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

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the Calaboose African American History Museum, Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, LBJ Museum of San Marcos, Hays County Historic, Dunbar Park, Chief Placido Memorial Statue, LBJ MLK Crossroads Memorial, and the Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing Exhibit at the San Marcos Regional Airport. Other amenities include the San Marcos River, San Marcos Springs, parks, trails, activity centers, and libraries. A robust public art program supports storytelling through thematic murals and sculptures, including a series of mermaid statues inspired by underwater performers at the Aquarena Springs amusement park in the mid-20th century. Appearing throughout this plan, mermaids have come to symbolize the City. Together, San Marcos' natural and cultural assets ultimately cultivate civic pride and create of a unique sense of place where residents can reflect on its past while envisioning its future. GUIDE OUR FUTURE Although San Marcos holds the distinction of being one of the oldest settlements in the country, its preserved history does not represent the city's diverse population. Recognizing the opportunity to be more inclusive and tell a more complete story, the City of San Marcos engaged Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Stantec) in 2024 to develop its first stand-alone Historic Preservation Plan to evaluate past preservation efforts and to guide future policies in balance with broader planning and community development objectives. Protecting and enhancing the natural, cultural, and historic resources of all San Marcos communities through neighborhood stabilization, thoughtful growth, and compatible development was a goal of the 2024 Vision SMTX Comprehensive Plan. Adopting a citywide Historic Preservation Plan was an action item identified to achieve that goal which is echoed in City Council's Strategic Plan. Stantec and City staff began collaborating on this important project in May 2024. Historic preservation plans provide municipalities an opportunity to engage and inform their communities. Identified community stakeholders and the general public play a leading role in shaping and guiding the future of historic preservation through their time, insights, and active participation. Through digital platforms, such as the Planning and Development Services Department newsletter and City social media, printed materials, stakeholder interviews, a community -wide survey, and open houses, the City of San Marcos regularly engaged its residents who know the community's important places, events, and people best. To maximize its reach to all residents at the beginning of development of this plan, the City of San Marcos launched a web page and a social media campaign. Staff also printed and distributed copies of digital content giving residents multiple ways to participate. A summary of the Historic Preservation Plan public outreach components is presented below. More detail can be found in the appendix. Based on public outreach and community feedback, the resulting Historic Preservation Plan considers all members of the San Marcos community. It is task oriented and prioritizes short- and long-term goals and objectives to advance and strengthen the program while celebrating San Marcos' historical and cultural resources over the next decade. The plan will serve as a key tool for planning, economic development, urban design, heritage tourism, and place -making. VI SAN MARCOS HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN (2026)