Cape's Camp apartments get preliminary approval; other rezoning denied

Commissioners voted 8-1 to approve the rezoning. Travis Kelsey cast the lone dissenting vote.

City Council is scheduled to consider whether to give final approval of the rezoning measure at its Dec. 18 meeting. In a nonbinding referendum election Nov. 6, San Marcos voters cast ballots by a margin of 76 percent to 24 percent in favor of acquiring the entire Cape's Camp and Thompson's Island property for public parks and open space.

Many San Marcos residents spoke against the rezoning at the Nov. 27 meeting, saying the land should be preserved as parks.

Also Nov. 27, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to deny a developer's request to rezone a pair of properties on West Holland Street for new townhomes.

Speaking before a large audience at City Hall, numerous residents lined up to voice opposition to the proposed development north of the Texas State University campus, saying it would have tarnished the nature of the neighborhood—described as the "Hyde Park of San Marcos."

Commissioner Kenneth Ehlers moved to deny the request, which was approved 7-2 with Chairman Bill Taylor and Commissioner Chris Wood casting the dissenting votes.

Single-family homes exist on the properties. Rezoning the property would have allowed for the construction of up to 26 townhomes.