Some Alamo Heights residents are calling for a number of elected officers to recuse themselves from voting on a contentious proposal to increase The Argyle.
Why? As a result of they’re members of the famend non-public eating membership.
Alamo Heights Metropolis Council is scheduled to satisfy Aug. 11 to contemplate The Argyle’s request for a particular use allow that, if granted, would increase the capability of the membership’s property to accommodate occasions for greater than 1,000 individuals. 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 impression the encompassing residential neighborhood. Alamo Heights is a rich enclave simply north of downtown San Antonio that’s house to about 7,300 residents.
On Wednesday, legal professional 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 so as to keep away from a doable battle of curiosity.
Junkin cited a part of town’s code of ordinances that ensures metropolis leaders “work for the widespread good” and never “for any non-public 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 non-public 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 might 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 be capable of vote on town’s financial institution depository contract because the metropolis contracts with Frost to supply town’s banking wants,” Garza stated of Junkin’s letter.
The Argyle’s historical past and doable future
Efforts to increase 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 might develop into the Texas Biomedical Analysis Institute purchased the land and started leasing it to then-newly fashioned nonprofit The Argyle, whose membership helps to boost funds for the non-public analysis institute.
The Argyle has about 1,500 members.
The non-public membership’s authentic growth plan has undergone revisions since 2021.
If council have been to approve the present proposal, The Argyle will be capable of accommodate as much as 1,200 individuals for occasions which are partially hosted in an outside space.
The deal would additionally embody internet hosting a most of 52 smaller non-public occasions a 12 months the place attendance is between 251 and 1,200; and host non-public occasions with as much as 250 attendees some other time.
Opponents’ considerations
NPLAH President Ann McGlone claims the particular use allow may flip The Argyle from a personal eating membership into an occasion venue in the midst of a residential neighborhood.
She’s one in every of 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 individuals is exponentially larger than the eight or 9 occasions that The Argyle has been doing,” McGlone added.
McGlone stated whereas membership administration has had a traditionally pleasant relationship with neighbors, a number of residents concern metropolis officers might pay extra consideration to what The Argyle possession needs than what different residents need.
McGlone additionally stated Argyle representatives haven’t adequately addressed public worries about how an expanded membership may improve native site visitors and noise ranges throughout non-public occasions.
“Whenever you’re placing up a big business institution that would compete with the likes of the Witte Museum or downtown lodge ballrooms, it is going to have an effect on the neighborhood,” she added.
Former Mayor Louis Cooper, now a member of The Argyle’s board of administrators, stated the membership seeks to maintain tempo with how individuals are altering the way in which they usually e book a personal occasion, resembling a big get together or wedding ceremony celebration. A method of attaining this, Cooper stated, is for The Argyle to enlarge its indoor services.
Cooper additionally stated The Argyle goals to proceed being a superb neighbor by having extra indoor area to raised insulate reside musicians or a DJ on the occasion, and by increasing parking area so as to stop visitors from parking their autos on neighborhood streets.
“By soundproofing the music and placing the band inside, we generally is a higher neighbor,” Cooper stated.
Paperwork connected to the request point out that the membership requires 480 off-street parking areas for members and visitors, 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 street from the membership. Roughly 22 areas can be misplaced to development of the constructing addition, in accordance with the SUP paperwork.
Junkin requested metropolis leaders to maintain the broader group’s greatest curiosity in thoughts whereas weighing The Argyle’s proposal.
“I don’t assume 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 stated.
He additionally disagreed with town legal professional’s assertion that membership members/council members might 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 Could, acknowledged The Argyle’s growth proposal has sparked a lot public consideration.
“Anytime the group is split on a problem, 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 situated in our metropolis.”
