Where is Sandy Oaks?

If you head south on I-37 from San Antonio heading towards Corpus Christi, it would easy to pass up this newest city-in-the-making.  For many years, this part of the southern most portion of Bexar County has been extremely rural, vastly under developed, and mostly ignored by both the City of San Antonio and Bexar County.  A developer by the name of G. G. Gale purchased some land way back in 1987 just south of Loop 1604 and named it Waterwood.  The vision outlined for the community has not lived up to the expectations of the residents, mostly due to the lack of enforcement of deed restrictions.

Over the years, many have expressed dissatisfaction with paying annual maintenance fees to Waterwood Development for the lack of upkeep in the neighborhood.  A group of individuals have been involved with the Waterwood Park Property Owners Assocation (WPPOA) but their involvement in resolving any issues has been ineffectual at best.  Many in the community view the WPPOA as a cluster of annoyed residents who assumed a position of authority with no means to rectify any issue.  The WPPOA remains a cloistered mystery to the majority of residents.

At some point in 2010, these same WPPOA members created the Committee to Incorporate Sandy Oaks (CISO), with Pedro Orduno as the Committee Chair and Jim Clement as the Vice-Chair.  Both of these individuals are long time residents of Waterwood and along with CISO, they formed the Sandy Oaks Political Action Committee (SOPAC).  There were two previous attempts at incorporation which failed, for reasons only known to the small group of WPPOA/CISO/SOPAC.  Throughout a secret campaign, they were able to silently push through the latest incorporation, surprising many in Waterwood and the surrounding areas now known as Sandy Oaks.

The area is comprised largely of residential properties, with roughly 50% of those properties appraised at less than $20,000 on the Bexar County Appraisal District tax rolls. The meager commercial tax base consists of a Valero gas station with an adjoining convenience store, a fireworks stand and a quasi-convenience store.  There is very limited land available for additional commercial interests, and with the SOPAC pushing for a city tax of $.38 cents, the majority of the revenues will be gleaned from the near empty pockets of the residents of Waterwood and other surrounding residential properties.

Elections are underway for Mayor (unopposed) and 5 positions on the city council. The race will be decided on August 9, 2014.

The original request for land to be released from the San Antonio ETJ was impressive and would have provided a good commercial tax base for the city.

What was approved is something that will present immense challenges to providing services at a tax rate the residents can afford.





With no budget, no money in the bank, and very little commercial tax base, the doors to the new city open after the swearing in of the mayor and council members on August 13, 2014.