A proposed dark skies ordinance was stopped in its tracks Tuesday when the city’s Zoning Commission learned the Army had been left out of the process.
Commissioners were aghast to learn that Army spokesman Phil Reidinger had been alerted to the ordinance not by the city but by a local resident, who sent him a draft copy Oct. 30. He said no one at Fort Sam Houston, which oversees Camp Bullis, knew the ordinance had been drafted until then — even though city officials have vowed repeatedly to keep the Army in the loop.
The Zoning Commission held the first public hearing on the proposal since the City Council directed staff to draw up the ordinance late last summer as part of a package of proposals to protect the Army’s mission at Camp Bullis. Commanders at Fort Sam have warned that development-related ills, including light pollution, could undermine Bullis’ mission of training combat medics.
Several commissioners expressed concern about the entire process, which also did not include neighborhood associations in the affected areas. Commissioners also want to wait until release of the Camp Bullis Joint Land Use Study, an ongoing examination of the impact of development.
“I’m not even sure what we’re supposed to be doing here,” Commissioner Jim Myers said. He said it seemed there had been “a giant lobbying effort behind the scenes, and private interests are about to be served.”
The initiative had been on a fast track to council approval, going before the Zoning Commission on Tuesday, then today to the council’s Infrastructure and Growth Committee, headed by District 8 Councilwoman Diane Cibrian.
Reidinger told commissioners the Army could not support the ordinance as drafted, in part because it allowed digital billboards. The Army worked closely with Bexar and Comal counties to craft their dark skies rules, he said.
“So this one is out of sync, then, with the others that have been drafted?” asked Commissioner Michael Westheimer.
“Yes, sir,” Reidinger said.
He was alerted to the ordinance by Bill Bourne of Scenic San Antonio, a persistent critic of the city’s digital billboard pilot program.
Bourne and others who oppose the billboards are alarmed that the dark skies ordinance as drafted includes language that would allow the glowing signs if the council decides to extend the program. Reidinger said he wanted the city to reduce the time for any light exemptions from 90 days to seven and to add a waiting period before allowing additional exemptions.
The Zoning Commission recommended that city staffers go back to work on the ordinance, making sure to include the military and nearby residents.
Alerted to the commission’s concerns, Cibrian said she had already convened staffers to work on the issues raised by the Army and hoped to have them solved during today’s committee meeting. If they’re unable to resolve key issues during the meeting, she said, approval of the ordinance will be delayed until the Army is satisfied.
“Today’s events were unexpected,” she said, “but we take Camp Bullis concerns very seriously.”
Comments taken from article:
skeletor111:01 AM The city and county are beholden to the developer. The mayor, council and county commishes will do whatever they can to appease these succulent developers. I have had my own confrontations with developers having no regard for my property and went to the city for guidance and assistance. All the city will do is pay lip service and say their hands are tied.
abe10:28 AM I was at the meeting yesterday and the spokeperson for camp bullis was redicule by the commissioners, it went something like this, so you work for the Goverment that suppose to know all this top secrets and you did not know about this? and they all laugh at him, I want to see when camp bullis pull out of town then who would be laughing, ask for the minutes on audio and listen for youself. this commissioners are puppets and_______. fill the blank.
MJR8:11 AM I had heard Cibrian's name was getting ready to run for Mayor of SA. If she is doing this kind of work behind the back of the military than for sure she has no business running our city government. This is a "military" city and we as citizens should do all to keep it here in SA. Too bad the city of SA does not think of it that way but instead are lead by lobbiest.
Inside7:09 AM Aren't y'all shocked to see Cibrian's name attached to a proposal that supports business interests over the long term interests of the citizens of San Antonio? Thank you Bill Bourne and Scenic San Antonio for knowing how to get involved and deliver the information you received to the proper people at the proper time to stop this misdirected initiative.
Lisa D6:39 AM See... this is the kind of situation you get when city staffers are allowed to manage processes without continuity in oversight by elected & appointed officials who are accountable to the public. I guarantee you that the staffers that were shepherding this process were being lobbied by developers and Clear Channel to push this through quickly and quietly. Thank god for watchdog organizations who keep their eyes on the ball.
