Some Alamo Heights residents are calling for a number of elected officers to recuse themselves from voting on a contentious proposal to broaden The Argyle.
Why? As a result of they’re members of the famend personal eating membership.
Alamo Heights Metropolis Council is scheduled to satisfy Aug. 11 to think about The Argyle’s request for a particular use allow that, if granted, would broaden the capability of the membership’s property to accommodate occasions for greater than 1,000 folks. The assembly will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Metropolis Corridor, 6116 Broadway St.
Opponents of the proposal say that increasing The Argyle’s capability may negatively influence the encompassing residential neighborhood. Alamo Heights is a rich enclave simply north of downtown San Antonio that’s dwelling to about 7,300 residents.
On Wednesday, lawyer Fred Junkin representing the Neighborhood Preservation League of Alamo Heights, a grassroots group, requested for any of Alamo Heights’ elected leaders who’re Argyle membership members to recuse themselves from deliberating on the difficulty to be able to keep away from a attainable battle of curiosity.
Junkin cited a part of town’s code of ordinances that ensures metropolis leaders “work for the frequent good” and never “for any personal or private curiosity.”
“It’s obvious that, as members of The Argyle, every of you has a private curiosity within the disposition of the SUP software,” Junkin wrote.
Alamo Heights Mayor Al Honigblum and two of the 5 at-large council members, Blake Bonner and Lynda Billa Burke, belong to the membership.
Metropolis Lawyer Frank Garza responded on town’s behalf on Friday, saying there isn’t a definition of private curiosity within the metropolis’s ethics code. He as a substitute cited the definition of “substantial curiosity” in state regulation to find out that council members who’re membership members could deliberate and vote on the allow.
“If I have been to just accept your interpretation, no elected official who has a Frost Checking account would have the ability to vote on town’s financial institution depository contract for the reason that metropolis contracts with Frost to supply town’s banking wants,” Garza mentioned of Junkin’s letter.
The Argyle’s historical past and attainable future
Efforts to broaden The Argyle property began to unfold in 2021 when it notified town of plans to construct a ten,000-square-foot addition onto the present construction at 934 Patterson Ave. and prolong the property onto an adjoining lot at 820 Patterson.
The Argyle’s origins date again to the 1850s when the property first served because the headquarters of a horse ranch. A century later, the group that will turn into the Texas Biomedical Analysis Institute purchased the land and commenced leasing it to then-newly shaped nonprofit The Argyle, whose membership helps to boost funds for the personal analysis institute.
The Argyle has about 1,500 members.
The personal membership’s authentic growth plan has undergone revisions since 2021.
If council have been to approve the present proposal, The Argyle will have the ability to accommodate as much as 1,200 folks for occasions which can be partially hosted in an outside space.
The deal would additionally embrace internet hosting a most of 52 smaller personal occasions a 12 months the place attendance is between 251 and 1,200; and host personal occasions with as much as 250 attendees every other time.
Opponents’ issues
NPLAH President Ann McGlone claims the particular use allow may flip The Argyle from a personal eating membership into an occasion venue in the course of a residential neighborhood.
She’s one in all a number of critics of The Argyle’s allow request who’ve attended public conferences in current months, signed petitions and displayed yard indicators in opposition.
“The 52 occasions a 12 months with 251-1,200 folks is exponentially increased than the eight or 9 occasions that The Argyle has been doing,” McGlone added.
McGlone mentioned whereas membership administration has had a traditionally pleasant relationship with neighbors, a number of residents concern metropolis officers could pay extra consideration to what The Argyle possession needs than what different residents need.
McGlone additionally mentioned Argyle representatives haven’t adequately addressed public worries about how an expanded membership may enhance native site visitors and noise ranges throughout personal occasions.
“If you’re placing up a big business institution that would compete with the likes of the Witte Museum or downtown lodge ballrooms, it’s going to have an effect on the neighborhood,” she added.
Former Mayor Louis Cooper, now a member of The Argyle’s board of administrators, mentioned the membership seeks to maintain tempo with how individuals are altering the best way they usually e book a personal occasion, akin to a big get together or wedding ceremony celebration. A method of reaching this, Cooper mentioned, is for The Argyle to enlarge its indoor amenities.
Cooper additionally mentioned The Argyle goals to proceed being a great neighbor by having extra indoor area to higher insulate dwell musicians or a DJ on the occasion, and by increasing parking area to be able to forestall friends from parking their autos on neighborhood streets.
“By soundproofing the music and placing the band inside, we could be a higher neighbor,” Cooper mentioned.
Paperwork connected to the request point out that the membership requires 480 off-street parking areas for members and friends, and one other 50-100 areas for membership and occasion workers, safety and distributors.
The proposed allow would offer 245 extra areas, together with 81 areas on TBRI property and 56 leased areas throughout the highway from the membership. Roughly 22 areas shall be misplaced to building of the constructing addition, based on the SUP paperwork.
Junkin requested metropolis leaders to maintain the broader group’s finest curiosity in thoughts whereas weighing The Argyle’s proposal.
“I don’t suppose anybody can deny that anybody who has a vested curiosity in The Argyle shouldn’t deliberate or vote on a SUP software involving the membership,” he mentioned.
He additionally disagreed with town lawyer’s assertion that membership members/council members could not have a battle of curiosity.
“Mr. Garza’s interpretation of the usual for disqualification will not be supported by the plain language of the code of ethics, and doesn’t conform to ‘the letter and spirit of the legal guidelines and insurance policies affecting the operations of presidency’ embodied in that code,” he added.
Honigblum, who was elected in Might, acknowledged The Argyle’s growth proposal has sparked a lot public consideration.
“Anytime the group is split on a difficulty, it’s a high-profile factor given how tight-knit our group is,” Honigblum added. “However it’s an remoted matter due to the place the membership is positioned in our metropolis.”
