A Message From Mayor Chris Riley

LETTER TO LEON VALLEY CITIZENS

From Mayor Chris Riley

July 18, 2025

             OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE HILL COUNTRY!   

      We all have seen and read about the tragedy in Kerr County and surrounding areas hit by the horrific flood along the Guadalupe River. Many people are supporting the communities by donations of money, supplies, and labor and which is overwhelming to see. May the souls who have been lost or still missing rest in peace and may the surviving families grieve with support, experience closure and find solace soon.

COFFEE WITH MAYOR & COUNCIL

 Saturday, July 26^th, 9-11 am, at the Leon Valley Conference Center

       At the Coffee, Leon Valley Fire Chief Michael Naughton, will present our city’s FERP – FLOOD EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN. We are prone to flooding along Huebner Creek and do have sensors for monitoring and a siren to alert our residents to emergency flooding.  Please come and listen and learn how you and your family can be prepared in case of a flood emergency.

       The second item for discussion will be the Fiscal Year (FY) 26 budget.  This has been an extremely challenging budget due to anticipated  loss of tax revenue from reduced property values and other factors. Many cuts are being proposed, including eliminating the 4^th of July music and fireworks in the park.  The council would like to hear from our citizens as to what your priorities are. No decisions have been made – all preliminary – until we get our tax rate from Bexar Appraisal District at the end of July.  The budget is expected to be adopted on August 19^th, so this will be the best opportunity to weigh in on the FY 26 budget.

      Coffee and a continental breakfast will be served.  Hope to see you there!

CITY COUNCIL MEETING –July 15, 2025

     Our last regular council meeting was on June 3^rd since the June 17^th and July 1^st meetings were cancelled. The council and staff continued to work over this break, meeting on June 19^th for another budget workshop and July 1^st to finish discussion of agenda items from the May 31^st City Council Retreat. Thanks to the city manager and finance director for preparing and adjusting the budget numbers over these meetings!

      The following are highlights of council actions from the July 15, 2025    council meeting which began at 6:30 p.m. and ended at 9:35 p.m.

PRESENTATIONS

Texas Municipal Clerks Association (TMCA)  Achievement of Excellence Award for 2025 -2026 was presented to Saundra Passailaigue, City Secretary for excellence in the effective and efficient management of resources in her office.  She was one of 45 out of 1,225 municipalities to receive this recognition.  Ms. Passailaigue commented this was a team effort and thanked the city manager and staff who support her in the job.  Congratulations Saundra!

Finance Director Goering summarized the June, 2005
Financial Report – We are three quarters through the fiscal year ending on September 30^th.  All revenue and expenditures in both the General and Enterprise (Water) funds are within budget parameters.  The Red Light Camera revenue fines are tracking at 64.4% as of June 30, 2025 when it should be at 75%. We anticipate adopting a balanced budget on August 19, 2025.  

REGULAR AGENDA

Council Held a Public Hearing to Consider Approval of a Specific Use Permit (SUP) to allow construction and operation of a 160 foot telecommunications tower at 6004 Grissom Road – There were no objections from Council nor from property owners within 200 feet of the proposed development. Verizon Wireless will own the tower with related antennas in a 50 X 50 square fenced area, and will lease approximately 10,000 sq. ft. within a 1.0 acre tract. Proposed tower will comply with all code requirements and a building permit is required before construction.  The Council by consensus placed this item on the August 5^th Consent Agenda for approval for the second read as required by the charter.

Council Held a Public Hearing to Consider an Ordinance Amendment to Chapter 15 to delete the Sustainability and Commercial/Industrial Overlay Districts, incorporate these Overlay sections into Chapter 15 and address changes with state law. Three years ago, the Council requested this document be revised to eliminate some restrictions and to make it easier to use by the development community and staff. The document was reviewed extensively by the Planning and Zoning Commission and was forwarded to our city attorney for final review. Over 1100 letters were mailed to property owners within 200 feet and 11 were returned in opposition. Several residents came to the meeting who received the post card and had no idea what was being proposed. Several  questions by council on the changes remained:  Should the word sustainability be removed?  Should the criteria for avoiding restrictions through a PDD (Planned Development District) be reviewed?  Should the landscaping and street scape requirements be modified?  Should we reconsider removing the mixed-use zoning district? This was a first read by the council.  It was discussed to place this agenda item on the August 5^th meeting to approve at least the basic amendment, with the intention to further review each of the concerns.

Discussion and Direction on Revisions to the Short Term Rentals (STR) – This agenda item was requested by Councilors Philip Campos and Betty Heyl, following the council retreat discussion in May. Councilor Campos proposed updating the definition of “owner occupied” and if owner does not live in the unit, then owner is not eligible for any type of property tax exemptions.  He also proposed an increase from 200 feet to 300 feet from another short term rental on the same block, and notification to residents when a short term rental begins in the area.  Council reviewed  comparisons with other cities STR regulations.  A motion to request the city attorney to draft an amended STR ordinance for consideration was passed unanimously. 

          Our next city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, 2025 beginning at 6:30 pm at city hall, unless there is an executive session.

CONGRATULATIONS!

TO CRYSTAL MIRANDA, Community Relations Director, AND THE ENTIRE CITY STAFF for an outstanding job in putting on the 4^th of July Celebration in Raymond Rimkus Park, including music, food and craft vendors and of course the amazing fireworks! In spite of the weather, there was a great turnout. The city staff also reported no incidents related to the event!  The City Manager and Directors, police and fire and public works personnel put in an 18 hour day to make sure everything went as expected.  THANK YOU!

TO OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS who were appointed at this meeting:  Manuel Rubio, Sr., - Citizens Police Advisory Committee;

Eleuterio “Luther” Perez – Board of Adjustment & Earthwise Living

Rachel Elizabeth Buck Dodson – Economic & Community Development Advisory Committee and Library Advisory Board.

Mayor Pro Tem Betty Heyl volunteered to serve as council liaison for Board of Adjustment.

New Businesses in Leon Valley – Goin’ Postal, 6422 Bandera, provides postal services, rents UHAULs,  and sells wooden carved religious items, among other postal services;

Shop My Closet, 7205 Bandera Rd (2^nd floor), sells vintage women’s clothing, and

Quesadilla King, 6811 Bandera Rd, Mexican food restaurant. Please help support these new businesses!

        Hope to see you at the Coffee on July 26^th! 

        The Council and I are here to serve you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way.

Sincerely, Chris

(210) 618-2092 (cell)