Neighborhood Profiles & Priorities

What is the neighborhood profile and priorities?

San Antonio is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own unique history, qualities, and character. Some neighborhoods throughout the city have developed Neighborhood Plans that reflect local values and priorities. These plans, adopted by the City, have guided local investments and improvements for many years and helped strengthen the relationship between residents and the City. 

The City is currently in the process of creating Sub-Area Plans to implement the SA Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan. These Sub-Area Plans are intended to provide a more coordinated, efficient and effective structure for neighborhood planning. The Sub-Area Plans are intended to increase equity citywide, by ensuring that all of San Antonio’s neighborhoods have a base level of policy guidance, as many neighborhoods within the city lack an existing Neighborhood Plan or a registered neighborhood organization. In this way, each Sub-Area Plan will integrate key elements of existing Neighborhood Plans for those neighborhoods that have a plan, while promoting citywide policy consistency and providing key recommendations and strategies for those neighborhoods currently lacking that direction. 

The Neighborhood Profile and Priorities section of the Sub-Area Plans provides special attention to prior neighborhood planning efforts and recognizes the community groups and individuals who were instrumental in their creation. They summarize specific opportunities, challenges, recommendations, and priorities from each participating neighborhood, to more efficiently direct public and private investment within the city to help these neighborhoods achieve their short-term goals and long-term visions.

 

How was it developed?

Based on conversations with Planning Team members and iterations of feedback, the Project Manager for the Highway 151 and Loop 1604 Area Regional Center worked to establish the following snapshot and priorities, generally, for the area’s neighborhoods. Much of the same vision and goals that the neighborhoods have for their community is captured in the vision and goals for the plan overall.   

 

Registered Neighborhood Associations within the Highway 151 and Loop 1604 Area Regional Center: 

  • North San Antonio Hills
  • Stonegate Hill at Westover Hills
  • Mountain View Acres Neighborhood Coalition
  • Charro Legacy Trails Cell 4 (Mirabella at Legacy Trails)
  • Westover Valley HOA
  • Oak Creek Community Association
  • Reserve at Culebra Creek HOA

 

Neighborhood Snapshot

Within this regional center there are seven registered neighborhood associations. The earliest neighborhood developed was the Mountain View Acres neighborhood (at Culebra Road and Rogers Road), which still had some unpaved roads and a handful of houses in the 1960s. North San Antonio Hills (just west of Loop 1604) and Oak Creek (west of SeaWorld and south of Military Drive) were developed soon after in the 1970s and 1980s. These three neighborhoods have the “older” suburban development style with larger lot sizes, no sidewalks, and customized construction. 

Other major residential developments did not start happening until the 1990s, after the opening of SeaWorld and the Hyatt Hill Country. Stonegate Hills at Westover Hill, Westover Valley, and Mirabella at Legacy Trails were all developed in the 1990s and mid-2000s, with smaller lot sizes and slightly more homes per acre. The Estates of Westover Hills, Creekside, and other Legacy Trails developments were also completed in the same time period, but do not have registered neighborhood associations. In recent years, numerous apartment developments have been built around the area, in addition to several senior assisted living centers. 

 

Strengths:

    • Maintenance of “natural feel” within developments, and Hill Country character
    • Ample restaurant and retail options close by
    • Access to Loop 1604 and Highway 151
    • High-performing schools

 

Opportunities and Challenges:

  • Increasing traffic congestion
  • Residents fear loss of “natural” or “country” feel to area with increased growth
  • Some older neighborhoods are not connected to sewer and remain on septic systems
  • Lack of affordable housing within the regional center, and much more housing growth outside of Regional Center into Alamo Ranch.
  • Lack of greenspace and parks

 

Priorities 

  • Neighborhood Character: Preserve the character of neighborhoods through the use of buffers, setbacks, and appropriate transitions between different zoning districts.
  • Environmental Resiliency: Protect the environment by planning for water usage and the impact of stormwater runoff, maintaining and improving the tree canopy, and encouraging private use of renewable energy sources such as residential solar panels.
  • Housing Choice and Affordability: Provide housing opportunities and affordability through the development of a variety of housing types and increased acceptance of housing assistance programs.
  • Connected and Safe Transportation System: Improve transportation options for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians by facilitating long-term planning and development of transportation systems, including connections to trailways and connectivity across highways.

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