SMGA
Update for August 19, 2008
In
This Issue...
For
Your Calendar
Naturescapes
Close Vote, Commissioners Approve San
Marcos Parks Projects
Last Chance to Comment on San Marcos
Parks Master Plan
Windemere Update
Proposed Changes to County Development
Rules
In the News & Other Tidbits
FOR
YOUR CALENDAR
View
calendar of events
EVERY
THURSDAY, TRAIL BUILDING, END OF SUMMIT RIDGE DR, 6:45-8:15
AM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 AND 20, TRAIL BUILDING, 7:30 AM for
first time crew members, 8:00 AM for others
Email alliance@smgreenbelt.org
if you want to receive weekly email notifications to receive
directions, location changes and last-minute weather cancellations.
All trail builders must wear gloves, hard shoes, and eyewear.
Water bottle, long pants, and hat highly recommended. We supply
tools and bug repellent.
1ST
& 3RD WEDS: ELEPHANT EAR REMOVAL, AQUARENA CENTER, 4:30-7:00
PM
Meet at Aquarena Center at the far end of the long parking
area. Gloves, supplies, and instruction provided. Volunteers
work under the training and supervision of Ethan Chappel and
Leah Laszewski. Call Leah to let her know you are coming;
leave your phone number so she can call you if there are changes
in meeting times: 667-6676.
SATURDAY,
AUG 22, INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL, AQUARENA CENTER, 8:00/9:00-11:00
AM
SMRF reports that the hyacinth have all but disappeared at
the warmest time of the year, when they are usually thriving.
There are many theories, but no one really knows exactly why.
However, there are plenty exotic invasives growing at Aquarena,
so join SMRF to help out. Email wassenich@grandecom.net
for more information.
WEDNESDAY,
AUG 27, SMGA BOARD MEETING, 6:30-8:00 pm
SMGA board meetings are on the 4th Wednesday of each month.
Members welcome; let us know you’re coming and we will
get a meeting packet to you.
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FRIDAY,
SEP 5, NATURESCAPES AWARDS RECEPTION
SAN MARCOS ACTIVITY CTR, 5:00-7:30 PM
Bad
news: too late to submit photos for this year’s contest
and exhibition.
Good news: the final tally is 217 images from 34 photographers
making for a very strong showing.
Beautiful pictures, most from San Marcos natural areas, tasty
refreshments, music, fun; a great way to cap off the work
week and relax with great people. And we will honor those
photographers who produced the best images. The 65 Naturescapes
contest images will be exhibited along side the Hill Country
Photography Club’s exhibit titled “World in Motion”.
The exhibition will run from September 5 to October 31.
CLOSE
VOTE, COMMISSIONERS APPROVE SAN MARCOS PARKS PROJECTS
Here’s
a great example of how participation can carry the day and
make a multi-million dollar difference: County commissioners
were poised to reject the San Marcos Park Projects proposal,
which barely squeaked through the Citizens Parks Advisory
Team (CPAT). Jeff Barton would become the swing vote, with
Will Conley and Debbie Ingalsbe strongly in favor and Karen
Ford and Judge Liz Sumter opposed. Several CPAT / SMGA members;
various parks staff members, including Rodney Cobb; half dozen
skate board teens from around the county; and the mayor were
present. A number of people went to the podium; all were in
favor. SMGA Board and city council member John Thomaides has
been working on the matter for weeks through direct meetings
and stepping up to address the Commissioners.
Commissioner Barton came around, so the county will spend
$3.1 million on the approved San Marcos improvements including
the entrance to Upper Purgatory (see list of projects in the
June
newsletter). Work should begin soon; unlike some of the
other projects approved by the county, the city is ready to
go on these projects.
Read
newstreamz.com’s coverage of the meeting here.
LAST
CHANCE TO COMMENT ON SAN MARCOS PARKS MASTER PLAN
The
city’s contractor (Land Design Partners) is developing
a completely rejuvenated parks and open space master plan.
The city needs input from people living in and just outside
the city.
This
reminder is shameless nagging to get you out and carry the
day with SMGA input…and bring friends and family, too.
The
city wants to know where parks and natural areas should be
located and what features and amenities they should provide.
Time is running out to give your input in
person. The only remaining opportunities are:
- Tuesday,
August 19 at Movies in Your Park, in San Marcos Plaza Park.
City staff will conduct interviews at this last movie of
the season: “Hairspray” showing at sunset.
- Tuesday,
September 16, Parks and Recreation Office, 401 E. Hopkins,
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Land Design Partners will appear before
the Parks and Recreation Board meeting, which is another
opportunity for public input to Land Design as well as the
Board.
The
city is listening. Please make a point of going and being
heard. Ask others to participate.
You can shape the future.
SMGA
attendees at the earlier meetings leaned heavily toward natural
areas, hiking, walking, running and other trail oriented activities
to support our mission of conservation and interconnectivity.
These goals also provide watershed, habitat and flood protection,
which often do not make it into these kinds of discussions
as they should. Remember the Loop
and Check!
Take
a minute to prepare for the meeting by considering the questions
below. These will appear on a questionnaire at the meeting.
- Do
you visit City of SM parks/recreation facilities?
- If
yes, which City of San Marcos Parks or recreation facilities
have you visited most frequently in the past two years?
- What
amenities do you need the system to provide that it doesn’t
now?
- What
would you like to change most about the current amenities
of park system?
- Where
should the park system expand in the future?
- 6.
What type of amenities of parks do we need more of?
- From
the list above, please list those new amenities of park
types that you believe are the most important to make available
within the expanded park system
- What
new programs (i.e. art classes, dance, etc.) would
you like to see made available?
- If
you had money to spend on parks, trails and/or recreation
facilities, how would you spend it?
- Which,
if any, amenities should require a fee to use?
- Do
you have any other comments about the priorities for the
City of San Marcos parks and recreation facilities, maintenance
or any other issues that should be considered when developing
the Master Plan (Please use the back of this sheet if necessary)?
We
urge you to attend a hearing and voice your support for water,
habitat, and greenspace protection. However, if you can’t
attend, residents may also mail comments to Parks & Recreation
Department, Attn: Land Design Partners, City of San Marcos,
630 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, Texas 78666 or email to
parks_info@ci.san-marcos.tx.us.
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WINDEMERE
UPDATE
As
of this Update the Windemere Ranch Subdivision is on hold.
The developers and engineer submitted a letter to the city
asking that their request for variances to the plan be removed
from the Tuesday, August 12 agenda of the Planning and Zoning
Commission meeting.
Many
SMGA members, River Foundation members, and particularly neighbors
in the area voiced and wrote their concerns and were prepared
to attend the meeting to air those concerns. The outpouring
of citizen participation combined with a staff recommendation
to deny (perhaps made easier with all the interest) likely
motivated them to bale out. If a vote had been taken and denied
they would have had to wait at least 6 months before resubmitting.
Political winds can often carry the day, in this case many
of you created a tropical storm. Those letters and emails
will remain in the file. Thanks to all of you who stepped
forward.
They
may be back with different proposals. We will keep you posted.
SMGA
tries not to work against the interests of land owners or
developers. We want valuable, livable neighborhoods and commercial
centers. We also want to make sure that the sensitive and
most valuable natural areas are protected and understood as
comprising essential threads in the fabric of our community,
in the complex ecology of our place.
To
that end we will continue our efforts to find a resolution
that serves the multiple interests in this area and allows
all of us to rest assured that the waters of the San Marcos
River will run clean, clear, cool, and continuously for our
great great grandchildren . . . t.o.d.
Windemere
plan
PROPOSED
CHANGES TO COUNTY DEVELOPMENT RULES
Hays
County is considering proposed changes to its development
regulations. SMGA is currently reviewing the proposed changes
and will comment during upcoming opportunities over the next
few months. SMGA has already urged strong development rules,
in particular strong incentives for cluster development and
more stringent requirements in key water quality, flood, and
habitat-sensitive areas. We will continue to do so, but many
people speaking to the issue can have a large, positive impact.
The regulations are written in the language of statutes which
can be a bit tedious but they are interesting for those wanting
to grasp how counties will guide development. For those willing
to wade through the text Hays County has posted the latest
version of the regulations at the link below. Chapters 705,
section 5.06 relating to parkland dedication and Chapter 765
addressing conservation development are relevant to the SMGA
mission. If you follow water quality matters and flood protection,
chapters 715, 725 and 735 will prove informative.
http://www.co.hays.tx.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=OEtnkV9KGtc=&tabid=71&mid=438
To
learn more about conservation development, download this pdf
from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: http://www.wildflower.org/consdev/cd_consdev_in_tx.pdf.
Or visit the center’s conservation page at http://www.wildflower.org/consdev/.
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IN THE NEWS & OTHER TIDBITS
LAND
OFFICE WEIGHS $10 ANNUAL LEASE OF CHRISTMAS MOUNTAINS WITH
PROPERTY OWNERS
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/30/0730christmas.html
Some West Texas property owners and their guests could gain
fishing, hiking and horseback-riding privileges in the Christmas
Mountains — a state-owned, 9,269-acre tract —
for a lump sum of $10 a year. That proposal, in a draft lease
agreement drawn up by the General Land Office, which controls
the tract, is the latest turn in the story of the Christmas
Mountains. The rugged land adjacent to Big Bend National Park
was the subject of a fierce debate late last year and early
this year over stewardship, conservation and guns.
HAYS
COUNTY TURNS BLUE - AND GREEN
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A654030
Hays Co. commissioners have been turning a shade of green
recently, after nearly a decade of rampant growth championed
under previous courts. Flush with a new $30 million parks
bond in one of the nation's fastest-growing counties, the
commissioners have begun to build a legacy of environmentalism.
Click
a date below to view past News & Events:
July
16, 2008
June 16 , 2008
May
21, 2008
April
16, 2008
March
25, 2008
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