City council discusses annexation, zoning projects

The San Marcos City Council hosted a slew of public hearings surrounding annexation and zoning during its meeting on Tuesday. 

The council received a staff presentation and held a public hearing related to annexing into the city approximately 2.527 acres of land generally located on Centerpoint Road approximately 340' northwest of the intersection between Centerpoint Road and Gregson's Bend.

Following the hearing, councilmembers voted in favor of postponing the item until their Feb. 15 meeting. 

The next presentation and public hearing amending the Official Zoning Map of the City, rezoning approximately 70.89 acres, more or less out of the Edward Burleson Survey, from Planning Area (PA), Future Development (FD), and General Commercial (GC) to Character District-5 (CD-5). 

The public hearing included comments from the applicant, Tyler Sibley addressing feedback questions previously posed by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

“The current land use is planned to be a mix of product types including multifamily, attached townhomes, which is a missing product type in this part of San Marcos and throughout the community,” Sibley said. “My continued hope and dream to bring a Top Golf or a Top Golf-like concept to this part of San Marcos. That, coupled with additional drainage facilities that will need to support this additional CD-5 development.” 

Ultimately, councilmembers voted 6-1 to postpone this item for their next meeting. 

Another public hearing and presentation were given related to annexing into the city approximately 105.41 acres of land, commonly known as 1601 E. McCarty Lane together with an approximately 13.55-acre road segment. 

According to the presentation from Director of Planning and Development Service Shannon Mattingly, the applicant is proposing the development of a logistics warehouse facility. 

James Griffin and Brian Brooke spoke on behalf of the applicant, Trammell Crow Company 

“We are asking for zoning upon annexation for about 17 acres to the Character District 1, that’s actually for floodplain and flood plain protection,” Griffin said. “Up there we will have detention elsewhere on sight. The remaining property, about 88 acres going to, requesting to go to, LI, Light Industrial for an advanced manufacturing logistics center project on the property.” 

The council went on to approve of the annexation regarding the property 6-1. 

The following two items were relating to the rezoning of the 17.420 acres of land from “FD” Future Development District to “CD-1” Character District-1, and the 87.998 acres of land from “FD” Future Development to “LI” Light Industrial District related to the same project previously mentioned. 

During the first public hearing, San Marcos Resident Lisa Marie Coppoletta voiced her concerns about flooding in the property area. 

“I’m sorry, I just think this area floods, I’ve been caught in that area before leaving the high school and the water rises very quickly. I just don’t see the logic of using a flood area, a floodplain as detention, that’s like putting a drug addict in charge of a medicine cabinet,” Coppoletta said. 

The first request regarding the  17.420 acres was passed by council 7-0. 

Following the second presentation and public hearing, Councilmember Maxfield Baker expressed his concerns regarding traffic for residents in the location and the location of the project being so close to San Marcos High School. 

Griffin further clarified that a house close behind the property is actually part of the family selling the property and has further issued a letter in support of the zoning and project. 

Councilmember Mark Gleason then made a motion to put a restrictive covenant on the property to not allow waste-related services. 

Before voting on the amendment, Mayor Jane Hughson made her position clear on why she supported the project.  

“I want to explain briefly why I’m supporting this and that is to bring jobs to San Marcos,” Hughson said. “These folks are not buying this land to let it sit and the types of jobs that will be I think are going to be the kind of jobs we’re looking for, for many of the folks who live in San Marcos.”

The amendment was approved by council along with the motion as amended, 6-1. 

The next presentation and public hearing had to do with amending the Official Zoning Map of the City by rezoning approximately 0.294 acres of land, being Lot 46 of the A.M Ramsay Subdivision, located at 101-103 Lockhart Street from “D” Duplex District to “ND-3” Neighborhood Density-3 District. 

“The goal of this project is to take this legacy duplex and carefully kind of do a lot split, leave the existing duplex using a property down the demising wall or the way that separates the two different units, maintain that existing structure and then add another structure,” said applicant Andrew Nance. 

Nance further went on to say that the goal is to take a multi-family property and make it into a single-family. 

Councilmember Saul Gonzales made a motion to deny, explaining, “I don’t think it’s compatible to that neighborhood.” 

Councilmember Mark Gleason also added, “I will be voting against it, but this is the type of stuff that we do need to have these deep conversations as a community where we’re going to put these type of projects.” 

The motion to deny was passed by council 4-2 with Councilmember Shane Scott recusing his vote. 

Councilmembers  received a presentation and held a public hearing to approve a development agreement with Whisper Master Community Limited Partnership in connection with the Whisper East Development providing for annexation and regulating the development of approximately 153.09 acres of land in the City’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, generally located at the Southeast corner of the Harris Hill Road and Yarrington Road Intersection. 

The council went on to approve of the item 6-1. 

The final presentation and public hearing held were related to the submission of an application for low-income housing tax credits to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for the proposed LIV at Whisper Hills Multifamily Housing Project.

The property is located in the 500 Block of Celebration Way within the Whisper Planned Development District (PDD). The applicant is proposing a 267-unit senior (55+) multifamily project. 

Project applicant Mark Tolley spoke during the public hearing saying, “There are presently 178 low-income seniors on the San Marcos Housing Authority waiting list for affordable housing, this project would have the capacity to house them all.” 

Several councilmembers showed their support for the project with many emphasizing the need for housing in San Marcos. 

“I share my colleagues' sentiment that it’s necessary and I appreciate the detailed responses to all the concerns from the committe,” Councilmember Alyssa Garza said. 

The council passed the motion 7-0. 

For the complete meeting and agenda, visit http://san-marcos-tx.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=9