SMCISD Board Of Trustees Vote On Location For New Elementary School

Hansen observed the SMCISD was in a unique position; normally, districts had to purchase land to build new campuses. According to Hansen, the district has never been given land for a new school before.

On Monday, the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees voted on the location of the district’s new elementary school on Posey Road.

Two developments, Trace and La Cima, both offered land to the school district for a new campus. The 12-acre site offered to SMCISD by Trace development was chosen on a 6 to 1 vote by the board.

Trustee Kathy Hansen voted against the Trace location due to concerns about road conditions and the presence of cement trucks on the narrow, two-lane road.

Hansen said the district will have to contact TxDot and look at upgrading the two-lane bridge to the Trace location if the new elementary school is built there.  

The board heard comments from the public about the new campus’s location during the meeting.

Dianne Wassenich, San Marcos River Foundation program director, voiced environmental concerns about the La Cima site.

Wassenich said building on the hills above town will inevitable cause flooding. While the site sits on top of the Edward’s Aquifer, the run off will quickly flow into nearby low spots or creeks before it can be seep into the ground.

According to the trustees, SMCISD may look into a campus being built in Martindale eventually.

However, the site initially looked at by the trustees lacked the infrastructure the district was looking for when they first look at it, said Trustee Miguel Arredondo.

In any case, Hansen observed the SMCISD was in a unique position; normally, districts had to purchase land to build new campuses. According to Hansen, the district has never been given land for a new school before.