The City Council document discusses amending the Vision Plan to change the designation of 200 acres of land from "Industrial" to "Transitional Area". The land is located near Lake Nasworthy and includes residential, retail, and a church. Planning staff and the Planning Commission both recommend approving the amendment. The rationale provided is that industrial development would not be suitable next to the lake or on a main gateway. A "Transitional Area" designation allows for a mix of residential and commercial uses and greater flexibility.

1. City Council
August 21, 2012

2. Amendment to Vision Map
• Vision Plan Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan
on the following property:
• 6411 Knickerbocker Road, located at the southwest
corner of Red Bluff Road and Knickerbocker Road, the
former power station property. The area occupies
approximately 200 acres out of the H.F. Gantz Survey
179, C. Damman Survey 180 AND C. A. Voigt Survey
181 in the southwest portion of San Angelo.

5. Intent and Background
• Go from “Industrial” to “Transitional Area”
• Background
• Annexed in June of 2011
• Former Power Plant area
• Currently zoned Ranch & Estate (R&E)
• Predominantly vacant property in the area
• Lake Nasworthy, residences, retail, and church nearby

7. Options
• City Council May:
• Approve this amendment to the Vision Plan;
• Deny this amendment to the Vision Plan.

8. Recommendation
• Planning Staff recommends Approving this Vision
Plan Amendment
• Planning Commission recommend Approving this
request 6-0 on July 16, 2012

9. Rationale
• Industrial development vs. Lake Nasworthy on a main
gateway to the community;
• 200 Acres of Commercial is not sustainable;
• Already vacant commercial property all along
Knickerbocker Road;
• Land use in the area is predominantly residential,
commercial is not a suitable buffer;
• Traffic concerns.

10. Rationale
• Too large for a Neighborhood Center;
• Lack of a key intersection;
• No future thoroughfares planned in the area;
• Scale and intensity of 200 acre site is not what
Neighborhood Centers are intended to provide.
• Principles of Neighborhood Centers should still be
incorporated into future design and development;
• Synergy between properties and uses;
• Reorganized and shared parking;
• Pedestrian friendly.

11. Rationale
• Transition Area:
• Designed to be buffers;
• Allow a multitude of zoning districts;
• Both residential and commercial zones could work
• Conversion of strip style development
• Goal of Transition Area is to revitalize aged
commercial corridors:
• Knickerbocker has been a corridor to town for decades;
• Infill projects for commercial and residential will fit into
Transition Area category.

12. Rationale
• Second goal of Transition Areas is to blend intensive
commercial areas into neighborhoods;
• Knickerbocker Road vs. residential development;
• Mixed use development compliments existing and
future development;
• Designed for more intense uses than “Neighborhood”
but less intense than “Neighborhood Center” and
“Commercial”;

13. Rationale
• Increases flexibility with changing market dynamics
• Allows for more appropriate uses like offices, live/work
and mixed use developments
• Increases compatibility with the future Lake Nasworthy
master plan