Council to hold special session
The San Marcos City Council has called a special meeting this Thursday, at 4 p.m. to discuss the implementation of an ordinance on demolitions of historic structures.
The council will consider approving Ordinance 2019-19, which will establish a waiting period for issuance of permits for the destruction of historic structures. The San Marcos Historic Preservation Committee is also set to provide recommendations to the council.
The special meeting follows recent deliberations over the old San Marcos Telephone Company building, which was demolished to be replaced with a $15 million multifamily development, San Marcos Lofts 1. On June 22, approximately 30 San Marcos residents gathered for a “funeral” for the building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Among those in attendance were San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson and City Council members Lisa Prewitt and Ed Mihalkanin.
Griffin Spell, chairman of the San Marcos Historic Preservation Committee, said in a Facebook post that historic preservation has not been a priority for the city in many years, and a more thorough conversation on the matter needs to occur.
“I am very confident, after multiple conversations with Mayor Jane Hughson and other council members, that we will be able to close the demolition permit loophole very soon,” Spell said.
The council is also set to discuss in-kind funding for San Marcos’ annual mermaid parade, the Downtown Mermaid Promenade, which will take place on Sept. 21. The fourth annual community event will feature floats and live music, and is part of Mermaid SPLASH, a 15-day festival celebrating the city’s “creative community and river culture.”
The Mermaid Society SMTX, which hosts the festival, attempted to designate San Marcos as the Mermaid Capital of Texas this legislative session, but the resolution was not voted on in the House of Representatives due to time constraints. July Moreno, head of the Mermaid Society SMTX, told the Daily Record in May that the group will aim to get the designation passed during the next legislative session.
Following the discussion, the City Council will hold a budget workshop for the upcoming fiscal year.
The San Marcos City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 630 East Hopkins.
