MARFA — Marfa City Council met this week to discuss upgrading the city’s water meters, adopting the newly-altered zoning ordinance and the summer schedule for the MAC pool. 

New water meters 

The city put out a request for proposals (RFP) in February to locate a company to conduct a city-wide water meter overhaul this year. Current meters are old and ill functioning, proving a challenge for public works employees that manually read around 2,000 meters a month for utility billing. The new “smart” meters will be automatic, resulting in more accurate reads. 

City Manager Mandy Roane said the overall cost of the project — around $800,000 — is going to be more expensive than city administrators originally thought. “I know when we looked at the original prices, they were all much higher than we were anticipating so we asked for a scaled down price,” Roane said. “It’s still a large number. I’m aware of that.” 

It is likely the city will update meters as its budget allows, first tackling commercial meters then residential meters. Roane said it was difficult to know exactly how much the city is able to spend on the new meters when they are still waiting on a final cost for a new city well, because both projects are being paid for with the same tax note. The new city well is likely to cost $400,000 and will serve as a backup for current city wells. Council members voted to table the hiring of a meter vendor until a final cost for the water well has been determined.

Zoning 

The city has been in the process of updating its existing zoning ordinance since this fall and recently held two public hearings on the six proposed changes. Roane said since those hearings, the city’s attorney, Sylvia Firth, had made two small copy edits to the new ordinance, which council voted to approve. 

With the next step in the process being either to continue to alter the ordinance or proceed with first and second readings of the ordinance — an official step required by law before an ordinance can be officially adopted — council voted to move forward with the readings and did not discuss any more alterations to the ordinance. 

The first reading is scheduled to take place at the council meeting on May 30, and the second reading and adoption is set for the council meeting on June 11. Council will vote to accept the first reading when it occurs, at which point a majority of dissenting votes could cause the ordinance to be kicked back to the editing stage. 

There was no discussion of concerns raised by two citizens at the last public hearing, who primarily opposed the first of six changes, which involves restricting the construction of more than one kitchen in houses within the R-1 single-family residential district. The ordinance change allows for casitas, or separate units, on one lot, but not the subdividing of a single structure. One citizen felt subdividing one’s property should be allowed considering the affordable housing crisis, the other was concerned the amendment will allow more houses to be built on one lot, ruining the character of R-1 neighborhoods. 

MAC pool 

Council voted to approve the summer schedule and fee structure for the Marfa Activities Center (MAC) pool. If all goes according to plan with lifeguard training, the pool will be open for two months from June 7 to August 11. Marfa ISD’s 2024-2025 school year will start on August 12. 

Roane said the city received five lifeguard applicants, so the pool will be well staffed. Training will take place locally in early June.

The pool will be open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. All hours will be open swim. Roane explained to council members that the pool can only be open for a maximum of 40 hours a week because the city cannot overwork the pool manager. Roane said the city will not offer private rentals of the pool this year, citing the unpopularity of the option. 

The fee structure will be the same as last year — daily admission fees will be $4 for adults, $2 for children under 18, and $1 for seniors 65 years old and up. Summer passes are $75 for adults, $35 for children and seniors, and $100 for a family pass, up to five members.