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Council waives $18,900 sidewalk fee for downtown EDC renovation at 307 San Marcos
Summary
Council approved a waiver of the $18,900 fee‑in‑lieu for a sidewalk at 307 San Marcos (the Bridal Hive/EDC project), citing lack of an existing downtown sidewalk network and the risk of duplicative work during future corridor projects.
Council voted to waive a fee in lieu of constructing 375 linear feet of 5‑ft sidewalk at 307 San Marcos Street, a downtown redevelopment project led by the Buda Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
Rosella Kennedy summarized the site plan: renovations to add an ADA ramp, fencing and interior improvements and a staff request that the city accept a fee waiver because downtown lacks a continuous sidewalk system and standalone sidewalk construction would likely be rebuilt in a future corridor project. The fee listed in staff materials was about $18,900.
Council members debated the tradeoffs. Several members noted that the fee‑in‑lieu is intended to aggregate funds for corridor‑scale sidewalk investments and that building piecemeal sidewalks in downtown could be wasteful if they are later removed during a comprehensive project. Others stressed pedestrian access and ADA connectivity, observing that current downtown streets often lack sidewalks and that on‑site ADA access from private parking will be provided even without frontage sidewalks.
After discussion and questions about how fee‑in‑lieu funds are used, council made and passed a motion to waive the $18,900 fee for the EDC project by voice vote.
Next steps: The EDC will proceed with the renovation; waived fee funds will not be added to the downtown sidewalk reserve in this instance. Council and staff noted the broader downtown sidewalk policy and potential future corridor projects (e.g., Austin Street) as contexts for continued policy discussion.
