Camp Bullis Update

WE NEED YOUR HELP!


Bexar County Commissioners Court has made a great step in the right direction with their ordinance mandating dark-sky lighting for new construction within 3 miles of Camp Bullis in the unincorporated areas of Bexar County. I have joined with Councilwoman Diane Cibrian in Co-Sponsoring a Council Consideration Request (CCR) to direct City Staff to begin exploring a similar ordinance for the City. I will be actively engaged throughout the process to see that this ordinance is crafted in a way that addresses the unique situations that exist in the City as compared to the County. We are absolutely committed to keeping the military in San Antonio and doing what is necessary to allay their concerns about development.

Unlike the County much of the City property that abuts Camp Bullis has already been developed. We need to be exploring ways to make the current development compatible with the military's mission in the short-term while looking for long-term solutions for future development. The actions taken this week to initiate a dark sky ordinance and to explore increased use of conservation easements will help us down both those trails.

Stone Oak in particular is an area that is largely developed. While we need to keep a watchful eye on a few undeveloped sights there, I am working closely with city staff, CPS, residents and business owners to address the ambient light issue immediately. We are working on an ordinance that is workable and meets the military's needs for nighttime training. In the meantime, I am encouraging residents and businesses to begin voluntarily turning off their lights during the crucial hours between 11pm and 5am when the military does most of the nighttime training

For those of you in or near the 3 mile boundary I hope you can help with this voluntary request.  [Poster Note: all of Stone Oak is within the 3 mile boundary]

We continue to work out the details of our city's formal ordinance on "dark-sky" lighting. There is much work to be done on the logistics of how we apply these new standards on future and existing homes and businesses.

Thank you for your help and please contact my office if you have any questions or would like to offer input.

Sincerely,

Louis E. Rowe
San Antonio City Council


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Friends of Camp Bullis


Commissioner Lyle Larson has organized a group known as the Friends of Camp Bullis which held its first meeting on Monday of this week (7/21). The organization is made up of neighborhood leaders from within the 3 mile radius of Camp Bullis as well as myself and Councilwoman Cibrian.

This organization will be able to act as a liaison between the communities surrounding Camp Bullis and the leadership working on the issue of compatible development. It is a working group capable of communicating the views of residents to officials and visa versa.

The issue of dark-sky lighting was at the forefront of the meeting along with the conservation of endangered species habitat. Commissioner Larson relayed a story about his personal experience flying over Camp Bullis and observing first hand the ambient light visible through night vision and how it affects the military's ability to train. The military has asked that as we deliberate the issue of a city ordinance addressing the dark-sky lighting issue residents consider voluntarily turning off their exterior lights from the hours of 11pm - 5am.

It was agreed that the Friends of Camp Bullis would contact their neighbors and fellow HOA members to request that they also voluntarily turn off their exterior lights.

In conjunction with this I would like to reiterate this request to those of you within the 3 mile radius. This minor inconvenience is a small price to pay for our military.

I have been in contact with CPS to begin coordinating with them how we are going to address the issue of their street lights located around the Stone Oak area. My office will be in regular contact with the Friends of Camp Bullis, and with you, as these talks continue.


 

San Antonio City Council | P.O. Box 839966 | San Antonio | TX | 78283