San Marcos City Council OKs 1,396-acre development

Councilman Jude Prather cast the lone dissenting vote.

The development agreement allows for up to 1,750 homes on a mix of lot sizes, with the area closest to RR 12 and San Marcos Baptist Academy featuring three homes per acre, in addition to a node for commercial development. The middle sections of the property are slated for 1-acre and half-acre lots, followed by 60 acres reserved for homes on 10-acre lots.

Lazy Oaks is the site of flood plains, steep slopes, cave-like karst topography and habitats for endangered species, a mix of features that make it among the most environmentally sensitive parcels of land within the city's jurisdiction, said Kristy Stark, assistant director of development services with the City of San Marcos, during the City Council meeting Feb. 6.

State and federal environmental protections could override the council's decision, she added.

"Until the results of environmental studies are received for this property—and these are received by federal, state and city officials—there's no guarantee as to how much of the proposed project will be eligible for development. We don't know," Stark said. "Those studies will be the final trigger as to exactly what is able to be developed on that land."

Under the agreement, the City of San Marcos will annex the property, but developers must pay for construction of water and wastewater infrastructure, while the city will maintain it. And although Lazy Oaks has not set a timeline for development, the agreement would expire if there is no development activity in the next five years.