City eyes changes to historical designation process

The San Marcos City Council might be looking at changes in the appeals process regarding certificates of appropriateness for historical properties owned by the city.

At its meeting Tuesday night, council held a discussion on options for changing the current Land Development Code, which states that the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is responsible for issuing certificates of appropriateness for the “construction, alteration, restoration, relocation or demolition of a structure within an historic district or at a local historic landmark” and that appeals of the HPC’s decisions are taken to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. There are no exceptions to this arrangement for city-owned structures or landmarks, meaning the city council has no place in the decision-making process or appeals process even if city property is involved.

“Y’all will recall that we were discussing the designation of … Cape’s Dam as being historical,” Mayor Jane Hughson said. “We were concerned about the appeals process. So it is possible, if we want to do that, to change the ordinance that allows appeals for city-owned projects to come to the city council and leave all other appeals as they are now.”

Hughson said that no external entity sets the appeals process; it is set by the city, which means the city can change it. She also noted that she would like to have a workshop with the HPC before deciding on changing the code, “with a full discussion.”

City Attorney Michael Cosentino stated, for clarification, that the HPC would still decide on certificates of appropriateness, but any appeals would go to council for city-owned structures, buildings or landmarks.

He also noted, “A code amendment would be processed through the Planning and Zoning Commission, because our code calls for code amendments to go there first … then it would come back to you.”

In other business, Hughson gave brief reports on the activities of numerous regional entities she is part of, including the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Alliance Regional Water Authority (ARWA). Hughson noted that CAPCOG heard a presentation from the Austin Chamber of Commerce on economic development in the region, and CAPCOG’s regional transportation group heard about a pilot program involving the United Way, 211 and Lyft that provides transportation to Austin residents in need.

Hughson also said that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released Atlas 14, a rainfall study which predicts greater chances for rain and storms in the region in the future. That means, she said, “it’s not just FEMA maps” showing what flooding could look like in Central Texas.

ARWA, meanwhile, is making progress in its plans to bring water from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer to the Interstate Highway 35 corridor. Hughson said the next step is drilling wells.