Economic development in the spotlight
Economic development agreements figure heavily in the San Marcos City Council’s agendas for its work meeting and regular meeting on Tuesday.
At its work meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday, council will receive a staff presentation and hold a discussion on the Katerra Development and SMART (San Marcos Air, Rail and Truck) Terminal project, “including but not limited to land uses,” the agenda states. Council will then go into executive session to receive a briefing on a potential Chapter 380 Economic Development incentive agreement for the SMART Terminal industrial rail park and on the proposed amendment to the agreement the city has with Urban Mining.
The city is in the midst of the process of annexing and rezoning 934 acres at State Highway 80 and Farm to Market Road 1984 where the industrial rail park would be located. At its last meeting, council mentioned the possibility of striking an economic development agreement with the SMART Terminal developers as a way to make more specifications about land use and the type of businesses that would be allowed to come in. The city already has a Chapter 380 agreement with Katerra, the furniture manufacturer who will be building a facility near the SMART Terminal and is set to become the rail park’s first customer. Action on the executive session item regarding a potential Chapter 380 agreement for the SMART Terminal could occur in open session.
During its regular meeting, council will consider approving a resolution authorizing an amendment to the Chapter 380 agreement with Urban Mining that would extend the date by which the company will start construction of its facilities. The existing arrangement required the company to begin operations before June 30, 2019; the amendment would require Urban Mining to begin operations before Dec. 31 of this year. The agreement also will be amended to “memorialize the intent of Urban Mining Development, LLC to dedicate approximately 2.4 acres of land to the city of San Marcos for the construction of an electrical service substation,” the agenda reads.
Council is also set to approve a resolution that approves a contribution in aid agreement with Urban Mining to provide for mutual participation in the cost of building the Rattler Electric Substation off of Clovis Barker Road.
At the last council meeting, City Clerk Jamie Lee Case said that for the workshop meeting regarding the SMART Terminal, council chambers would be set up so that people can watch the meeting on monitors because seating in the conference room, where workshops take place, is limited. The work session will begin at 3 p.m. Council will then meet in the council chambers at 6 p.m. after the workshop and executive session.City council meetings — including work sessions — are televised live on Spectrum Ch. 10 and Grande Ch. 16 or 123-16 and streamed online.
