S. Guadalupe Student-Housing Complex Watershed Plan Faces P&Z

The proposed project will be a five-story student housing on the 3.27-acre site formally home to Tuttle Lumber Co at 228 S. Guadalupe St.

By, Terra Rivers, Managing Editor

The San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve the ETR Development Consulting’s watershed protection plan for the proposed student housing complex at S. Guadalupe street, Tuesday.

The proposed project will be a five-story student housing on the 3.27-acre site formally home to Tuttle Lumber Co at 228 S. Guadalupe St.

The property will fall in the updated Federal Emergency Management Administration 100-year flood plain map that will be finalized in July. The flood maps show areas that have a higher risk of flooding during a storm.

However, the analysis of the watershed plan states the proposed project will reduce the level of floodwaters by an approximate average 0.4 inches during a 100-year flood.

Before the development project could move forward, the developers had to show the project would have “no adverse impact on flows discharging from the site” into Purgatory creek.

ETR Development Consulting has been working closely with the engineering department to ensure the project did not have an impact on the surrounding area.

A portion of Purgatory creek will be widened to convey more water and ensure the property stays out of the flood plain. The first floor of the development will also be built two feet above the floodplain.

Though the plan originally failed to meet one of the required criteria, staff said a revised plan addressing the issue had been submitted and approved Monday.

Planning and zoning approved the watershed protection plan for the student-housing development; the commission also approved the final plat for the development.

With the approval of the watershed protection plan, the student-housing development will move forward with the project; since the property is located within the T-5 SmartCode area, developers could begin requesting building and site permits in the coming weeks.