Government
BY JAMIE MOORE
San Marcos ramps up river, park rules
What else?
Paid parking at the City Park lot will begin July 1, according to the city. A resident registra- tion and education campaign will launch in June, and registered residents will not have to pay. Fines will be enforced using fixed license plate reader cameras, similar to those already used by enforcement vehicles. Visitors can pay by phone or at one of four kiosks. During peak weekends, overflow parking often spills into nearby neighborhoods. Staff also report challenges with intoxicated visitors fighting, lit- tering, and using drugs, while amenities like pools and tennis courts are frequently overwhelmed.
fenced access point is a pilot effort to improve rule compliance and manage summer crowds. The fence was completed in May. Park rules include leashed pets, limits on grills and shelters, and container restrictions. The can ban, adopted in February 2024, prohibits single-use containers in “No Zones” and limits coolers and small alcoholic beverages. The ordinance’s first year focused on education. This summer begins enforcement, with penalties ranging from warnings to citations.
San Marcos City Council is tightening riverfront park management this summer with new enforcement of the city’s single-use beverage container ordinance, or “can ban,” a new fence at Rio Vista Park and paid parking at City Park— just upstream from Rio Vista. At its May 20 work session, the council voted 6-1, with council member Alyssa Garza dissenting, to install a temporary fence enclosing Rio Vista Park, with controlled entry gates staffed on weekends and holidays. The
Rio Vista Park fencing
"No Zones"
Areas that do not allow any cans, or “No Zones” have rule signage.
Fence Street access gate
Exit only Entry point
2 Veramendi Park 1 Hays County Veterans Memorial
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What’s next?
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San Marcos may soon charge out-of- town visitors to access Rio Vista Park, with proposed fees of $25 per group (up to 10 people) or $5 per individual (age 6+). Residents would be exempt with a free Resident River Pass. A City Council vote was postponed for further discussion. If approved, the fees would be collected at staffed gates and used to offset the cost of securing, cleaning, and maintaining riverfront parks. Roughly 70% of weekend park visitors are from outside San Marcos, with most coming from Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin, according to a city council presentation.
3 Bicentennial Park 4 William & Eleanor Crook Park
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5 Wildlife Park 6 Cape’s Dam 7 Thompson Island Dam
RIO VISTA PARK
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8 Stokes Park
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SAN MARCOS RIVER
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SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION
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