Revised animal ordinance set to be ratified, city curfew under review

The San Marcos City Council is set to review and receive public feedback on the city’s curfew ordinance for minors.

City councilmembers will hold a hearing on Ordinance 2022-98 during Tuesday’s regular meeting, which would amend Chapter 54, Miscellaneous Offenses, of the San Marcos City Code by readopting Article 3, creating curfew hours for minors; removing sections related to establishments and operators; setting out violations and defenses; and establishing penalties for the violation thereof.

The council first established a curfew for minors through Ordinance 2009-28, adopted on June 2, 2009. State law says the city must hold a public hearing every three years on whether to abolish, continue, or modify the ordinance or let it expire at the end of the three-year term.

According to the 2022 draft ordinance, city council determined “the existence of juvenile curfew has aided in decreasing juvenile violence, juvenile gang activity, and other criminal activity related to the lack of maturity and experience exhibited by persons under the age of seventeen years.”

Also on Tuesday, council will conduct second readings for Non-Consent Agenda Items 18, 19, and 20: the city’s revised animal control ordinance, proposed amendments to the San Marcos Code of Ethics, and adopting guiding principles for the 88th legislative session.

After holding its first reading of the animal ordinance revision on Nov. 1, council directed staff to extend the stray hold for cats to five days and extend the mandate to spay/neuter to the third impoundment instead of the second, according to the agenda packet.

City staff also recommended consideration for the following in support of the Pawsitive Outcomes Implementation Plan and sustain a 90% or higher live outcome rate: stricter spay/neuter requirements, no stray hold for cats of any age without traceable identification, with the goal of reducing shelter length-of-stay and facilitate large-scale targeted Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).

In other business, San Marcos City Council will consider the adoption of its “Guiding Principles” for the 88th legislative session.

During its Nov. 1 regular meeting, city council devised a focused legislative platform that “reflects the core values found in the City Charter’s statement of Goals and the Comprehensive Plan Vision Statements,” the agenda packet states. The guiding principles focus on the following areas: Preemption and Local Control, Revenue and Finance, Land Use, Economic Development, Housing, Workforce Training, Water Resources, and Environmental Protection, Transportation, Electric Utility, Education, and Mental Health.

Those looking to participate in the meeting can send comments via email to citizencomment@sanmarcostx.gov prior to 12 p.m. on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s regular meeting takes place at city hall at 630 E. Hopkins St. Residents looking to watch the meeting can do so online beginning at 6 p.m. at http://sanmarcostx.gov/421/City-Council-Videos-Archives or on Grande channel 16 or Spectrum channel 10.

To view the full meeting and agenda, visit http://san-marcos-tx.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_i=9.