San Marcos Downtown Area Plan

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

PARKS, PUBLIC SPACES, & NATURAL FEATURES PARKS & PUBLIC SPACES Two public parks exist in the Downtown Core, including the Courthouse Square (County

owned) and the Mobility Hub. Parks within the Greater Downtown Area include the Depot, which is a “pocket park” on city owned property, and Eddie Durham Park, named after local San Marcos resident and pioneer of the electric guitar in jazz music. The park is located in the southwest corner of Downtown on MLK Drive. The large riverfront parks and San Marcos River are located immediately east of Downtown. These parks provide many recreational amenities, river access, and river crossing points. Kissing Alley is being designed as a green alley with public spaces, landscaping, and enhanced permeable paving. TOPOGRAPHY & STORMWATER The topography of Downtown generally slopes from Texas State University downward to the river and south of Downtown. This topography is significant for accessibility, building access, and stormwater drainage. CM Allen Parkway was reconstructed in 2021 as a CIP Project to incorporate green stormwater infrastructure to help capture and treat stormwater runoff from the roadways in the downtown area. The water table in Downtown varies and can be as shallow as two feet below ground during periods of high rainfall. San Marcos is subject to both drought and significant storm events, resulting in runoff and water quality concerns for the nearby San Marcos River.

Mobility Hub, 214 E Hutchison St

Downtown Music on the Square event

Eddie Durham Jazz Fest, Eddie Durham Park

Family walking on CM Allen Parkway

SAN MARCOS DOWNTOWN AREA PLAN

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