The Woods of Shavano Community Association

Develpoment will Boarder Woods of Shavano Homes (Jan/Feb Issue)

Apr 10, 2000

The Woods of Shavano (WOS) board recently learned the City of Shavano Park has zoned the land that backs to homes on Indian Woods and Hidden Glen Woods into eight commercial (B-2) zoned units. This zoning classification allows for the construction of buildings up to 45 feet high (as high as three stories) and can include department, grocery, drug, hardware, and convenience stores; self-storage facilities; professional offices; and structures similar to the newly constructed one on the southeast corner of Lockhill-Selma and De Zavala, among other possibilities.


According to Shavano Park Mayor Tommy Peyton, his city will require the use of natural stone in the construction.
However, the city?’s design plans indicate ?“no rear setback or rear landscape buffer is required for any lot that abuts a dedicated easement of 75 feet or more, on which permanent, habitable structures are not permitted.?” Therefore, at this point it appears no provisions have been made to maintain the natural tree-lined state on the utility easement or to leave a greenbelt between WOS homes and the development.

At the March 1999 WOS board of directors meeting, it was reported that the land now zoned for commercial use would be a gated community. Plans for commercial use were never discussed with the board or residents. The new commercial zoning classification and lack of a setback or landscape buffer shock some WOS residents: ?“We have lived next to the ranch land for years. Shavano Park never informed us of their plans to re-zone the land for commercial development,?” said one WOS resident. ?“Shavano Park has attended our community association board meetings in the past and should have asked us for input or at least made us aware of their plans.?”

In addition to commercial development, construction crews have already begun the first phase of an extension of Lockhill-Selma through De Zavala that will ultimately connect with Loop 1604. The crews have cleared a path of trees approximately 1000 feet long and 80 feet wide from De Zavala paralleling the WOS to about as far as the second new speed bump on Indian Woods. The new section of Lockhill-Selma road will be from 500 to 225 feet from the WOS homes that back to the utility easement.

In addition to the Lockhill-Selma extension, roads are being created on the east side of the new extension to make way for 114 estate and 202 cottage (garden) homes. Also, the owner of the land is in discussions with the Northside Independent School District to place an elementary or middle school on the largest of the eight units instead of a commercial enterprise.

The Woods of Shavano Community Association board is taking an active interest in the development. The board has not taken a formal position at this time, but is seeking resident input, a greater understanding of the plans, and more open communication with the City of Shavano Park and the developer, Denton Communities. In doing so, the board seeks to keep Woods of Shavano residents informed of issues and plans that will directly or indirectly impact them. Residents interested in reviewing maps of the plans or that would like to keep regularly informed on the progress of the development should contact Bill Noble by e-mail at noblew@flash.net or by calling 210-834-1934.