San Marcos Downtown Area Plan

CHAPTER 2: ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY

ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS/ONLINE ENGAGEMENT The San Marcos community was invited to participate in two Downtown Community Workshops that were held in-person. During the workshops, the community was able to provide feedback and participate in activities that were programmed for each meeting. The following describes brief summaries of each meeting that took place. Opportunities to provide feedback online about the same materials were offered in conjunction with each open house.

COMMUNITY WORKSHOP #1

ONLINE SURVEY Approximately 205 respondents participated in the survey, with 36% of them living downtown. Eating/dining was the number one activity respondents do when visiting Downtown. 54% of respondents stated that Downtown is currently tailored towards students and they would like Downtown to appeal more towards families. Concerning art and culture, the majority of respondents stated that they wanted to see more murals and live music. They would also like Downtown to be more pedestrian-friendly with wider sidewalks and additional crosswalks. Additionally, 72% of respondents would like more plazas, and seating areas. Townhomes were the primary housing types that respondents would like in the area and respondents highlighted the need for a bookstore or natural food store.

The first Downtown Community Workshop was held on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at the San Marcos Price Center. Approximately 80-100 attendees came out to provide approximately 260 written comments on their vision for the future of Downtown San Marcos. The attendees were greeted with a brief presentation that provided an overview of the project. Following the presentation, attendees visited 13 unique stations to provide feedback on the specific topics. To capture feedback received, each station was equipped with a unique feedback activity. Members of the community who were not able to attend the in-person event could participate online via a virtual survey.

Photo of community members at a Downtown Community Workshop

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SAN MARCOS DOWNTOWN AREA PLAN