On Nov. 20, San Marcos City Council unanimously approved a range of "big-picture" goals that aim to shape the city's approach to everything from environmental protection to economic development, transportation, housing and parks.

San Marcos city planners and members of the city's Vision San Marcos committee will take direction from the goals as they draft a new comprehensive master plan. In development since 2010, the final draft is scheduled for council deliberation in early 2013.

"This is a full realignment of city processes," said Matthew Lewis, the city's director of development services.

The 7-0 City Council vote came after lengthy discussion and public comments by several prominent members of the San Marcos business community, including Hays County Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley and former state Rep. Patrick Rose, who joined with other business leaders to submit a letter enumerating their own goals for San Marcos.

"We do not believe the comprehensive plan is the appropriate place to tighten restrictions west of I-35 when it comes to growth and development," Rose told the council. "We also acknowledge in this letter that it is already very, extremely protected, and we do not believe the comprehensive plan is the place to increase protections or regulations in that zone."

The environmental and resource protection portion of the plan encourages the public and private sectors to work together to protect water quality and control appropriate development around the San Marcos and Blanco rivers, including their watersheds, as well as over the Edwards Aquifer.

Business owners were alarmed by the possibility that the comprehensive plan could seek to reduce the amount of impervious cover allowed over the Edwards Aquifer from the current 20 percent to 10 percent. City officials pointed out that the 10 percent rule had already been rejected in earlier deliberations.

Rose also said a comprehensive plan should encourage Texas State University students to live near campus, easing traffic elsewhere, and it should offer incentives for development in areas where the city wants it.

Now that City Council has approved what it calls "Big Picture Infrastructure" goals, the plan goes back to the Vision San Marcos committee for work developing more specific objectives. Council members directed the committee to read the letter from business leaders and take it under advisement.