Zoning change gains approval

The rezoning of three city-owned lots on McGehee Street for eventual affordable housing got the Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval Tuesday night, but by the thinnest of margins.

“We say we need infill, we say we need to build closer to the city center,” Commissioner Gabrielle Moore said, but the opportunities to do so are few. 

City planner Shavon Caldwell gave the staff presentation on the rezoning request, which was initiated by the city.

“The city of San Marcos is the property owner,” she said, adding that the city sought the rezoning in line with its workforce housing and affordable housing initiatives. The property is currently zoned Public and Institutional; the city is seeking Single Family-4.5 zoning to allow for the construction of three single-family detached homes on small lots. After the homes are built — either through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery or the federal HOME program — the city wants to grant those houses to eligible recipients. Property owners who are not allowed to rebuild after the 2015 floods because they are in a floodplain could be eligible for the houses. A resolution establishing these lots for Disaster Recovery and HOME program use will accompany the zone change request at the city council’s June 4 meeting. 

Caldwell noted that the property is located in the 700 block of McGehee Street, right across from Veterans Park in an established neighborhood. She said that city staff recommends approval of the zoning change request. 

However, several residents — including property owners from the McGehee Street area and people who grew up in the neighborhood — raised concerns about the proposed construction. During the public hearing that preceded the commission’s vote, Lisa Marie Coppoletta mentioned the issue of flooding.

“It’s a real interesting location … What’s going on downtown right now? We have multiple high rises being built,” she said. “... It’s going to be The Woods times a million.”

She urged the commission not to vote on any new zoning requests until the neighborhood character studies that were begun before the 2015 floods are completed.

Elsie Romano, who owns property on Mariposa Street and grew up in the neighborhood, mentioned a major flood in the 1970s that hit the McGehee Street area. After that flood, she said, “A lot of the families that lived in the Veterans Park area were relocated.”

Romano said she has had several “close calls” on her property during heavy rains and floods. She also noted that the proposed site for the houses is very close to the creek that runs through the neighborhood. 

Raquel Garcia also voiced concerns about flooding.

“I’m all for helping people in need, but as a resident who was affected by the 2015 Memorial Day floods on Barbara Drive, I’m deeply concerned about the decision to build homes here,” she said. “... I’m afraid that building up this area will only worsen the flooding situation, just as The Woods Apartments did on Barbara Drive.”

Caldwell showed a map indicating where the 100-year floodplain is in relation to the property in question. The lines for the floodplain were close to the property but not on the property. She also noted the houses would be built 2 feet above the basic flood plain.

“It doesn’t look like the other houses in the neighborhood are elevated,” Commissioner Kate McCarty. “... We’re adding to the risk of the other houses in the neighborhood, are we not?”

City planning chief Shannon Mattingly explained that the other houses likely are not elevated because of when they were built, but that the city’s Land Development Code prohibits development that would increase flooding elsewhere. 

“Why would we want to move somebody who’s experienced flooding, and all the tragedy, to a place where the flood is going to be right at their front door?” Commissioner Maxfield Baker asked. 

Neighborhood residents mentioned that people on McGehee Street were trapped during the 2015 floods, but commission chair Jim Garber said that there is a way out of the neighborhood.

“Trapped is an interesting concept,” he said, noting that the 100-year floodplain does not include the lots in question. 

Commissioner Mark Gleason noted that half of the city is in the floodplain and being trapped is always a possibility in many parts of town.

“No matter where we put anybody, they’re likely to lose or have something happen,” he said. 

Gleason noted he likes the idea of taking city property and using it for affordable housing, but he noted that there are a lot of variables and that he had concerns about people on McGehee Street losing their cars in the event of a flood. 

Commissioner Kate McCarty said she felt the proposed construction was risky and that the residents who spoke during the public hearing had a point.

“I don’t think this is the right spot to add this danger and this added headache to this neighborhood,” she said. “I don’t think all these people would have shown up tonight just to put a burr in our saddle.”

Baker had made a motion to deny the zoning change; that motion failed with a vote of 4-5. A motion to approve the zoning change passed 5-4.