By Cheryl Sullenger
San Antonio, TX – A coalition of pro-life groups in San Antonio has obtained a court order blocking Planned Parenthood from opening their new 22,000 square foot facility in San Antonio until issues can be resolved regarding proper zoning, building safety standards, traffic safety and neighborhood buffering.
Knowing that Planned Parenthood’s current abortion facility, located at 104 Babcock Road in San Antonio, cannot meet minimum safety standards contained in the 2013 abortion law, the abortion business has scrambled to build a new facility that will be in compliance once all the provisions of the law once it goes into effect.
According to Stop Planned Parenthood SA Coalition (SPPSA), Planned Parenthood has used deception in an attempt to fast-track the opening of their new building, which is expected to have the capacity to do 2,800 surgical abortions per year.
However, despite apparent rush to get the new building up and running, their expected opening date in January, 2015, has come and gone with no hard open date in sight, thanks to the pro-life efforts.
At issue is the building’s location next to a residential neighborhood and a potential zoning conflict at the new facility, which is located at 2140 Babcock Road, just down the street from their current substandard clinic.
Seeking to block the clinic’s opening, pro-life activists filed suit against the City of San Antonio and Planned Parenthood South Texas and obtained a temporary restraining order against the City that prevents them from issuing the permits that could allow the abortion clinic to open. (Franco v. Sanchez, et al, Case number 2015CI00039)
“The legal team supporting the Stop Planned Parenthood effort has successfully secured a court order preventing the city from issuing a certificate of occupancy and from approving a special use permit for now,” stated a SPPSA press release. “The city department in charge of issuing permits for building constructions has issued conflicting opinions on whether a major ambulatory surgical center can be provided a zoning permit as a C1 business, usually issued to mom and pop businesses. The new Planned Parenthood site is zoned C1, while similar medical centers in San Antonio are zoned C3.”
Other coalition initiatives have successfully slowed construction. At least two venders, including an electrical contractor and a cement supplier, have canceled their contracts to work on the building, creating delays as Planned Parenthood searched for new contractors.
In addition, the pro-life groups are conducting regular rallies, sidewalk activities, and press conferences to inform the community about the problems with the new abortion clinic and to build public support for stopping Planned Parenthood’s attempted abortion expansion. They have been speaking out at city council meetings as well as contacting the Mayor and other city officials in opposition to Planned Parenthood’s fast-track process.
“This isn’t the first time that abortion clinics have attempted to relocate into areas that are not zoned for their kind of business or in inappropriate areas adjacent to residential neighborhoods. We continue to oppose these attempts in several cities, including Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Huntsville, Alabama,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue and co-author of the book, Abortion Free, which details tactics to close abortion clinics similar to those in use by the San Antonio pro-life groups. “We applaud the efforts of the Stop Planned Parenthood SA Coalition, because every day that facility remains closed is another day that Planned Parenthood abortionists cannot take innocent lives there.”
Once the facility regulations in HB2 clear the courts and are allowed to take effect, Planned Parenthood’s old clinic will be forced to close. If San Antonio pro-life groups have their way, Planned Parenthood will have no place to go.
If the abortion clinic is allowed to open, pro-life activists are concerned that it will attempt to aggressively market abortions to women all over Texas, making San Antonio an “abortion tourism” destination that will increase abortion numbers that have fallen dramatically since parts of HB2 have gone into effect.
Take Action!
Please help with this important effort by sending a respectful message to San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor to express opposition to Planned Parenthood relocating their abortion business near a residential neighborhood that is not zoned for ambulatory surgical centers. To learn more visit BloodMoneySA.com.
Contact:
San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor
Mayor’s Comment Line: 210-207-2280
E-Mail: Mayor.IvyTaylor@sanantonio.gov