City Council met Feb. 6 to discuss topics ranging from newspaper stand standardization to the approval of materials to be used in the construction of a new restaurant. The primary concern of the meeting was to discuss CodeSMTX, a new land development code for the city of San Marcos.
The plan includes a growth strategy for the city that will focus on reducing urban sprawl and increasing care for the environment when future land development takes place.
This focus on the future started as San Marcos began growing in population. The city was the fastest growing in the nation during 2013, 2014 and 2015 according to City Council.
Several residents of San Marcos expressed issues for the upcoming adoption of CodeSMTX, including concerns about the preservation of historical areas and protections for the environment.
The largest concern expressed was about neighborhood character studies, a mechanism by which the city aims to determine the best course of action for individual areas of the city as it grows.
The council did not vote on the adoption of the new development code but expects to continue the discussion on Feb. 20.