Res 2026-017 Approving the City of San Marcos Historic Preservation Plan

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SURVEY & RECOGNITION GOALS SURVEY & STUDY FINDINGS 1. With the exception of a 22-year gap between 1997 and 2019, San Marcos has conducted regular surveys of historic resources. 2. Older surveys often lack conclusive findings and are missing documentation components. For example, the photographs and contact sheets for the 1992 survey cannot be found. 3. The most recent survey (2019) appropriately re-evaluated previous survey findings and found that many historic resources were lost since the last survey, including 7 of 18 resources identified as significant in the East Guadalupe Neighborhood. 4. Prior surveys have typically been funded with grants, which typically require matching funds or prioritize projects with matches. 5. San Marcos has not prepared any historic context statements, aside from those within survey reports. 6. San Marcos contains hundreds of historic -age properties that have not yet been surveyed or evaluated for historic designation, potential cultural districts, heritage trails, and interpretation. 7. Prior studies have focused on architectural resources and have not inventoried or surveyed potential POTENTIAL PARTNERS Texas State University Council for the Indigenous and Tejano Community Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos Calaboose African American Museum Dunbar Heritage Association Indigenous Cultures Institute SOLUTIONS Develop thematic context statements to document history and facilitate designation. Topics could include mid-century modern architecture, dams and associated mill/irrigation features along the San Marcos River, women's history, Latino history, Indigenous cultures history, and Black history. Development of a context statement covering the effects of policies such as Urban Renewal and other segregated housing policies could be used as a way to better understand and document how communities in San Marcos were affected. 2. Consider developing and implementing a Survey Plan to identify areas that have not been surveyed and a survey plan to identify cultural landscapes. The 2019 My Historic SMTX survey can serve as a reference. 3. Schedule survey updates of properties that have been previously documented at least every 10 years to capture condition and reevaluate significance and integrity as necessary. Plan now for a 2028 survey. 4. Conduct additional research on properties identified as "High Priority" and "Medium Priority" in the 2019 survey to assess potential historic significance. To elevate the significance of the Mexican American & Indigenous Cultural Heritage District (MAICHD) Neighborhoods, particular attention should be given to those located in East Guadalupe, Barrio de la Victoria, and Barrio del Pescado to identify potential historic resources that may not have been previously documented. 5. Consider funding surveys with City budget rather than grants to allow more flexibility in the type of data collected and eliminate unnecessary, costly, and time-consuming tasks that may be required by grant terms. 6. Focus on eligibility for designation or candidacy for other historical interpretation (such as story maps and interpretive signage) rather than "preservation priorities" in survey documentation. For example, if a property lacks integrity, surveys may advise StoryMap documentation rather than designation. SAN MARCOS HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN (2026)