There will now be paid parking at San Marcos City Park for nonresidents from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. It will be free for residents, but they must register for the program. The San Marcos City Council voted to approve, five to two, to authorize the issuance of tickets by mail for nonpayment of parking fees within the city of San Marcos parks paid parking lots using enforcement technology, which was related to previous direction by council to implement a three year paid parking pilot program in the City Park Parking Lot. According to city documents, the City Park Paid Parking pilot program has been supported by both the Parks and Recreation Board and the Parking Advisory Board. The program was passed on first reading on Nov. 19 and adopted on second reading on Dec. 3.
San Marcos Parks and Recreation Director Jamie Lee Case said the fees for parking for nonresidents would fund cleaning and other amenities for the park instead of those coming out of the general fund, which is created by resident tax dollars.
“[The fines and fees] go into a Parks Revenue account to be sewn back into park improvements within the riverfront system,” Case said. “We pay a premium to make sure that our riverfront parks are kept clean during the summer season from litter, keep our restrooms clean, make any additional repairs that happen due to overuse and other things. So there is a substantial cost to the overall maintenance and upkeep from having those visitors come and put a lot of stress on our system.”
