Commission begins demolition discussion

On Thursday evening, the Historic Preservation Commission began discussing recommendations for a demolition review ordinance for historic-age resources, which will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission upon approval by the HPC. Though the commission did not approve a final draft of the ordinance, it did discuss and decide upon options presented to the commission by Planning and Development staff members.

During a citizen comment period, Diana Baker, a former HPC commissioner, urged the commission to bring forward to the City Council a request for a demolition delay ordinance.

“We have witnessed a failure in the current system, and this loophole needs to be closed,” Baker said.

The commission will continue to discuss the potential ordinance at a special meeting on July 31. After commissioners approve a final ordinance recommendation, it will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission before making its way to the City Council.

“The purpose of this is not to impede development for the sake of impeding development, or stick a thumb in developer’s eyes,” said Griffin Spell, chair of the commission. “The purpose of this is to facilitate a dialogue so that the owner of the property knows ‘hey, here’s what you didn’t know what you bought it.’ … Understand demolition delay can work and we have clear examples in recent city history of people buying properties, not understanding the history, learning the history and deciding to preserve it.”

In other business, the commission approved My Historical SMTX, the City’s historical resources survey. The survey began in 2018, and over 2,000 properties were inventoried. According to Alison Brake, Historic Preservation Officer and Planner, the survey was funded in part by a 2018 Certified Local Government grant from the Texas Historical Commission. The last time a historic resource survey was conducted in San Marcos was in 1997 with the 1997 San Marcos Heritage Resources Survey.

“The comprehensive survey report is intended to assist the city in its assessment of future planning and development initiatives, again provide guidance on historically and culturally significant resources that are most threatened by current development pressures,” Brake said.

Following approval by the historic preservation commission, the survey will be presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission on July 23, and then to City Council for formal adoption on Aug. 20.

The commission also discussed the idea of establishing the Office of Historic Preservation as a standalone city department, which would potentially separate the office from the Planning and Development Services.

After discussion between commissioners and staff on the plausibility of creating a standalone city department, Spell said when it comes to making decisions such as department changes, the decision must fundamentally be made by the City Council.

“We can scream and rage to the heavens about how we need to prioritize historic preservation,” Spell said. “Until Council does, it’s not going to get accomplished.”

A Historic Preservation Commission special meeting will be held on July 31 at 5:45 p.m. at 630 E. Hopkins St.Twitter: