The San Marcos City Council considered two items related to a purpose-built student housing development located between West Hutchison Street and Pat Garrison Street as well as North Comanche Street and North Fredericksburg Street in the downtown area at the regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday. The council voted six to one, approving the Conditional Use Permit, which would allow purpose-built student housing in that area, with the restrictive covenant that the applicant could not sell the property to a nontaxpaying entity for 12 years from the Certificate of Occupancy, or the date it is up and running. The council voted six to one granting a request to allow for the increase in maximum building height requirements from five to seven stories; The height would stay the same only the amount of floors would increase.
San Marcos Planning and Development Director Amanda Hernandez said the Planning and Zoning commission suggested a denial of the item.
Hernandez said the location is currently used for office rentals. She said there would be more vehicular and foot traffic due to the new complex. The zoning for that location Character District - 5, which does allow purpose-built student housing with a Conditional Use Permit. Hernandez clarified that they could build multi-family units with the current zoning and without the CUP that could be rented by students but couldn’t be marketed solely to students.
