San Marcos City Council Meeting To Cover SB 4, Final Vote On Code SMTX & Borrowing $2.6 Million For Purgatory Wildenthal Track

In 2017, La Cima offered to cover the costs over and above the roughly $2 million grant and included $1.5 million in cash for the same tract but the offer was rejected by staff and a subcomittee of city council members.

NOTE: all items, #2 – #13 are on the Consent Agenda. This means the council can pass all at once with no discussion.

Tomorrow’s San Marcos City Council will start off with their normal closed door executive session. This week they will be discussing and reviewing Senate Bill 4 (SB4) with their attorneys.

More information on city council & SB 4

• San Marcos City Council Votes To Join SB4 Fight
• San Marcos City Council Schedules Special Meeting, Second Thoughts on SB4 Fight?
• San Marcos City Council Releases Statement On SB4
• Will The San Marcos City Council Take An Official Stand On SB4 Tonight? If So, What Will It Mean For You?

CONSENT AGENDA: Following the executive session, council will hold the second of two readings on (#4) raising water and wastewater impact fees to be charged to builders/developers based on peak flows.

Peak flows would mean charging the builders/developers during flooding peak flows.

CONSENT AGENDA: The council will consider (#5) adopting Guiding Principles for the 2018 City of San Marcos Federal Program Activities; and declaring an effective date.

Background: Recently council worked with Normandy Group, the City’s Federal Legislative consultants, to update guiding principles to aid the City staff and elected officials in advancing the interests of our community with the federal Congressional delegation and with federal agencies involved in the funding and regulation of assets and services provided by the City to our residents.

CONSENT AGENDA: City councilmembers will consider (#7) approving the award of a contract for San Marcos Electric Utility Substation Maintenance Services to Pike Electric, LLC in the estimated amount of $39,384.

CONSENT AGENDA: Councilmembers will consider (#8) approving the award of a contract to LJ Power, Inc. for maintenance, repair, and parts for San Marcos Water and Wastewater Facilities Generators in the estimated amount of $37,735.

CONSENT AGENDA: Council will also consider (#9) approving the award of a contract to Texas Utility Engineering, Inc. for the Annual Utility Pole Loading and Structural Soundness Survey in the estimated amount of $31,250.

CONSENT AGENDA: The discussion of parkland will return to the dias tomorrow night as councilmembers discuss (#10) borrowing $2.26 million to purchase approximately 151 acres of land for the third and final acquisition out of the Wildenthal Tract.

The city will be looking to the Federal Grant Funds from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the purchase. Additionally, council will authorize the extension of any federal grant restrictions to the abutting approximately 52 acres acquired in phase two.

Background: This is the same tract of land that La Cima offered to cover the costs over and above the grant (roughly $2 million) and included $1.5 million in cash, which the city could use in any way they wanted or it could have allowed the city to development of a trailhead, parking and any additional facilities, including restrooms. Read more HERE.

Read more on the city spending millions of citizen tax dollars to purchase more parkland

• San Marcos Getting Another Bite Of The La Cima Apple Worth $7M Plus Golden-Cheeked Warbler Breeding Grounds
• SMRF’s $4.4 Million Property Purchase Returns To Dias This Afternoon
• San Marcos Looks At More Parkland; How Much Do They Own Again?
• How Much Parkland Does The City Of San Marcos Own

CONSENT AGENDA: Another topic of discussion will be (#11) approving the purchase of ten (10) 2018 Dodge Charger Police vehicles for the San Marcos Police Department for the total purchase amount of $221,766 from Cowboy Motor Company, LC.

CONSENT AGENDA: City council members will consider (#12) approving the purchase of the Parking Mobility Software Application, including training and support, in the total purchase amount of $38,000.00 annually from Access Empowerment. 

Background: Parking Mobility is a 501c3 non-profit company that assists communities to better handle their accessible parking space abuse problems. The company trains interested citizen volunteers to use a smart phone app to document and submit Accessible Parking violations.

CONSENT AGENDA: Council will also discuss (#13) approving the terms and conditions of two subordination agreements between the City of San Marcos, Compass Bank and Berry Aviation, Inc. to secure Compass Bank’s lien as superior in regards to aircraft and aircraft components purchased with loan proceeds and located in two separate hangars at the San Marcos Regional Airport.  

Background: Berry Aviation, Inc., a long-term tenant of the Airport, secured a loan for the purchase of aircraft and aircraft components from Compass Bank.

The Airport, as landlord, has a statutory lien against the personal property of Berry in the event of default. Compass Bank has requested the attached subordination agreements (one for each leased hangars) to evidence the Airport’s agreement that the Compass Bank lien is senior as to the personal property owned by Berry Aviation.

NON-CONSENT AGENDA: The final vote on Code SMTX

In the non-consent agenda, Code SMTX returns in front of City Council under the non-consent agenda. Council members will (#14) consider on the second of two readings three ordinances, Ordinance 2018-02, 2018-03 and 2018-4 and (#15) approving an action plan that outlines further measures to be taken to implement or enhance the purposes and objectives of the newly adopted San Marcos Development Code and associated changes to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

1. Ordinance 2018-02, adopting a new San Marcos Development Code (“CodeSMTX”), including appendices (the “Design Manual”), under Subpart B of the San Marcos City Code to replace both the current Land Development Code under Subpart B and the San Marcos Smartcode under Subpart C of the San Marcos City Code; approving other technical references to be used by City Staff in administering the new San Marcos Development Code; providing for penalties; providing a savings clause; providing for the repeal of any conflicting provisions; and providing an effective date; and consider approval of Ordinance 2018-02, on the first of two readings.
2. Ordinance 2018-03, amending the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Vision San Marcos: A River runs Through Us, by amending various sections for consistency with the goals of the City’s new Development Code (“CodeSMTX”), including providing updated descriptions of and visions for identified Development Zones, establishing existing Neighborhood Areas or Land Preservation Areas as two types of areas of stability, providing new descriptions for types of Development Corridors, and amending the boundaries of Activity Nodes, Employment Centers and Intensity Zones described in the Preferred Scenario Map; providing a savings clause; providing for the repeal of any conflicting provisions; and providing an effective date; and consider approval of Ordinance 2018-02, on the first of two readings.
3. Ordinance 2018-04, amending various sections of the San Marcos City Code for consistency with, or to complement the concurrent adoption of the new San Marcos Development Code (“CodeSMTX”); providing a savings clause; providing for the repeal of any conflicting provisions; and providing an effective date; and consider approval of Ordinance 2018-04, on the first of two readings.

More on Code SMTX

• The Final Draft Code SMTX Coming To P&Z And City Council
• San Marcos City Council Defers Code SMTX Public Hearing
• San Marcos To Hold Code SMTX Environmental Workshop
• San Marcos City Council P&Z Holding Joint Meeting Final Draft Of Code SMTX
• San Marcos City Council Prepares For Final Draft Of Code SMTX
• Land Development Code In The Works
• Project Code SMTX Moves Toward Finalization

To view full agenda click HERE.