The overview
The area plan focuses on seven key concepts, identifies specific neighborhood recommendations for each, and steps to implement the recommendations. The seven concepts identified in the area plan include:
- History, arts and culture
- Getting around
- Streetscapes
- Public space and amenities
- Housing
- Business community
- Building form and development
A closer look
The first concept—history, arts and culture—focuses on ensuring the identity of the neighborhood is maintained and celebrated, according to the area plan draft. The concept includes recommendations focusing on elevating neighborhood history, creating public art, and enhancing trails and interpretive signage at trails.
The second concept—getting around—focuses on improving the neighborhood’s mobility by enhancing the existing transportation system. Recommendations include completing transportation networks, strengthening connections between areas, improving traffic flow and parking, and enhancing public transit.
The third concept—streetscapes—emphasizes building, maintaining and improving public infrastructure, such as streets, sidewalks, utility lines and other publicly owned spaces. Recommendations include creating neighborhood gateways, implementing safety improvements, enhancing rights-of-way and intersections, and maintaining streetscapes.
The fourth concept—public space and amenities—focuses on maintaining and improving existing amenities, such as parks, trails, playgrounds and athletic fields, while also expanding public-use spaces. Recommendations include maintaining current public spaces, increasing park access, developing new public spaces, and addressing hazards and nuisances, such as flooding, odors, waste, and extreme heat.
The fifth concept—housing—emphasizes helping residents remain in Blanco Gardens while ensuring quality homes are available when they are ready to move. Recommendations are organized under subheadings, such as neighborhood context, market-based homes, subsidized homes, homeownership and the resiliency of existing homes.
The sixth concept—business and economic development—focuses on retaining existing businesses in Blanco Gardens while promoting desired or currently unavailable enterprises. Recommendations emphasize supporting the existing business community and workforce while encouraging further economic development.
The seventh and final concept—building form and development—focuses on the already existing physical structures of the neighborhood, while guiding the addition of new structures that would complement the neighborhood. Recommendations are organized under subheadings, such as public facilities and private properties.
Digging deeper
If adopted in March, the City Council presentation states that the next steps include evaluating and updating the development code and integrating the area plan into the capital improvement project selection process. Afterward, officials would evaluate projects and plans for short-term implementation and develop a tool to track projects.
Funding for projects is expected to come from grants from different governmental organizations, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation, according to the draft plan.
The background
According to the existing conditions analysis, Blanco Gardens currently encompasses 296 acres of the south side of San Marcos, with around 4,483 residents, though this is likely higher due to Texas State students living in the area during the academic year.
This area plan was first pursued as a part of the city of San Marcos’ comprehensive plan, also known as Vision SMTX, which began the process of updating in November 2020 and officially updated in October 2024, according to city documents and the city website.
Throughout the area plan process, there has been extensive community outreach with Blanco Gardens residents, including five steering committee meetings, a steering committee walking tour, two community workshops, postcards sent to every property owner and tenant, door-to-door outreach visits, and two public safety meetings, according to city documents.
Notable quotes
“I just want to say—there were a lot of great things in [the area plan], and if my colleagues haven’t actually read the plan all the way through, there’s a lot of good initiatives that I think we could really emulate in other parts of the city,” council member Amanda Rodriguez said.
What’s next
The following meetings are in the upcoming future, according to the Blanco Gardens Neighborhood Area Plan website:
- Feb. 11, 6 p.m.: Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing
- March 4, 6 p.m.: City Council public hearing (no action)
- March 18, 6 p.m.: City Council public hearing and action
