AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Resolution 2023-150R, approving a Natural Areas Land Management Plan for the city; and declaring an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: September 19, 2023
Department: Parks and Recreation
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: N/A
Account Number: N/A
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Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: Click or tap here to enter text.
City Council Strategic Initiative: [Please select from the dropdown menu below]
Quality of Life & Sense of Place
Public Safety, Core Services & Fiscal Excellence
Environmental Protection
Comprehensive Plan Element (s): [Please select the Plan element(s) and Goal # from dropdown menu below]
☐ Economic Development - Choose an item.
☐ Environment & Resource Protection - Choose an item.
☐ Land Use - Choose an item.
☐ Neighborhoods & Housing - Choose an item.
☒ Parks, Public Spaces & Facilities - Collection of connected and easily navigated parks and public spaces
☐ Transportation - Choose an item.
☐ Core Services
☐ Not Applicable
Master Plan: [Please select the corresponding Master Plan from the dropdown menu below (if applicable)]
Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Master Plan
Background Information:
The Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan was adopted by City Council on May 21, 2019. Within the plan contained several actions relating to developing plans or strategies regarding our natural areas. To address those action items a public process to create a Natural Area Land Management Plan began in March 2022.
Stakeholder meetings that included City of San Marcos staff, Emergency Response personnel, the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, the San Marcos River Foundation, the Great Springs Project, and the San Marcos Council of Neighborhood Associations were held in addition to a public open house.
This plan has been a collaborative effort to create a technical document that will be used for the stewardship and future planning of the city’s natural areas and land conservation efforts.
The plan was presented to City Council on September 5, 2023, during the Work Session. No changes were provided during that time.
The Appendix in the plan consists of various forms and procedures that are used internally by the Parks and Recreation Department and from various agencies including Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), and Texas Department of Agriculture. The San Marcos Green Alley Initiative has been included to serve as a framework and toolkit in support of Objective 3.3: Trail Connectivity and Expansion.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
The Parks and Recreation Board adopted Recommendation Resolution 2023-02RR-PRB in support of this plan on August 24, 2023, and provided consensus for the inclusion of the San Marcos Green Alley Initiative within the Appendix.
Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
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