City orders historic resources survey
The San Marcos City Council has approved a contract with a firm to perform a historic resources survey.
At its meeting last week, the council passed a resolution selecting the Austin-based Hicks and Company Inc. to perform the survey. The city received three proposals for the survey, and city staff determined that Hicks was the most qualified firm. The survey will involve evaluating and updating the city’s existing historic resources surveys and the condition of currently listed properties, identifying resources that have yet to be surveyed and developing a survey report with “a robust recommendation section in order for the city to make informed decisions about federal, state and local designation of historic resources.” Staff recommended awarding the contract for $79,000, which coincides with a matching $39,500 grant from the Texas Historical Commission for the historic resources survey. The Historic Preservation Commission has reviewed the city’s request for proposals and the scope of the project.
Last year, proponents of a plan to expand the Lindsey-Rogers and Hopkins historic districts pointed out that the last time a survey of the city’s historic resources occurred was 1997, and since then several buildings — including the old Lamar campus, which previously served as San Marcos High School — have reached an age where they could be considered historic properties. The Texas Historic Commission Certified Local Government Program staff members have updated the state’s recommendations for the area. The old Lamar school was a low-priority property in 1997 but is now high priority because of its age and significance. Decisions on the proposed historic district expansions were postponed until a survey of historic resources could be performed.
In other business, council approved the annexation of approximately 15 acres in the 1600 block of Redwood Road and a zoning change for the property from Future Development to Character District-4 for a multi-family development. The planned development would not be purpose-built student housing. The property is surrounded by vacant land, the La Vista retirement community and the El Camino Real neighborhood.
