01071980 Special Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I 1 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS, JANAURY 7, 1980 PRESENT: Mayor John A. Hansen Council Members Ted Breihan Robert L. Cavazos Bob Hyatt Berry R. James Kenneth E. Sutton Gilbert G. Tenorio City Manager City Secretary City Attorney Director of Community Development A. C. Gonzalez Doriss Hambrick Barbara Edwards Albert Sierra Also Present: Jeff Watkins, Dusty Rhodes, Jerri Martin, Joe Garza, Mr. & Mrs. W. B. pryatel, Augustin Lucio, Jr., Ofelia Vasquez, David Ybarra, Charles Evans, Austin Curlee, John Stokes, Kenneth Long, Harvey Shephard, Gordon Thompson, Ignacio Trevino, Cooper Slay, and others. The Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Hansen opened a public hearing to consider amendment of the Housing Assistance Plan to include a proposed housing site to be located near the intersection of IH 35 North and Loop 82 and also to consider the feasibility of designating additional districts to be approved for new construction under the Housing Assistance Plan. Mr. Hansen stated that the first item to be considered was the proposed housing site at IH 35 North and Loop 82. Mr. Breihan reminded the Council that he had a personal interest in the property under discussion and left his seat at the Council table. Mr. Breihan surrmarized the plans for the Section 8 Housing Project which would include thirty duplexes, a total of sixty housing units of one, two and three bedrooms. Dr. Kenneth Long appeared before the Council to state that he had taken an informal poll of the organized neighborhood associations and that there was some opposition due to the fact that many persons felt any modification of the housing assistance plan should be considered under the Master Plan revision program. Mrs. Ofelia Vasquez concurred with Dr. Long stating that she felt safe and attractive sites were most desireable for Section 8 housing programs and that other more suitable areas might be found. Mr. Augustin Lucio also appeared before the Council to say that he felt more time should be given to studying any amendment of the housing assistance plan. Mr. John Stokes encouraged the Council to act now on the proposal since such a program would meet a critical need in the community and due to the fact that building costs were steadily rising and any delay would simply make the project more expensive. The City Manager summarized staff comments presented at earlier meetings. Mr. Sutton said that he felt the proposed site was not in danger of flooding and was an ideal location for such a program. Mr. Cavazos agreed with earlier statements regarding the critical need for federally subsidized housing in the community. He asked that the Council consider approving the site with the condition that the City acknowledged the proximity of the site to the City sewer treatment plant and with a statement to the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development that the City would not be obligated to an early closing of the treatment plant. !1r. Sutton moved to approve the specific site designated at the intersection of Loop 82 and IH 35 North and to amend the housing assistance plan to include that district as an eligible area for new construction of federally assisted housing programs. Mr. Hyatt seconded the motion. Mr. Tenorio objected to the motion stating that he was opposed to the high density of low and moderate income persons already residing in the area as illustrated by the 1970 census figures. Mr. Tenorio said that he was opposed to the prevailing attitude in the community which considered the only place suitable for low and moderate income housing to be south of the railroad tracks. He said that such a segregation of those housing types was contrary