Planning and Zoning Commission denies student housing apartment complex
Christopher Green | Staff Reporter
SAN MARCOS — On Jan. 25 the San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission denied a request from developer Jared Schenk to develop a purpose-built student housing development located at the intersection of North Fredericksburg Street and Pat Garrison Street.
The proposed development was a five-story student housing apartment with 139 units, 349 bedrooms with floor plans of one, two and four bedrooms. The project was proposed to sit on 2.75 acres.
Commissioner William Agnew said if built, the complex would cause difficulties for traffic in the area.
“To me it just seems like asking for trouble that we don’t need from a traffic congestion standpoint, and I can’t really prove it for that reason, primarily,” said Agnew.
Commissioner Travis Kelsey said the proposed complex seemed more like dorms and that it wouldn’t benefit the downtown area.
“I mean, let’s just call them what they are, their dorms. And I don’t see the necessity for it right now, and I think as a community, we need to support downtown and try to get more viable businesses downtown without just building more and more student housing,” said Kelsey.
Commissioner Jim Garber didn’t support the proposal because if built, developers would have to build a roundabout which he believes would cause problems for pedestrians.
“Again, the purpose of a roundabout is to keep cars moving. Cars moving, and pedestrians walking is not a good mix. It’s a formula for disaster. So, this part of the project to me is totally unacceptable,” said Garber.
Commissioner Gabrielle Moore, who voted in favor of the development, said it would be a good spot for student housing because of its location.
“They live next to campus, they live across from the grocery store. They live near restaurants, and they live near the bars.Which is, I think, the most important factor because they’re not driving around drunk in this town,” said Moore.
The next planning and zoning commission meeting will be on Feb. 22, 2022 and can be attended in person at city hall or online at SanMarcostx.gov or on Grande channel 10 and Spectrum channel 10.
Thank you to all the Texas State Students and life long residents who attended to speak out against this development. It was great to see so many people involved in our community and taking time on a Tuesday night to protect students from predatory practices and preserve San Marcos. Bobcats were rocking it at the mic!
When you are planning to affect an entire community on drunk drivers there is a bigger problem. Perhaps catering to the University has backfired.
Another reason to be glad that some current P&Z members will not be returning.
“LMC” please go pander elesewhere. Texas State students don’t need help making our city safe for their own purposes. Focus on your voter base of LGBTQXYZ and Mano Amiga. You go gyrl !
If Shane Scott had a sister. . .
It was great to see students alongside lifelong residents speaking against that high-rise downtown, which would have triggered a roundabout and made traffic even more unbearable. We’ve got some great PZ up there right now who truly listen to a diversity of public speakers. Those student-built housing projects take much extra work for our firefighters. Gee did not know anything about supporting Mano Amiga and this other “voter base” you speak! Wooo hoo more people to defeat developers. Thanks for the tip. Where were you Tuesday night along with us “Laurence C Abigail Parker” ? At home LARPing online as an involved community member. And yes, Linda, some of those PZ developer hacks have to go. Hear one of them may run for office. Good thing “Laurence C Abigail Parker” has found another voter base for us to flood the polls and defeat the next developer who tries to set up shop.
Are you able to quack and hop at the same time you write?
It’s a gift. Some of us can’t.