The Historic and Design Review Commission on Wednesday approved a proposed nature playscape and accompanying water feature at Brackenridge Park, despite objections from some commissioners and members of the public about impacts to large heritage trees and how the water feature would be maintained.

The commission voted after a presentation from Chris Matri, chief executive officer of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy, and Michael Killeen, the project landscape architect. Matri told commissioners the design team hired Urban Tree Company to evaluate heritage trees and that 20 trees would be relocated within the park; "We are not removing any. We are relocating 20 trees," he said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The site is a heavily used, historic segment of Brackenridge Park that adjoins the San Antonio River and provides shade and habitat valued by residents. Several public speakers urged the Conservancy and city to avoid cutting significant trees and to preserve bird habitat. Commissioners pressed the project team for clarity on tree-protection methods, water treatment and bridge access that would link the playscape to surrounding neighborhoods.

What the Conservancy told the commission:
- The project will add 94 new trees on the two-acre site (42 shade trees and 52 ornamentals) and relocate 20 existing trees; Matri said private funds would pay for irrigation and trees and that "$726,000 of this project are going towards irrigation, ornamental, and shade trees."
- The Conservancy said Parks and Recreation staff will maintain the water feature and the system will be remotely monitored and chlorinated; Matri said the Parks aquatic team committed to maintaining pumps and motors and that the water feature would be shut down when necessary.
- The bridge linking the site to parking and the broader riverwalk area is currently an alternate, unfunded element; project staff said they are actively fundraising and have coordinated placement with the San Antonio River Authority.

Public concerns: Multiple speakers in public comment — including Ellen Patterson, an attorney who described the value of the park's heritage trees and birdlife, and Kathleen Trinchard, who warned digital signage and other modern intrusions were changing downtown — urged the commission to protect trees and wildlife and to ensure full community input. Ida Ayala, a longtime resident, asked the Conservancy to honor earlier assurances that "not a single large heritage or significant tree would be cut." Those speakers were cited during the commission’s questioning.

Commission reaction and conditions: Commissioners repeatedly pressed the team on details: depth of excavation near root zones, methods for root pruning and transplant survival, and contingency plans if the River Authority requires a different bridge location. Several commissioners said relocation and robust arborist oversight were essential to approval. The commission approved the application with staff stipulations and without a requirement to redesign the water feature; the roll call vote recorded several "nays" but a majority approved the project.

What happens next: The Conservancy will proceed to permitting and must follow the arborist’s methods for tree protection, the Parks maintenance plan for the water feature, and any additional conditions required by the River Authority for the bridge. The Conservancy said it had committed private funds and that Parks staff would perform ongoing maintenance.

Ending: The vote clears the way for construction to proceed through permitting, but several commissioners and public speakers said they will watch implementation closely, particularly tree-transplant survival and any future changes to the bridge plan.