Crestwood gets two-week extension, talks continue

Gray Horse Saloon opts for one last hurrah on St. Patrick's Day

A meeting is planned for early next week to bring together key parties working to resolve some environmental-related and financial needs associated with the continued operation of 10 businesses at Crestwood Center. These businesses now face the possibility of not having city water at the end of the month.

As of today, though, the businesses are operating based on an end of the month extension of water services granted by the city. The new potential date for the cutoff of water services by the city is March 31.

Lauren Surley, director of communications and intergovernmental relations for the city, offered the most recent update from the city’s code compliance team. She said, “Conversations are still happening between the city, county, and property owners. Barring any (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) enforcement against the city and county, the City of San Marcos has committed to the property owner that the water cutoff will happen no earlier than March 31.” The property owner is listed as UC2 LTD, with a business address listed in Austin.

Surely said Thursday that the discussion of the water problem identified at the Old Ranch Road 12 location was first discussed during the Feb. 8, 2022 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission, listed as item 6. The city council discussed the issue during its regular council meeting of March 1, 2022, where it was listed as item 17, she stated.

The wording of the March item before the council stated that members would receive “a staff presentation and hold a public hearing to receive comments for or against an Ordinance 2022-20, annexing into the city approximately 1.11 acres of land located at 1850 Old Ranch Road 12 (Case No. AN-22-04).

On Thursday, David Sergi, the attorney representing the Ranch Road Self Storage, a business that is not part of the center but is adjacent to it, and part of the request that was before the council in March 2022, said, “We’re working diligently to resolve the issues to ensure that the water remains turned on.”

He said his client has worked since before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to complete negotiations for bring the storage property into city limits and to make changes to the septic system operation that reflect the new status of the property.

The cost to make changes has increased in this post-COVID environment and so more talks were required with city officials. Specific details regarding the storage facility and the city were not available at time of press.

He said a letter was sent to the city Wednesday inviting officials to attend on Monday, in an effort to address additional concerns associated with his client’s continuing efforts to move forward in protecting water and sewerage services at that business.

In an online response to a story about the Crestwood Center water situation published earlier by the San Marcos Daily Record, Sergi stated, “As one on of the attorneys who represents the adjoining neighbor Ranch Road 12 Self Storage … I’m happy to report that the COSM (City of San Marcos) has delayed the shut off for two weeks so that all of the parties can negotiate a solution. This is a complicated issue that we have taken very seriously and we have worked with all parties to keep businesses open.”

Owners of many of the businesses located at the Crestwood Center, with an address of 1904 Old Ranch Road 12, said they were first notified by their landlord, UC2 LTD, in early March that due to the anticipated cutoff of city water initially slated to occur sometime between March 16-18, their operations would have to cease.

Among the businesses located here are the Gray Horse Saloon. Earlier, saloon owners had announced that despite the extension, today is the last day of operation. That shutdown was confirmed Thursday.

The remaining staff of six are expecting “a big turnout,” according to one of the managers, Jordan Valdivia. He has worked here for eight years, he said.

“All of our beer and liquor is discounted, some under $5,” he said.

Valdivia added he is not sure what he will be doing after the saloon closes.

Another business, Three Six General, has posted concerns to social media, calling on its customers to reach out to officials and others in an effort to generate a stay in business solution. With more than 10 full-time employees, the ability to keep open is also associated with the relationships established with “local businesses in farming, ranching and manufactured foods,” according to a post on the business’ Facebook page.

Other businesses affected by the water services issue are AJ’s Ranch Road Grill, Meadows Insurance Agency, Iglesias Cristiana Vida Nueva, The Pita Shop, Steger’s Chiffonade, Shaolin-Do School of Martial Arts, and Studio San Martian.