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Family Food Park to Open in Old Town Helotes

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Family Food Park Old Town Helotes Helotes News Web Opt
Helotes News File Graphic: Representation of typical pickleball courts layout.

Helotes will be home to a new entertainment space later this year with the development of the Old Town Helotes Family Food Park. The new venue will start with five or six food trucks offering a variety of cuisines; however, the

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Helotes Small Business Battles CPS Energy Over Illegal Placement of Power Lines

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Helotes Country Club & Beer Garden Property

Helotes small business owner Tammy Pointon contacted CPS Energy (CPSE) last year with concerns about a power line nearly the length of a football field over the beer garden in the back of her bar. The Helotes Country Club, a local

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New Historical Exhibit at Helotes City Hall Features

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March 2024 Historical Society of Helotes City Hall Exhibit Press Release Web Opt

“The History of Government Canyon, 1850 to Present”

A new exhibit featuring the history of Government Canyon has been installed in the exhibit case at Helotes City Hall. Included in the exhibit, which will be on display until the summer, are photographs and stories about the early ranching families—the Hoffmann’s, Kallison’s, and Lytle’s. Also included is the story of how a group of conservationists worked together to establish Government Canyon State Natural Area, which opened to the public in 2005.

Please visit Helotes City Hall located at 12951 Bandera Rd. Helotes, Texas 78023 to view this interesting historical exhibit.

Helotes Humane Society Celebrates 16 Years of Service

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2024 03 03 - Helotes Humane Society 16 YR Article Helotes News Main Graphic Landscape

Helotes, TX – March 1, 2024 – The Helotes Humane Society is thrilled to announce its sixteenth year of dedicated service to the community. On this momentous occasion, we celebrate not only our longevity but also the countless lives we’ve touched and the animals we’ve helped find loving homes.

Founded March 17, 2008, the Helotes Humane Society has been steadfast in its mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals in need. Over the past sixteen years, we have worked tirelessly to provide medical care, shelter, and love to animals who have faced neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Through our dedicated team of volunteers, generous donors, and supportive community, we have been able to make a significant impact on the lives of animals and the people who love them.

As we commemorate our sixteenth birthday, we reflect on the milestones we’ve achieved and the challenges we’ve overcome. From humble beginnings to becoming a cornerstone of animal welfare in the Helotes area, we are grateful for the support and encouragement we’ve received every step of the way.

To celebrate this special occasion, the Helotes Humane Society will be hosting a series of events throughout the year, including adoption drives, fundraising campaigns, and community outreach initiatives. We invite all members of the community to join us in celebrating our Sweet 16 and continuing our mission of compassion and care for animals in need.

“We are incredibly proud to reach this milestone anniversary,” said Lisa Neitzel the Helotes Humane Society Executive Director. “It is a testament to the dedication and passion of our volunteers, staff, and supporters who have made the Helotes Humane Society what it is today. As we look to the future, we remain committed to our mission and to making a positive difference in the lives of animals and our community.”

For more information about the Helotes Humane Society and to get involved in our Sweet 16 celebrations, please visit hhsanimals.org or follow us on social media @heloteshumane.

Media Contact:

Lisa Neitzel
Executive Director 
Helotes Humane Society
210-422-6242 
Lisa.neitzel@hhsanimals.org 

About Helotes Humane Society:

The Helotes Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming animals in need. Since 2008, we have been committed to providing medical care, shelter, and love to animals who have faced neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Through our dedicated team of volunteers, generous donors, and supportive community, we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of animals and the people who love them.

Helotes Veteran Groups Joining Forces to Launch Resource Center

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2024 Helotes Veterans Resource Center Helotes News Edited 001

Helotes veteran groups are joining forces to launch a one-stop resource center for veterans. Later this year, the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 7108 on FM 1560 will begin a renovation and expansion of the building that has been home to the post since 1992. The VFW Post is working with the City of San Antonio to obtain the necessary permits to begin the first phase of the project.

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TX House Rep. District 122 Mark Dorazio Letter to the Editor Republican Primary Proposition 7

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Letter to the Editor Helotes News Dorazio

Fellow Texans,

When you show up to the polls for the March 5th Republican primary, I urge you to cast your vote for the strongest conservative in every race. I also urge you to vote “Yes” on Proposition 7, which reads: “The Texas Legislature should establish authority within the Texas State Comptroller’s office to administer access to gold and silver through the Texas Bullion Depository for use as legal tender.

In my first session as a state representative, I filed legislation to make gold and silver legal tender and functional money in the state of Texas – able to be transacted with the modern convenience of a debit card. While we weren’t able to get it across the finish line, we made great progress on this important issue.

In December of last year, the National Association of Christian Lawmakers voted unanimously to make our bill model legislation for all fifty states. And while that is absolutely wonderful, I want Texas to lead.

The technology already exists today. For example, I am the proud owner of a Glint card. When I load money onto my Glint card, I am actually buying gold that is held in Switzerland and the value that I have on the card is equal to the gold that I purchased.

If the price of gold goes up, so too does the value I have on the card. When I spend with a merchant, they are paid in US dollars and Glint liquidates the same value in Gold from my holdings. However, in the meantime, the value being tied to gold has given me a hedge against inflation.

Unfortunately, as wonderful as the service is, there are a couple major problems with it. First off, I want my gold and silver held right here in the United States. Second, there are tax and privacy implications because my Glint gold is considered an investment by the IRS. Every expenditure has a tax consequence and because of that, there is no privacy.

My legislation solves these problems. We already have the existing Texas Bullion Depository that would allow us to store our gold in our state. Second, this legislation meets the constitutional requirements of Article 1 Section 10 of the United States Constitution regarding legal tender and the federal government’s definition of “functional money”.

All of this means that when the value of a citizen’s gold goes up, it should be exempted from taxation – considered functional money and not as an investment. While this may end up being decided in the courts, I feel strongly based on existing judicial precedent such as Briscoe v Bank of Kentucky that the legislation would hold up to such judicial scrutiny.

By creating functional money, this legislation should prevent the privacy, compliance costs and tax implications associated with the current Glint card.

I also want to take a moment to look at this from a 20,000-foot view and talk about why it’s important we get legislation like this in place now to protect our citizens in the future. There are two developments, moving at a rapid pace right this moment, that aim to drastically change the global economy and commerce moving forward. The first is the BRICS nations working hard to move away from the Dollar and ultimately to topple it from its position as the global reserve currency. If that happens, it’s going to mean bad things for the Dollar and higher inflation destroying the livelihood of our citizens.

The second is the coordinated efforts at the World Economic Forum and in many nations around the world – including the United States – to create central bank digital currencies and move to a cashless society. Let’s make no mistake, this is about control. Every transaction you make will be monitored. Every unit of currency is ultimately able to be controlled by computer code.

You could be frozen out of your entire life savings in an instant. Maybe you “earned” a bad social credit score, and of course, with a few keystrokes they can also inflate the heck out of the digital currency, too.

I’ve spent the last forty years building a construction company from the ground up. I wake up early, and a lot of days I get in the dirt with my guys. These are the hard-working men who build America and just want to provide for their families. I’m watching as the inflation caused by our federal government continues to destroy paychecks and saving power for them and everyone else. I’m also looking to the future and have significant concerns about whether the same American Dream will be available to future generations or whether they will be saddled with inflation, surveillance, and control.

That protection of our citizens rights and the American Dream is what my legislation is really about. It does that by making gold and silver functional money that can be transacted with the convenience of a debit card. A vote in favor of Proposition 7 is a vote in favor of a piece of legislation like mine being enacted into Texas law. It’s a vote in favor of sound money, privacy and the American Dream.

In Liberty,

Representative Mark Dorazio

Texas House District 122

*Editor’s Note: Helotes News accepts Letters to the Editor from our readers who would like to share their opinion on various community topics. Published Letters to the Editor does not constitute endorsement by Helotes News. Please visit our News Submission page if you would like to share an opinion via Letters to the Editor.

Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance Pursuing Contested Case Hearing for the Guajolote Ranch Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit

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Helotes News GEAA Contested Heating TCEQ Header Image

Earlier this month, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) decided the pending permit for the proposed Guajolote Ranch development meets all legal requirements. The TCEQ says developer Lennar Homes is not authorized to begin construction despite the recent decision and concerned citizens are continuing to fight against the permit.

Click for the TCEQ Response PDF

Last May hundreds of people packed a TCEQ public meeting to voice their opposition to the application for an on-site wastewater treatment plant for Guajolote Ranch, a proposed development in Northwest Bexar County. If the permit moves forward, it would allow the facility, located 1.75 miles Southwest of the intersection of Scenic Loop and Babcock Road, to discharge 1 million gallons of effluent into Helotes Creek daily. 

Citizen groups along with the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA) will request a contested case hearing–the next step in the legal process. 

Nathan Glavy, GEAA’s technical director, said their efforts over the past few weeks have focused on getting more neighbors south of the project involved because the TCEQ will only consider input for a contested hearing from “affected persons.” These individuals must be in close proximity to the proposed wastewater treatment facility or have property along Helotes Creek.

The TCEQ legal definition for “an affected person is anyone who has a personal justiciable interest related to a legal right, duty, privilege, power, or economic interest affected by the application.” 

Glavy said the February TCEQ deadline to request the contested hearing is quickly approaching so interested residents should contact the GEAA offices at 210-320-6298 as soon as possible to determine if they qualify.

Editorial Note: Previous reporting to include Representative Mark Dorazio’s statement are linked below:

Press Release: REP. Mark Dorazio Calls on TCEQ to Deny Permit for Wastewater Facility

Helotes Residents Urge City Council for a Resolution in Opposition to the Guajolote Ranch Wastewater Treatment Facility

Florida-Based Developer Requesting Permission to Discharge 1 Million Gallons of Wastewater into Helotes Creek

United States Patent and Trademark Office Notice of Allowance for the LINK™ Percutaneous Dynamic Bone Fixator

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Blank Paper with Hands Helotes News Metric Medical Press Release

Helotes, TX – Local medical device manufacturer Metric Medical Devices, Inc. (Metric), announced they received notice of allowance for their patent on the LINK™, a percutaneous dynamic bone fixator. This allowance has a tentative issue date in February of 2024. 

Metric expects other LINK™ pending patent applications both in the United States and International jurisdictions will issue.  Metric also hold 18 patents on its Super Staple™ and Super Scaffold™ bone fixation devices.

Metric Medical Devices, Inc. is a medical device company specializing in continuous dynamic shape changing implants for bone fixation.  Its technology continuously brings bones together to facilitate healing.

Find out more about these devices and “bringing bones together” at the website metricmd.com.

Address:

846 Silver Springs, Helotes, TX 78023

Tel: 830.535.6300

Email: info@metricmd.com

Editorial Disclosure: The owner of Helotes News LLC owns an undisclosed amount of shares in Metric Medical Devices, Inc.

Historical Society of Helotes General Meeting Announcement for February 6th, 2024

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Photo Provided by the Historical Society of Helotes.

Life After Emancipation in the San Antonio Region

The General Meeting of the Historical Society of Helotes will be held Tuesday, February 6 at the Gardens at Old Town Helotes at 15060 Antonio Drive from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. At this meeting, guest speaker Cristal Mendez, historian at the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum, will give a presentation on “Life After Emancipation in the San Antonio Region.”

This presentation will explore what life was like for African Americans in San Antonio and surrounding rural areas in the years immediately following emancipation. Formerly enslaved individuals found that freedom came with new challenges involving unfair city ordinances that kept them from advancing. Still, there were opportunities for civic leaders, entrepreneurs, and communities to flourish. Learn how their legacies have left a lasting impact on San Antonio.

A deluxe box lunch from Jason’s Deli can be ordered online at the Historical Society of Helotes website under the Meetings tab. Member cost is $15, guests $18. Order from five menu items.

The meal order is your RSVP. If you are not going to order a meal, but plan to attend, please email info@historicalsocietyofhelotes.org to RSVP. Reservation/meal order must be made by February 4. Guests who do not order a meal are asked to donate $5 at the door.

This meeting is open to the public.

Helotes City Council Unanimously Rejects MNO Partners’ Planned Unit Development Project

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2023 12 29 - Helotes News Trailhead Denied Article

The Helotes City Council voted unanimously on December 14 to deny a Planned Unit Development application from MNO Partners. The New Braunfels-based multifamily real estate investment firm sought a variance to Helotes’ zoning codes to build a mixed-use commercial and residential rental development, Trailhead at Helotes, on 21.7 acres of three tracts of land that is zoned for commercial development.

The city council’s unanimous “nay” vote followed a recommendation from the Helotes Planning and Zoning Commission to deny MNO Partners’ PUD application. The developer’s project included 15 acres for 220 one-, two-, and three-bedroom residential units for rent and six acres for commercial business use on Bandera Road, located across from the entrance to Old Town Helotes.

Before the city council’s unanimous vote, Mayor Rich Whitehead and the councilmembers heard from 13 Helotes residents, including nine who spoke against the developer’s zoning variance request. Several of these residents also stated their preference for the properties’ current zoning. “I’m perfectly happy with the original zoning,” said Charles Roberts, who lives within 200 feet of the proposed PUD. “When we bought our property, we understood that zoning,” Roberts added. Other residents who spoke against the proposed mixed-use commercial and residential rental development cited concerns that high-density rental units could bring increases in traffic, pedestrian accidents, crime, noise, and strain Helotes’ first responders and schools.

Residents against the proposed PUD project stressed the need for the properties to remain zoned for commercial business use to help ensure the city’s ability to attract new commercial and retail businesses. “There is less undeveloped commercial property left in Helotes,” said Helotes Park Estates resident Patrick McGowan. “Additional sit-down dining restaurants, specialty shops, entertainment venues, and a variety of professional services are becoming more necessary to fulfill the growing needs of our residents,” McGowan added.

Four residents spoke in favor of the proposed mixed-use commercial and residential rental development, including Karl Wanke, president of Franklin Construction Limited, a longtime Helotes resident and business owner. “Helotes needs more housing development opportunities. While these are high income units, they are still more affordable than a home purchase,” said Wanke. His company is the contractor for Gateway to Gruene, a 227-unit apartment complex developed by MNO Partners in New Braunfels.

Following public comments to the city council, David Morin, a partner at MNO Partners, shared a presentation on the proposed PUD that incorporated feedback from the city and some residents. The developer reduced the number of rental units from 366 to 220 and building height went down from three stories to two stories. The commercial space increased to 39,880 square feet, and the apartments became townhomes, duplexes, and single-family homes for rent.

“There was expressed interest in having higher end units, having units that might be more suitable for families, for nurses, police officers, college students trying to get their first jobs,” explained Morin. “This is a great spot for them to land on their feet and be part of the community,” he added. Morin also described the Trailhead at Helotes as an option for people who want to be in Helotes but can’t afford a $600,000 house with an eight percent interest rate. The monthly rent for a unit at Trailhead at Helotes would range from $1,700 to $2,875, according to Morin.

The developer also described his concept of a mixed-use commercial and residential rental development as a better alternative to the type of businesses that would be allowed under the current zoning code, such as a “big box” retail store.

“Could a big box [store] go on this property? Sure. Would one? I doubt it because it’s not on an intersection,” said Mayor Rich Whitehead. “We don’t operate in fear, and I don’t suggest we consider fear of what might go there,” Mayor Whitehead added.

While some councilmembers were pleased with the overall concept of the proposed PUD, they all expressed reservations about the project.

Place 1 Councilmember Craig Sanders said his biggest concern about the proposed mixed-use commercial and residential rental development was the balance between property taxes and sales taxes. The overall project site plan showed approximately six acres along the front of the three properties dedicated to commercial business use and 15 acres toward the back of the properties for rental townhomes, duplexes, and single-family homes. “I’m still not convinced about the business model at the very front end. I really wish you could work the numbers to flip it and be 70% commercial and 30% residential,” said Councilmember Craig Sanders. “I agree the front end is a fun, hang out kind of concept. I just don’t know if that works in Helotes,” he added.

Place 3 Councilmember Dave Cato echoed Councilmember Sanders’ concerns about sales taxes. “I would have to agree with Councilman Sanders that one of our big concerns should be the viability of our sales tax,” said Councilmember Cato. “I don’t really see that this project is going to help bridge that gap, especially if we lose our number one sales tax revenue [generating business],” he added. According to Councilmember Sanders, the city receives approximately 70% of its sales tax revenue from three businesses.

“The density is still nearly 50% more dense than the PUD that we did approve which is already the most dense project we have in all of Helotes,” said Mayor Whitehead. On October 13, 2022, Helotes City Council approved a PUD request which established Bandera Ranch, a 31.4 acre mixed-use commercial and residential rental project on property originally zoned B-3 for commercial development. The project is located at 15030 Bandera Road at the intersection of Bandera Road and Scenic Loop Road, across from QuikTrip. Bandera Ranch will consist of retail buildings fronting Bandera Road and 230 rental units behind the retail spaces along Scenic Loop Road. Land use law firm Killen, Griffin, Farrimond, PLLC served as the property owners’ agent in the PUD applications for Bandera Ranch, as well as Trailhead at Helotes.

“We have to listen to what the citizens want,” said Place 4 Councilmember Cynthia Massey, who also said she considers what is best for the community and what is legal in her evaluation of PUD applications. “This particular development that you’re proposing is not good for the citizens or for the city,” said Councilmember Massey. The proposed project’s location was another issue for her. “To give up a good retail spot that we could help direct and bring the kinds of businesses we want, to me, would be a dereliction of our duty to the city and to the citizens,” she added. In her remarks, Councilmember Massey described why the city council nixed a PUD application in 2018 for a high-density rental development in Iron Horse Canyon. The city council unanimously voted against the proposed PUD in Iron Horse Canyon after hearing from several residents who spoke in opposition to it.

The city council’s unanimous vote to deny MNO Partners’ PUD application is an end to a process that generated significant response from many of Helotes’ residents. “Since I’ve been on council I’ve gotten more citizen email and feedback against this project than any other thing than I’ve had on my agenda,” said Place 2 Councilmember Jen Sones.

During the city council’s public hearings on July 27 and December 14, there were 29 Helotes residents who spoke before the mayor and councilmembers – 24 in opposition to and five in support of the proposed PUD. Planning and Zoning Commission members heard from 19 Helotes residents – 17 in opposition to and two in support of the proposed PUD – during public hearings on July 11 and November 14. Helotes City Council and the Planning and Zoning Commission also received the names of 257 Helotes residents who signed an online petition against the proposed PUD.

“We have seen an increase in citizen involvement, and we hope to see this much attendance at all of our meetings so that everybody would be aware of everything that’s going on in our community,” said Mayor Whitehead.