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City to consider renewable energy program

Monday, March 1, 2021

San Marcos City Council will consider implementing a voluntary renewable energy program for local utility customers. 

The council will vote on authorizing the San Marcos Electric Utility Division to implement a voluntary program allowing its customers to purchase certified renewable energy. 

The presentation will include a model bill, describing how bills might be slightly increased, should a resident opt in to the program. 

They will also consider an amendment to the chapter 380 Economic Development Incentive agreement with Best Buy Texas.com, LLC that provided certain incentives to locate and operate an internet sales operations center in the city. The amendment will conform the agreement to changes in state law regarding the sourcing of sales taxes on internet sales.

The councilmembers will also discuss resuming utility disconnections for non-payment and late fees, as disconnections and late fees were previously set to be suspended until the end of March. Staff is recommending resuming on July 1, 2021. 

In other business, city council will consider approving, on the second of two readings, the amendment to the City’s 2019-2020 Fiscal Year budget to allocate an additional $8.4 million from the general fund for economic development incentive payments. 

Also on the second of two readings, they will consider amending section 86.003 of the San Marcos City Code to require that both connections and extensions for City Water and Wastewater Service outside the City Limits be subject to approval by city council. 

The councilmembers will also consider approving a lease modification and extension for five years for the commercial lease of 550 North Highway 123, Bypass in Seguin for the operation of a WIC Program Satellite Office.

They will later consider approving a construction contract with Rural Electric, Inc for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Electric Backup Feed Distribution Project for $1.65 million.

The councilmembers will also vote on making an agreement with Lone Star Paving for Street Overlay services on an as needed basis in an estimated annual cost of $1.67 million with two additional annual renewals for a total contract amount of $5 million. 

There will be a staff presentation and public hearing for a zoning case to designate 200 West MLK Drive, the location of the Calaboose African American History Museum as a historical landmark. 

There will be another presentation and public hearing about amending the San Marcos Development Code’s Design Manual to updating provisions concerning nonconforming streetscapes, the Character District 5 Downtown description, the minimum two story building height in downtown and the downtown architectural design standards and guidelines related to varied massing, transparency, blank wall area, expression elements, building elements and contextual height stepdown.

Another Public Hearing will consider adopting the Youth Programs Standards of Care for 2021.

There will also be a discussion item about use standards and zoning for outdoor storage and self-storage facilities and another on rules of decorum for city council meetings. 

The March 2 City Council meeting will be held virtually at www.sanmarcostx.gov/videos of on the Grande channel 16 of Spectrum channel 10. Anyone wishing to participate during the Citizen Comment portion of the meeting must email citizencomment@sanmarcostx.gov prior to 12 p.m. on Tuesday.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666