have made it to the top, the like stepping out on his own business
theory is they’ll be less likely to chicken venture zipline.
out if they figure they have to clamber "It's like, wow,” Strange said. “It’s like
back down. the unknown. You don’t know what’s
Baca doubted her abilities, but Pompa fixing to happen. You’ve really got to be
just chuckled. ready to improvise, so it’s kind of fun.”
“You can do it,” he told Baca. “I Tackling something like the zipline,
promise.” however corny it might sound, does help
And she did. some people break through personal
With a minimum of huffing and puff- barriers, Pompa said.
ing she made it to the top. As did a “J guess people, if they get past this,
4-year-old. And a young teenager. The they can say, ‘Now you know what?
teen was a little pale and more than a Maybe I can get my masters.’ I’ve seen
little shaky, but she mustered herself off it. Or ‘Now I can break up from that
of the edge and out into space uttering relationship’ or ‘I just didn’t know I had
that one word: “Woo-hooooooooooo.” it in me,” Pompa said.
Which was a pretty close variation on As the new ranch venture whisks him
what the 4- year-old said, too. away, Jason Strange apparently has it
For an admission price of $29, Strange in him.
said people can come in and just have As does Nancy, Baca, who with a
picnics and hang out for the day. The determined shove leaned off the plat-
entry fee includes three zips. form and out over 60 feet of empty air.
Strange’s reasons for opening the Baca didn’t say much, just that single
ranch up are simple. word as speed raced her away, out over
“We need it,” he said. "All of us. the distance of the meadow.
There is a need for this adventure-based “WOO-HOOooooooooo.”
might agree to the creation of single-member dis-
tricts, if a district could be created with a majority
of voting-age residents who are part of an ethnic
minority.
In order to create such a district in Boerne,
McKamie said it might be necessary to expand
the number of council members.
Planning and Community Development Direc-
tor Chris Turk was tasked to review census data to
determine if it is feasible to create such a district
and report his findings to the city council.
Mayor Dan Heckler and McKamie also pre-
sented a tough new ethics ordinance they had
co-written, saying it was more restrictive than
state law.
The new ethics rules, which could be voted
on within a month, include an escalating series,
of disciplinary actions for violating conflict of
interest provisions. Discipline measures include
letters of reprimand and censure possibly leading
to suspension or removal from office.
The new rules would apply not only to members
of city council but also to those serving on boards
and commissions.
If a council or board member has a conflict, the
new rules would require them to vacate their seat
and leave the dais when the matter is discussed.
FDIC ’Annual Percentage Yields as of 04/23/08. Rates on all products subject to change without notice. Fees on
Savings and Money Market Accounts could reduce earnings. Minimum opening deposits are $100 for Savings
TET Accounts and $1000 for Money Market Accounts. For CDs: minimum balance to open an account and obtain the
S stated APY is $500. CD rates apply to deposits less than $100,000. A penalty may be imposed tor a withdrawal
lender prior to maturity. Certificates automatically renew at maturity at the then-current rate for the same term.
P041007 STATE FARM BANK • HOME OFFICE: BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS • statefarm.com®05/05
Pa
Why is common sense so uncommon?
kids and they contribute to their
“There are 40 kinds of lunacy,
but only one kind of common
sense.”
- African Proverb
I recently received a poignant
e-mail from an old Navy friend
of mine. It was entitled “Passing
of a beloved friend,” and it went
something like this:
“Today we mourn the pass-
ing of a beloved old friend, Mr.
Common Sense. He had been
with us for many years. No one
knows for how old he was since
his birth records were long ago
lost in bureaucratic red tape.
“He will be remembered as
having cultivated such value les-
sons as knowing when to come
in out of the rain, why the early
bird gets the worm and that
life isn’t always fair. He lived
by simple, sound financial pol-
icies (don’t spend more than
you earn) and reliable parenting
strategies (adults - not kids - are
in charge).
“Mr. Common Sense lost
the will to live as the churches
became businesses and crimi-
nals received better treatment
than did their victims. He finally
gave up the ghost after a woman
failed to realize that a steaming
cup of coffee was hot, spilled a
bit in her lap and was awarded a
huge settlement.
of it. Well, actually, there isn’t
a lack of it. There is, however,
Ken a lack of common sense with
L , our politicians. California won’t
Nietenhoerer drin for the estimated 1.3 bil-
lion barrels of recoverable oil
off its coast. We won’t drill for
the estimated 5 to 16 billion
barrels of oil in the moonscape
--------------- known as ANWR because, in.
“Mr. Common Sense was the words of Daniel Henninger
preceded in death by his par- jn the Wall Street Journal, of
ents - Truth and Trust, his the caribou. (Never mind that
wife - Discretion, his daughter the caribou have adapted to and
- Responsibility, and his son even prospered because of the
-Reason. Two stepbrothers, My Alaska pipeline.)
Rights and Ima Whiner survive The Sierra Club and Defend-
him. Not many attended his ers of Wildlife are being turned
funeral because so few realized inside out because of the
he was gone.’ Supreme Court’s refusal to hear
Well, OK, so the preceding yet another misguided attempt
story might be a bit of exag- to block a border fence,
geration, but probably not much. They claim that it will destroy
Read on. habitat of endangered species
California Assemblywoman - never mind that millions of
Sally Lieber is going to introduce illegal aliens are destroying this
a bill to make it a misdemeanor country’s habitants (i.e., tax-
to spank (swat, not beat) chil- paying citizens).
dren who are four years of age So, there you have it. Sev-
or younger. Violators will be eral examples of common sense
subject to a year in jail and/or a losing out to political correct-
Si,000 fine. ness, mob mentality and sheer
This new bill, if passed, will ignorance.
create thousands of new crimes But, is all lost? Nope. Not
in California whose criminal by a long shot. There are mil-
justice agencies are already in lions of Americans who daily
a state of crisis. Does she have exhibit regular, good-old com-
kids? Of course not. mon sense. They live their lives,
Let’s talk about oil - or the lack they go to work, they raise their
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
communities and to their coun-
try. We simply don’t hear much
about them.
They - that is, you - will take
back this great country. I can
hardly wait.
to underage drinking
Your home...your responsibility!
•As a parent, you cannot give alcohol to your child’s friends who are
under the age of 21 under any circumstance, even in your own residence,
even with their parent’s permission.
If you break the law:
• You face a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
Things you can do as a parent:
• Refuse to supply alcohol to youth.
• Be at home when your child has a party.
•Make sure that alcohol is not brought into your home or onto your
property by your child’s friends.
•Talk to other parents about not providing alcohol at events your child
will be attending.
•Create alcohol-free opportunities and activities in your home so your
child’s friends will feel welcome.
•Report drinking parties in Boerne and Kendall County on the Crime
Stoppers tip line 1-800-348-LEAD. Rewards of up to $5,000 are paid for
anonymous information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
Kendall County Crimestoppers, Texas Alcoholic Beverage
Commission, The Alliance Against Underage Drinking,
and the Boerne Star & Recorder
SOCi ales.
is proud to introduce
Dr. Kristine
Beauchamp
BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY PRACTICE
Dr.
^ HauteA-tie
o is
olestegaulie
i the
new
uonaas
2-4
134 Menger Springs, Ste. 1100
Boerne, TX 78006
830.816.5700
1050 Hwy 16 South
Bandera,TX 78003
830.796.7713
Got a story idea? Send it to news@boernestar.com
all today for an appointment!
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Cartwright, Brian. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 102, No. 57, Ed. 1 Tuesday, July 15, 2008, newspaper, July 15, 2008; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1667319/m1/5/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.