By Malak Silmi STAFF WRITER
The Helotes City Council has approved design plans of a proposed 24-hour gas station and convenience store on a rural stretch of road that some residents want to protect from commercial development.
The 4-1 vote on Feb. 24 was not the final approval for the project, but it allows QuikTrip Corp. to move forward with its plans to build the 5,300-square-foot convenience store at the intersection of Scenic Loop and Bandera roads.
Residents who worry the gas station will “disrupt the city’s charm” earned an early victory on Feb. 1, when the city’s planning and zoning commission unanimously rejected QuikTrip’s original design, citing ordinance violations and concerns that the look of the gas station would not “fit” Helotes’ aesthetic.
That spurred the company to revise its design plans to include an 8-foot monument sign that adheres to city code and to use more Sonoma stacked stone, which city buildings are known for. Those plans were then presented to the council Thursday.
City Council members said QuikTrip is “respecting” the city by not including signs on Scenic Loop Road, even though it is legally allowed to. The site for the potential intersection is filled with trees and greenery and serves as an entry point to the picturesque 7-mile Scenic Loop Road.
Council Member Linda Salazar was the only dissenting vote on the revised design.
During the meeting, Salazar acknowledged that the land is zoned for commercial development but said she would like to see small businesses move into the area. She said residents have reached out to her to share their opposition to the gas station.
“The upshot of the discussions I’ve had with the citizens is that we don’t want Helotes to be Northwest San Antonio. We want Helotes to be Helotes,” Salazar said. “We understand the area is zoned. Businesses will be there, but (family-owned businesses) are the type of businesses we want to attract — the family businesses that shut down at the end of the night and the lighting goes down.”
QuikTrip operates more than 900 24-hour locations, mostly in the Midwestern, Southern and Southeastern regions of the United States.
As of Feb. 27, about 300 people had signed a Change.org petition to “save” the scenic loop. The petition also urges residents to boycott the gas station.
James Chester, 42, a resident of the city, said it’s already “scary” to turn left onto Band-era from Old Town Helotes because of traffic. The area is across from where the proposed gas station would be built.
“I don’t think the City Council has thought this through at all,” he said. “It’s not what we need or want in the gateway to the Hill Country.”
David Wanders, QuikTrip’s real estate project manager, said during the council meeting that a traffic analysis has been approved by state agencies.
QuikTrip’s next step will be to submit a plat application for review. A preliminary version will go to the planning and zoning commission. A final version will be presented to the council for final approval. malak.silmi@express-news.net