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City Council Meeting Minutes June 16,2026 <br /> review and emphasized that continuing with the downtown option is not a final <br /> decision but part of due diligence. <br /> Abigail Mason raised concerns about the Upward Communities agreement, <br /> citing the developer's dual role, the exclusivity clause, and high termination <br /> costs. Requested independent traffic, environmental, and financial studies <br /> before further action. <br /> PRESENTATION <br /> Receive a Staff update on the New City Hall/Hopkins City Center Project and provide direction <br /> to Staff. <br /> City Manager Stephanie Reyes stated the purpose of this session is to provide <br /> an update on the ongoing evaluation of options for a new City Hall facility and <br /> to outline the next steps in the process. This presentation is informational only; <br /> no decisions or approvals are being requested at this time. <br /> She mentioned that the existing City Hall,constructed in 1975 for a population <br /> of fewer than 25,000 residents, now serves approximately 90,000 residents and <br /> faces numerous long term challenges. These include its location within a <br /> floodplain, significant foundation and structural deterioration, recurring roof <br /> and infrastructure failures such as cracked walls and broken utility lines, and <br /> substantial space limitations that impact both departmental operations and <br /> public accessibility. To support current service levels and future growth, the <br /> City must plan for a facility that meets projected needs for several decades. A <br /> comprehensive space planning study has identified an approximate building <br /> requirement of 109,000 square feet. Proposed program elements include offices <br /> for Council members, administrative space for Parks and Recreation, <br /> Destination Services, Emergency Management, a police substation,Utility <br /> Billing, community meeting areas, public gathering spaces, and updated <br /> technology and security systems. <br /> She stated the need to replace or renovate City Hall has been under discussion <br /> for more than a decade. Regional growth and past examples of major public <br /> facility consolidation, such as the 2012 Hays County Government Center <br /> project, underscore the importance of long term planning. Staff and a 23 <br /> member community steering committee have evaluated several potential <br /> locations: the current City Hall site on the south side of Hopkins Street, the <br /> armory property on the north side of Hopkins,and a downtown redevelopment <br /> proposal received in summer 2025.A formal Request for Information was <br /> issued to ensure a transparent and equitable review of all downtown and city <br /> owned property proposals.Following evaluation,the submission from Upward <br /> City of San Marcos Page 3 <br />