AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a Staff presentation and hold a public hearing to receive comments for or against Ordinance 2026-06, adopting Youth Programs Standards of Care for 2026, providing a severability clause, providing for the repeal of any conflicting provisions; and declaring an effective date; and consider approval of Ordinance 2026-06 on the first of two readings.
Body
Meeting date: March 3, 2026
Department: Parks and Recreation
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: N/A
Account Number: N/A
Funds Available: N/A
Account Name: N/A
Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: City Council has previously approved the following Ordinances adopting the Youth Programs Standards of Care in previous years: Ord 2020-42; Ord 2021-17; Ord 2022-17; Ord 2023-26; Ord 2024-10; Ord 2025-04
City Council Strategic Initiative: [Please select from the dropdown menu below]
Quality of Life & Sense of Place
Choose an item.
Choose an item.
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 - Choose an item.
☐ Transportation - Choose an item.
☐ Core Services
☐ Not Applicable
Master Plan: [Please select the corresponding Master Plan from the dropdown menu below (if applicable)]
Youth Master Plan
Background Information:
The City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department offers elementary-age day camp programs for children ages 5-13. The State of Texas Human Resources Code requires Municipal Day Camp Youth Programs for these ages to meet day care licensing requirements or file for an exemption as allowed under Section 42.041 (b) (14) of the Code annually. To receive exempt status, a municipality must submit a copy of program standards, a copy of the notice for the public hearing for the program standards and a copy of the ordinance adopting the standards.
As previously mentioned, the State of Texas Human Resources Code Chapter 42 exempts certain after-school and summer recreation programs from state licensing requirements as identified in Subsection 42.041(14) stating "an elementary-age (ages 5-13) recreation program operated by a municipality provided the governing body of the municipality annually adopts standards of care by ordinance after a public hearing for such programs, that such standards are provided to the parents of each program participant, and that the ordinances shall include, at a minimum, staffing ratios, minimum staff qualifications, minimum facility, health, and safety standards, and mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing the adopted local standards; and further provided that parents be informed that the program is not licensed by the state and the program may not be advertised as a child-care facility;"
Youth Programs Standards of Care provide basic childcare regulations for day camp activities operated by the San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department. This will allow the department to qualify as exempt from requirements of the Texas Human Resources Code.
The Standards of Care include:
• Staff ratios
• Minimum staff qualifications
• Minimum facility, health, and safety standards
• Mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing the adopted local standards
• Provide notice to parents that the day camp program is not licensed by the state
The Parks and Recreation Youth Services Division first presented the Youth Program Standards of Care to City Council for approval in 2020 to maintain our exemption from state licensing requirements for summer recreation programs. We are not proposing any major changes for 2026. For the 2026 Summer Fun Program, we will be hosting 120 children at one campus. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by San Marcos CISD Child Nutrition Services through their Summer Feeding Program.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
Click or tap here to enter text.
Alternatives:
Click or tap here to enter text.
Recommendation:
Click or tap here to enter text.