SMART Terminal decision possible tonight
The SMART (San Marcos Air, Rail, Truck) Terminal project returns to the city council agenda tonight in the form of an executive session item and potential action.
The council’s agenda for its 6 p.m. meeting includes an item to “consider action, by motion,” an executive session item regarding a potential Chapter 380 Economic Development incentive agreement for the project.
The SMART Terminal has stirred quite a bit of controversy in the community. Some residents are in favor of the development, which would bring an industrial rail park to San Marcos that has the potential to double the city’s tax rolls besides providing jobs. However, some residents — particularly those in the Blanco River Village neighborhood and several in the Martindale area who live near the site — have spoken out against it, citing environmental, traffic and quality-of-life concerns. One group has organized into “SMARTER San Marcos” and is petitioning the council to require the developer to offer alternative sites before council grants approval, annexation and heavy industrial rezoning to the current proposed site.
A press release from the group states that members will ask council at tonight’s meeting to require an environmental impact study and a traffic study for the current proposed site before any type of zoning or development agreement is approved.
“SMARTER San Marcos will ask the council to slow down and ensure that stakeholder questions are answered, citizen voices are heard and alternative sites away from the river are considered,” the press release states.
The press release also states that the group is not opposed to an industrial and transportation terminal; it is opposed to the current proposed location along State Highway 80 and Farm to Market Road 1984, some 1,200 feet from the San Marcos River.
Council is also slated to fill vacancies on the Human Services Advisory Board and San Marcos Commission on Children and Youth, reappoint council member Lisa Prewitt to the Capital Area Rural Transportation System Board of Directors and reconsider the appointment of the property owner, business owner or resident of the Downtown Historic District position on the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. Jordan Buckley was named to that position on Feb. 5, but Tuesday night’s agenda states, “following the appointments it was determined that there was a need for reconsideration to ensure that the property owner, business owner, or resident of the Downtown Historic District position required by Ordinance are filled appropriately.”
In other business, council is set to vote on a construction contract for improvements to Anita Reyes Park and on a slew of Homeland Security grant applications for emergency warning sirens, emergency operations center technology upgrades, an emergency mobile command vehicle and continuity of operations measures.
Council will meet in the council chambers at City Hall, 630 E. Hopkins St., at 6 p.m. City council meetings are televised live on Spectrum Ch. 10 and Grande Ch. 16 or 123-16 and streamed online.
