08261996 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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74 Regular Meeting August 2E, 1996 Page 3 contact the Planning Department to report the people violating the ordinance. On roll call to deny the zoning request, the following vote was recorded: AYE: Mihalkanin, Hughson, Moore, Guerra, Cox, Hernandez. NAY: Hart. ABSTAIN: None. The zoning request was denied. Mayor Moore stated Mr. Hart has brought up a valid point that needs to be addressed. The Planning and Zoning Commission may not be prepared to take this matter on. There is an issue of neighborhood integrity and young professionals, who because of the nature of their livelihood need to live together. They can do so in violation of the ordinance or can do so under some other dispensation. It is a valid concern Mayor Moore would like Staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission to look at. Mr. Schneider stated it might even violate Fair Housing Laws. Mayor Moore introduced for consideration a public hearing and approval of an ordinance on first reading, the caption which was read as follows: ; AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS, INCREASING SEWER RATES ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION 86.262 OF THE SAN MARCOS CITY CODE; AND INCLUDING PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS. Mayor Moore opened the public hearing and asked if anyone wished to speak. Mayor Moore stated we have heard Mr. McNair's concern that duplexes have unlimited sewer rate charges, whereas R-is have an 8000 gallon ceiling may be unfair. David Phillips stated he lives on Parkview Lane and asked if the Council has considered all other options. He stated if growth is the reason for the need for expansion, growth should pay for it when they hook up. Mr. Gilley stated the City is increasing not only capacity, but quality of effluent from 20/20 to 5/5/2/1 permitting. This is the result of a long term Wastewater Study and Master Plan and the community's input, and the Council made the decision voluntarily to make this upgrade, but there was an indication TNRCC would increase the standards at the very least to the 10/15 requirement, and'perhaps even to 5/5/2/1, if the Council did not do so voluntarily. Mr. Phillips applaudes the City's upgrade but wants growth to pay their share of it. Mr. Gilley stated this increase was planned and there is a schedule of increases with stages of development. The treatment plant upgrade is scheduled first in this plan and then the collection system upgrades will be done subsequently. Mr. Gilley stated the total project package will cost $28 million and is part of a bond package spread out over a twenty-year period. It would not be possible to apply enough hook-up fees on the front end of this project to cover these costs. Mr. Phillips asked about new development being given tax incentives. Mr. Gilley stated the Council has offered tax abatement but has not waived water and wastewater fees to new development, and that has helped to pay the growth impact the new industries have on our utilities. Mr. Hernandez asked Mr. Gilley to explain the residential rate structure, and Mr. Gilley stated there is a base fee for wastewater service, which covers our fixed costs of operating the wastewater treatment facility. There is a charge associated with the amount of water used based on a per thousand gallon charge and is capped at 8000 gallons. The basis for that is the assumption some of the water used for residential purposes is landscape irrigation and things of that nature and. does place a limit on the total amount of monthly fees paid for wastewater. Mayor Moore stated the Council is sensitive to these rate increases. The current TML monthly publication compares water and wastewater rates of communities of various sizes, and in the communities of 30,000-50,000 within which we fall, we are well in the middle of the comparables. The City will periodically revisit these issues, because the Council is concerned for all the citizens. No one else wished to speak, so Mayor Moore closed the public hearing. Mr. Cox stated the Council