Demolition review on Planning & Zoning Commission's docket
San Marcos could be a step closer to having a demolition review period for historic aged resources included in its Development Code.
The San Marcos Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, as well as consider a recommendation to City Council for an amendment to the development code to include the demotion review.
Currently, demolition reviews are subject to review by city staff, but historic significance is not considered as a criteria unless the structure is a locally designated landmark or within a local historic district, which would then require a Certificate of Appropriateness to be reviewed by city staff and the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC).
On June 27, the San Marcos City Council passed an ordinance delaying permits on demolitions of historic structures. Ordinance 2019-19, which is a temporary, 120-day ordinance, was passed unanimously by the council and will put a 90-day delay on the issuance of demolition permits for buildings that are deemed historically significant or are 80 years or older. The ordinance is not meant to be permanent, and will expire on Oct. 23, 2019.
After Council passed the temporary ordinance, the HPC began meeting to discuss a long-term solution. They eventually approved a draft ordinance recommendation on Aug. 28, which proposes a process that requires eligible properties go before before the Historic Preservation Commission for a public hearing for consideration as a local landmark.
“The proposed demolition review would apply to properties located within the My Historic SMTX historic resources boundaries that were evaluated with a high or medium preservation priority or, if outside of the boundaries, properties at least 50 years of age, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, or designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark,” according to staff’s agenda item.
Now, Planning and Zoning will consider a recommendation to City Council on the review period.
Planning and Zoning will meet at 6 p.m. on Sept. 10 at 630 E. Hopkins St.
