The Hays County Commissioners Court officially gave its support to the Farm to Market Road 110 project on Tuesday morning.
The commissioners unanimously approved a resolution supporting the roadway. The resolution states that FM 110 is included in the approved transportation plans for Hays County, San Marcos and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, that it will “address safety and mobility needs and support economic development in the county and the city” and that the county and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) are nearing the completion of preparations such as construction design, environmental reevaluation and right-of-way acquisition.
The resolution of support was made necessary by new letting regulations for TxDOT.
“It makes it necessary for the county to take action to support the construction of FM 110,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said. “... We are getting ready to let the southern section of FM 110 in July of this year, so we need to get this resolution supported.”
On a related note, the commissioners approved an amendment to the advanced funding agreement between the county and TxDOT.
“As we all know, with any large construction project there are changes that occur,” Ingalsbe said.
The county’s general counsel, Mark Kennedy, said that initially the county and the city of San Marcos had established tax reinvestment zones (TRZs) in the eastern portion of the county and within the city to help pay for FM 110. However, since then, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion questioning whether counties can create TRZs.
“We have been talking to TxDOT since then, repurposing or reconstruing how we pay for the 110 project,” Kennedy told the commissioners.
The amendment reflects a change in funding whereby San Marcos will keep its TRZ in place and the county will sign an interlocal agreement with the city.
FM 110 is to be a loop running between State Highway 123 and Interstate Highway 35 at Yarrington Road. The first section, also known as the southern section, will run between SH 123 to FM 621. The second section will go from FM 621 to SH 80, and the third will go from SH 80 to the interstate.
