San Marcos City Council To Consider Local Landmark Designation For Cape’s Dam And More

By, Terra Rivers, Managing Editor

On Tuesday, the San Marcos City Council will consider several items including the designation of “Thompson/Cape Dam and Ditch Engineering Structure” as a local historic landmark.

In September 2018, the San Marcos Historic Preservation Commission voted to file a petition on behalf of the property owner, the City of San Marcos, to designate the Thompson/Cape Dam and Ditch Engineering Structure as a local historic landmark.

The Commission voted to recommend the designation to Planning and Zoning in October. However, planning and zoning voted to deny the designation at their November 23 meeting.

Tonight, the designation will make its final stop on the designation process with a public hearing in front of City Council before a vote for approval or denial by council members.

The Planning and Commission’s recommendation of denial of the designation will require an “affirmative vote” of six councilmembers to approve the request. According to the agenda, staff recommends the approval of the request as it “meets the criteria of Section 2.5.4.5.”

During the October 2018 meeting, San Marcos Historic Preservation Commission Commissioner Ryan Perkins said, “To me, the question that lies before us is, is it historical? Is it a landmark? It meets the criteria in every way.”

Perkins noted that the designation of the dam and engineering structure did not necessarily mean it would not or could not be removed as at least one structure designated as a local landmark had been torn down in the past.

In addition to the designation, the City Council will hold an executive session to deliberate and receive a staff presentation regarding a 380 Economic Development Incentive agreement with the S.M.A.R.T Terminal. City Council will also deliberate and receive a briefing regarding the potential amendment to the Chapter 380 Economic Development incentive agreement with Urban Mining.

As part of the consent agenda, council members will consider the approval of several items related to the city budget including the sale of three surplus police cars to the Kyle Police Department and the approval of a renewal agreement between the city and Knight Security Systems LLC.

Knight Security System LLC agreement is for the “provision of professional high tech services, maintenance and equipment related to security in the estimated amount of $225,575.57 through the Texas Comptroller of Public Account’s Department of Information Resources program.”  

City Council will consider “amending the 2018-2019 Fiscal Year Budget to allocate up to $8,250,000 to be applied toward the costs for construction of the Rattler Electric Substation off of Clovis Barker Road Avenue” on the first of two readings.

Finally, Mayor Jane Hughson will provide council with a brief update regarding her membership on various regional Capital Area Council of Governments, CAPCOG, and Capital Area Metro Planning Organization, CAMPO, committees.