EDC McCullough Presentation Project Plans 2021

 The Olmos Park Economic Development Corporation (the EDC) was created in 2009. Its goal and its purpose are to aid commercial establishments in Olmos Park. Many things have happened since then in preparation for changes and improvements to come along what is often referred to as “the McCullough corridor”. In February of 2013 a survey was accomplished of the city’s right of way along McCullough Avenue through the city. This survey, among other things, clearly located and included a graphical representation of the location of where the western curb of McCullough should be, a location that is from about 18 inches into what is now the street close to the railroad tracks crossing McCullough to the North to about 12 inches or less at the traffic circle at McCullough and Olmos Drive. Then, in May of the same year, City Public Service accomplished a re-location of the power/light poles along McCullough. In April of 2014 the EDC commissioned landscape drawings for the McCullough corridor and in June of that year a complete traffic study was carried out in order to assist in planning for the corridor along the west side of McCullough, including any street improvements, curb and sidewalk improvements and any landscaping improvements.

Then, beginning in January of 2015, discussion, planning and work began on new building ordinances for parking, landscaping and construction for the Commercial District on the west side of McCullough from the railroad tracks to the traffic circle and on both sides of McCullough from the traffic circle south to the city limit. These efforts were carried out cooperatively by City Council, the EDC and the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission) (the “P&Z”)(at the direction of City Council) where the work on drafting of proposed ordinances was done. This was neither an easy nor a rapid process as it required much thought, planning and drafting.

            Meanwhile, in April of 2015 a set of “50% plans” were approved for a proposed street and sidewalk improvement of McCullough from the railroad tracks to the traffic circle, incorporating the planned new ordinances being worked on by the P&Z. Also, during 2015, a needed engineering study was undertaken in aid of the planning and other work being done.

            Along the way, much discussion and consideration was given, both by council and by the EDC, to the question of striping of bicycle lanes along McCullough in order to continue through the City of Olmos Park those which had been placed in the City of San Antonio along McCullough to the south. Finally, since a great deal of expense and effort was being expended throughout Bexar County on a system of striping of major streets for bicycle lanes to facilitate safer use of the streets by bicycle traffic, it was proposed and decided to place striping for bicycle lanes at least as a test, both to see how they would work and to see what, if any, comment might be received from Olmos Park residents.  McCullough, as it passes through Olmos Park, is of differing widths at different locations from the city limit to the south to the city limit at the railroad tracks to the north, a condition that complicates traffic issues along McCullough.

            Finally, in December of 2018, what has been called the McCullough Demonstration Project was approved and work began on the preparation and finalizing of plans for the project. Plan execution will occur on the west side of McCullough in Olmos Park from the railroad tracts to Clarence street and will incorporate the new ordinances and include capturing as additional sidewalk space all of the city right of way to the street. The final plans include new, wider sidewalk and landscaping. Hopefully, as intended, the result will be a far more pedestrian friendly space that also results in extending and reinforcing the pedestrian friendly atmosphere to the businesses on McCullough. This “demonstration plan” is intended to illustrate what McCullough could look like if all of the new ordinances were “built out” at once.

            Getting to today in this project has been slow but steady and has required cooperation among City Council, the EDC, the P&Z and has included working with the owners of Cowboy Kennels, whose entry and parking are affected by the project.

            Also accomplished along the way during the planning and development of this demonstration project a mutual cooperation agreement with the City of San Antonio was agreed upon which allows the City of Olmos Park to issue all building permits for the west side of McCullough, and beyond the westerly city limit of Olmos Park into San Antonio for any property within Olmos Park facing McCullough as any such property may extend across the western city limit boundary of Olmos Park into San Antonio. This allows a “single source” application for building permits for the affected real estate and any existing buildings together with any review, platting, issuance of building permits and inspection of any resulting construction or remodeling, all to be done by the City of Olmos Park.

            This construction project is being paid for entirely from funds generated by sales tax collections of the EDC that have been set aside by the EDC for the project and approved as required by the City Council.

            There are MANY residents of Olmos Park who have contributed to the effort by volunteering their time and/or by serving on the City Council, the EDC and/or the P&Z, along with the tireless work of our City Manager, Celia DeLeon and others on the city’s staff without whose efforts COMMENCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION would not be possible. So, beginning in about the last week of January 2021 (gee, whatever happened to 1975?!), construction on the Demonstration Project from the railroad tracts to Clarence Street will begin. There WILL be inconveniences for all of us, but the end result is surely to be a welcomed change for McCullough as folks enter Olmos Park from the north across the railroad tracks and this demonstration project can show the owners of property in the Olmos Park commercial district along McCullough what the rest of the McCullough corridor can look like once all of the “new ordinances” enacted over the course of the past few years are incorporated into those properties as and when they apply. Special thanks to architect and resident Barry Sturrock who has volunteered as a member and President of the EDC and has continued as a special consultant to the EDC for this project.