Subcommitee to probe further into Lindsey Hill plans
As expected for any meeting involving a discussion of the proposed Lindsey Hill development, numerous residents shared their opinions with the San Marcos City Council on Tuesday. The council heard an update from staff on the developers’ Preferred Scenario Amendment request and took no action. Council did tell city staff that they would like a future agenda item to form a council subcommittee to discuss Lindsey Hill.
The proposed development would be located on Hutchison Street at the site of the old Lamar campus. Lamar previously served as San Marcos High School and was among the first campuses, if not the first campus, in the state to desegregate. Before that, the property was the site of the Coronal Institute, a coeducational facility founded in the 1860s. Some residents — both near the proposed development and from other areas of town — are in favor of it, citing a need for more non-student housing and a desire for redevelopment of the site. One of the commonly cited concerns about Lindsey Hill is the historical value of the site, but residents opposed to the development have raised other issues, such as concerns about flooding, traffic and setting a precedent for other developers wanting to bring high-density developments to established neighborhoods.
Kama Davis mentioned that Apante Investments already owns numerous properties in and around the Belvin Street Historic District. Belvin Street resident James Baker said that he had heard people bring up the possibility of the university buying the property if Lindsey Hill is not allowed, but said he would be fine with that because he believes the university is a good steward. He expressed concerns that if the city granted permission for Lindsey Hill and later denied a request for high-density from another developer, the developer would sue the city, “and you’re going to lay down like mowed grass.”
Lisa Marie Coppoletta listed several concerns, including a lack of buffer between the proposed development and the surrounding neighborhood.
“I have a solution for the no neighborhood buffer with Lindsey Hill,” Coppoletta said. Holding up a copy of the newspaper that showed pictures from Mermaid Society festivities, she said, “We can build a wall of sexy mermans and mermaids, because that’s all about that we’re going to get.”
Coppoletta also told the council that the development goes against the new land development code, Code SMTX, which she said is supposed to protect the community from “unsavory development.” She compared the code with health codes that the council had discussed earlier — codes meant “to keep us safe so we don’t get botulism from Grandma’s jam. … The comprehensive plan is the jam, and the land development code is the health code to make sure we don’t get botulism.”
Other residents spoke in favor of Lindsey Hill. Carl Furry, who lives on San Antonio Street, said he did not like speaking from a position that was contrary to some of his friends and neighbors, but that the project would be “a real community asset — a residential development located near downtown businesses that is not geared toward students.”
Planning Director Shannon Mattingly presented the update to council and noted that no action was being requested at the meeting on Tuesday.
“It will come back to you,” Mattingly said, noting that she anticipates a delay in the planning process.
“I anticipate a schedule where we see January or February for completion,” she said. “We’ll have to update the schedule and get that out to the planning commission.”
Mattingly said that other meetings about Lindsey Hill had been requested.
“I’m not comfortable with a PSA (preferred scenario amendment) without any additional information — traffic impact analysis, there’s flooding issues,” Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Prewitt said. “There’s too many particulars about it.”
Prewitt proposed the idea of forming a council subcommittee to discuss the details of the proposed development. Council members Jane Hughson and Melissa Derrick said they would support it. Council directed staff to put the creation of the subcommittee on a future agenda.
rblackburn@sanmarcosrecord.com
Twitter: @arobingoestweet
