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The San Marcos City Council will discuss "stealth dorms" during Tuesday’s meeting following a recommendation from the city’s neighborhood commission.
The commission recommended that the city council, "address the impact of stealth dorms in single family neighborhoods, and provide direction to staff."
Stealth dorms often arise when a large amount of people room together in a dwelling. The city’s land development currently limits the amount of unrelated occupants living in a single-family dwelling. According to city code, “ All dwelling units located in SF-R (rural residential district), Single Family District-11, Single Family District-6 (R-1), Single Family District-4.5, Duplex Restricted District, Townhouse Residential District and Patio Home, Zero-Lot-Line Residential District zoning districts shall be restricted to occupancy by a family, and up to one other person who is not related to any of the family members by blood, legal adoption, marriage, or conservatorship.”
The neighborhood commission recommends the city address stealth dorms following an October meeting that raised concerns about a dwelling at 609 Sturgeon St. According to the council work packet, “The property in question is a two story, 4 bedroom/4 bathroom design that the commissioners feel is not cohesive with the Blanco Gardens neighborhood and provides a stealth dorm scenario. Michael Ostrowski, assistant director of planning & development, presented the commissioners with zoning information, regulation standards and land development codes. Ostrowski noted that the builder of 609 Sturgeon was in compliance with permitting requirements and other regulations required by the City. He noted that Planning & Development regulates by use, in this case single family, meaning no more than two unrelated persons living in home. Planning does not and cannot regulate number of beds/baths.”
Discussions on stealth dorms have previously occurred in cities with major universities. In 2014, the Austin City Council limited the amount of unrelated adults who could live together in a single-family structure from six to four. In 2015, Fort Worth voted to limit the amount of unrelated adults living in a single-housekeeping unit to five.
The neighborhood commission recommends that the city council direct the city manager and staff to “modify the development code immediately so that stealth dorms are not allowed in single family residential areas and track any complaints or verified stealth dorm activity so data can be developed to write additional, stronger development code language if necessary.”
In other business, the council will consider the approval of two assistant city managers during Tuesday’s meeting. Stephanie Reyes, who is currently serving as interim assistant city manager, has been appointed as assistant city manager and will be appointed on Dec. 17 pending council's approval. The city will consider approval an unnamed assistant city manager.
The council will also consider appointment and/or reappointment to Position Five of the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) No. 5 (Downtown) Board of Directors. The council has been recommended to vote for either Bobby Warren (previously approved for appointment at Hays County Commissioners Court on Nov. 26) or Kyle Mylius.
Additionally, the council will also consider approval, on the first of two readings, of Ordinance 2019-46, which amends chapter 82, Traffic and Vehicles, of the San Marcos City Code, by adding a new Article 9 “that prohibits motor-assisted scooters on public property, streets and sidewalks; providing a savings clause; providing for the repeal of any conflicting provisions.”
Tuesday’s meeting takes place at 6 p.m. at 630 E. Hopkins St.
