12.19.2017 Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes December 19, 2017 which rules we will act in accordance with. There is only one thing to do, and that is to adhere to what the rules instruct us to do. If we do not want to follow Section 1.5.7.5., we need to change it. And, if we choose to change it, we need to do it with the same care our previous City Council used to establish it. The regulations are in place to protect and guide everyone - citizens, developers, city planners, and public servants alike. For those who wish to bypass our directives, no matter what their stated motives are, we need to stand together and send a clear message that they also have to play by our rules. At this point, all we must do is comply with the rules. Please vote to conduct, use, and complete Neighborhood Character Studies before neighborhood districts are even considered. Griffin Spell, cautiously in support of Code SMTX. He is concerned about density within the neighborhoods and it is a defining character. We need to be very clear where we are with density when approving the Code. Another concern was with Neighborhood Studies. Council asked to refer the item back to the Historic Preservation Commission to collect more information regarding these studies, but this seems confusing to bring about such a radical change in the Code without all the information we need. If the Master Plan says we should have these in place then why are we considering not having these in place. We just need to make sure we have all the information needed. John David Carson, works in San Marcos and serves on Code SMTX Think Tank and elected as Chair by his peers. He spoke on how Code SMTX was drafted. The first thing done was to gather information on Neighborhood Character study. Meetings were held to gather input from all citizens not just the usual voices. Some concerns that came from these meetings included a near universal dissatisfaction with the products being delivered by Zoning Districts such as PDDs, MF -12, MF -18, and MF -24, second was the need for more diverse housing types called for by the Comprehensive Master Plan, and third was a call for little to no change. He stated that Planning and Zoning's recent recommendation to remove Neighborhood Districts and keep Legacy Districts is the definition of a reactionary policy and it was made without an understanding of what is in Code SMTX. He asked Council to move forward with the Code SMTX proposal but continue neighborhood studies. Sarah Simpson, she stated that she would like to correct some comments that were made against the missing middle housing type at a November Planning Mor of San Marton Page