Council cuts history panel by four slots
Web Posted: 05/31/2007 12:00 AM CDT
Scott Huddleston
Express-News
The City Council took action Wednesday to rein in the city's Historic and Design Review Commission and created a new River Commission that will help shepherd developments through the design review process.
Though the new river panel won't take on any responsibilities of the HDRC, it will advise the commission on historic preservation, renovations and structures, including those related to the city's nearly $75 million River Improvements Project.
The council, which at times has clashed with the review commission, voted to downsize the panel from 15 to 11 members.
HDRC Chairman Xavier Gonzalez said the new river panel could help his group avoid some of the misunderstandings of the past as river projects come through.
"If they come and make us aware of things early on, that can help tremendously," he said.
The River Commission's creation fulfills Mayor Phil Hardberger's vision of a panel with a holistic view of preserving and protecting the 13-mile stretch of the San Antonio River that's under development. It will advise the city on everything from a glut of chain restaurants downtown and fish habitats downstream to land use and funding priorities.
"We don't have a more important treasure in our city than our river," said Hardberger, who called the panel's formation vital to San Antonio's future.
The council will appoint seven at-large members of the River Commission, which will include two business leaders, two tourism representatives, a conservationist, a historic preservationist and one unspecified "community leader."
Councilman Roland Gutierrez said the panel should include someone from his Southeast Side district and the three other council districts that encompass the river.
But outgoing Councilwoman Elena Guajardo, whose Northwest Side district lies outside the river basin, said geography isn't an issue because all San Antonians visit the River Walk and have a stake in future river development.
"We all are part of the family of our city," Guajardo said.
Councilwoman Sheila McNeil said the council already is focused on water quality and environmental issues and will appoint like-minded individuals.
In voting to reduce the HDRC to 11 members, the council allowed each district and the mayor a representative. It rejected a staff recommendation for nine at-large members.
Councilman Roger O. Flores was the only one opposed to the change, calling it detrimental.
"I'm concerned that the diversity will not be there anymore" with a smaller panel, he said.
The move takes effect Nov. 1, when terms of seven HDRC members will expire.
Councilman Chip Haass said having 15 members deliberate on renovations, demolitions and new construction bogs down the panel, which considers hundreds of cases each year.
Referring to the HDRC's review of the city's $285 million Convention Center hotel, Haass said at least two commission members had "a God complex" by maintaining the city shouldn't be in the hotel business.
He said he felt the commission "does a good job" but sometimes slows progress.
The city will hold public meetings to gather input on streamlining the design review process.
Commission members have said design inadequacies and sudden changes by planners, not personal philosophies, delayed the Convention Center hotel project.
Guajardo said she fears it may get harder for neighborhood leaders to access information on pending permits. Information on projects considered by the commission, including those on a consent agenda, now is posted on the city's Web site.
Although the city is looking at giving staff more power to review small projects, Gonzalez, the HDRC chairman, asked the council to study targeting larger projects to reorganize the process. By working jointly with the council on developments such as Main Plaza and the Convention Center hotel, the commission could avoid squabbles, he said.
Gonzalez said he's skeptical about giving the panel less oversight on small projects.
"I don't see how staff is going to be able to review things and approve things without neighbors being involved," he said.
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