SAN ANTONIO, Texas — After more than eight hours of public testimony in front of the San Marcos City Council, city residents celebrated a 5-2 vote by the council denying zoning changes that would allow for the construction of a large data center near the city. Citizens opposed to the plan erupted in applause as the results of the vote were announced shortly after 2:00 a.m. Wednesday.
The council meeting vote was broadcast on YouTube by the city of San Marcos and shows the several hours of testimony regarding the zoning request, which would have allowed the project to proceed. The developer of the project can submit another re-zoning request in six months to have the matter reconsidered.
According to a report by Data Center Dynamics (DCD), the proposal for the rezoning of approximately 200 acres was submitted by law firm Armbrust & Brown on behalf of Highlander SM One LLC, the landowners of the property, which is situated between Grant Harris Road and Francis Harris Lane just outside the city. San Marcos is nestled between San Antonio to the south and the Texas capital city of Austin to the north…