San Marcos city council to consider Lindsey Street development for student housing

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – The San Marcos City Council will consider Tuesday approving a new student housing development near the Texas State University campus and the San Marcos downtown.

This will be the second and final reading for the development, planned to go in a plot of land southwest of the intersection between Lindsey Street and North Street. San Marcos City Council approved the first of two readings in a 6 - 1 vote in early April. 

If Council votes in favor of the developer, it will change the build location from an “Existing Neighborhood” designation to “High Intensity - Downtown.” The “Existing Neighborhood” designation exists to try and maintain the “character” of the neighborhood by imposing development guidelines. The developer requested the change to “High Intensity - Downtown” in order to create a larger student housing development, per city documents. 

Council will also vote on rezoning nearly two acres of land where the development is planned so the developer can add higher buildings, apartments and storefronts, which, officials said, would promote walking in the area. 

At previous meetings, residents have expressed concerns that the new development will detract from the character of the area and lead to higher rent prices in the neighborhood.  

The proposed development is near San Marcos’ designated Historic District, but not located within it. If the development is approved, three structures considered “historic” – two of medium priority and one of high priority – would be removed or demolished, according to city document.

"Students need to have the ability to live downtown," said Brian Olson, a San Marcos business owner and a supporter of the project. “If we can make to more dense at the parcels of property that will capture more tax revenue and house more people to create less traffic downtown and through your neighborhood."