At its April 21 meeting, the San Marcos City Council held a public hearing to discuss the data center waiting period and amending the Land Use Matrix.
The Council decided to change the process of how amendments are passed, allowing Council Members to block the review of a proposal they’re opposed to.
The Land Use Matrix serves as a tool to outline different types of land uses permitted in an area. City Council moved to create a data center section in the matrix to highlight the type of usage allowed.
Mayor Jane Hughson implemented awaiting period for certain proposals in the form of an amendment, giving Council Members the power a motion to deny a proposal put forth.
According to Hughson, the amendment’s purpose will give the Council an option to either decline the proposal for another year or simply not pass it. If the proposal doesn’t pass without a motion to deny by any members, then it can still be brought back for discussion.
“There have been times when we didn’t want to wait a year,” Hughson said. “There was enough promise in the project that we wanted it to come back with a few tweaks.”
The Council had already been practicing this strategy for some years now and finally moved to add it to code, according to Hughson. The amendment passed six to one, with Council Member Alyssa Garza dissenting.
“This is to put in code what we’ve actually been doing for as long as I can remember,” Hughson said.
Hughson’s proposal to alter the Land Use Matrix requires a conditional use permit for a new data center section. This tool allows land use if certain conditions are met. Additionally, the proposal gives the City Council the responsibility to approve or deny data centers instead of the Planning and Zoning committee.
At the March 3 meeting, a proposal to allow the Planning and Zoning committee to approve or deny data centers was discussed. However, it was brought back to discussion and now only the council carries the responsibility. The council voted six to one, approving the amendment.
Council Member Amanda Rodriguez proposed the prohibition of data centers in San Marcos in the form of an amendment, which would prohibit data centers from any zoning category.
“It is not my job to force-feed the people who voted for us something that they don’t want,” Rodriguez said. “This is just a reflection of their asks.”
Guadalupe County approved the development of a data center on April 21, according to Seguin Today. Due to Guadalupe bordering San Marcos, Hays County residents like Abigail Lindsey, who will live across the street from the new data center, said Texas is becoming less safe because of data centers.
“There’s nowhere safe,” Lindsey said. “I don’t want to leave my family and friends…but I have to think about my son… and there’s no way with the contamination that we’ll be able to stay there.”
While many residents spoke out against the data centers, San Marcos resident Sam Young shared opposing views regarding data centers and said that they could bring more revenue to the city.
“I don’t oppose data centers in the sense that they may not be needed,” Young said. “I’m for bringing tax dollars to the city of San Marcos because we need it for the budget.”
The amendment was denied after Council Members Josh Paselk, Jane Hughson, Matthew Mendoza, and Lorenzo Gonzalez dissented.
“I, at this point, would not support never allowing [data centers] because I don’t know what the future is going to bring,” Hughson said.
The San Marcos City Council meets at 6 p.m. every first and third Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit its website
