Development drives park and trail initiatives throughout Hays County

A closer look

In San Marcos, Buda and Kyle, an average of 67% of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park, according to data from ParkServe, a platform launched by The Trust for Public Land that maps urban park areas. Kyle has the greatest access to nearby parks—even when compared to Austin and San Antonio—with 73% of residents living in close proximity to a green space.

Residents of all three cities live closer to parks than neighboring New Braunfels, which has an average of 42% of residents near parkland.

San Marcos

Prioritizing parks, trails and open space looks different for the city of San Marcos compared to its neighbors in Buda and Kyle.

Parks and Recreation Director Jamie Lee Case said acquiring natural areas has been a priority for the city over the last 20 years, and these land acquisitions allow the city to conserve as much natural area as possible to mitigate flooding and maintain water quality.

Trails are also a component of various master plans the city of San Marcos is working on now. Case said the city is focused on gathering additional feedback regarding its riverfront parks system and will develop a master plan for Quail Creek, a new regional park located on a 176.5-acre property at Hwy. 21.

The city acquired the property, totaling $8.5 million, in October 2022 through Hays County’s Parks & Open Spaces Bond, American Rescue Plan Act and parkland fee-in-lieu funds—or parkland dedication fees, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.

The city has also partnered with the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, or SMGA, for assistance in constructing trails within the Cottonwood Creek Natural Area. Case said they hope to start that process in early 2025. SMGA is a local nonprofit that works to protect the quality of life through the creation of interconnected parks and natural areas.

Why it matters

Providing access to green space is important because it allows the city to reap not only the mental health benefits but the economic benefits of having natural areas and trails within the community, Case said.

“We do have folks that travel from out of town ... that come to our natural areas for hiking or mountain biking, and some of them are bird-watchers—so they’re coming to our community, enjoying our spaces and then as an additional benefit going into our shops and our restaurants,” Case said.

Case said the city has several items the community will have the opportunity to weigh in on. “I would just really encourage San Marcos residents to participate in these open houses and surveys so that we can make sure that we’re getting as much input from our community as possible,” Case said.

Kyle

In Kyle, parks and recreation is a “critical component” for how the city develops, City Manager Bryan Langley said.

The city’s parkland dedication ordinance outlines specific requirements for developers to set aside parkland or provide fees in place of land to meet the recreational needs of new developments.

Kyle’s Lake Park District is one example of how the city collaborates with developers by negotiating components of its parkland dedication ordinance into development agreements.

The project, which will house a new St. David’s Hospital and city-owned hotel and convention center, has about 20 acres of dedicated parkland, according to the development agreement. Parts of The Vybe Trail, an 80-mile paved path that aims to connect all Kyle neighborhoods to different areas of the city, are also being constructed on the backside of the property.

All the 2022 road bond projects have a Vybe Trail component to them, which will allow for more walkability throughout the city. As those projects start moving forward, residents will begin seeing more of those connection points, Langley added.

Items worth mentioning

Approximately 2.5 miles of trail is anticipated to begin construction in 2025, according to an email from Kyle Director of Communications Rachel Sonnier.

The St. David’s Connector—a 0.5-mile trail connecting FM 1626 at Marketplace to Kohlers Crossing at the Public Safety Center—is slated

to begin construction in April, according to

the email.

Plum Creek Trail—a 12-foot-wide spine trail from Bunton Creek Park to Waterleaf Park—is anticipated to break ground in fall 2025, Parks and Recreation Director David Lopez said. Plum Creek Trail will have seven 10-foot-wide connections to adjacent neighborhoods.

The master planning process for Lake Kensington Nature Park, a 105-acre undeveloped park at 2400 Dacy Lane, will kick off in late spring of 2025. Lopez said they hope to begin construction in late spring or early summer of 2026.

Buda

Buda is making headway on Proposition B of its 2021 bond package. The voter-approved projects include the expansion of the Garlic Creek and Onion Creek trails as well as park improvements for John D. and Byrd Mims Garison Memorial Park, which is located at 711 Garison Road.

Buda Parks and Recreation Director Tony Host said the city will be adding 1.85 miles of 10-foot-wide trail to Garlic Creek Trail. The city also plans to add just over a half of a mile of 6-foot- and 12-foot-wide trail to Onion Creek Trail. Both projects are anticipated to be completed in spring 2025. The city is also adding just over half a mile of a 12-foot-wide trail to Garison Park.

The city of Buda will also be remodeling its sportsplex. Host said they will be adding baseball fields, concession stands, shade structures, pickleball courts, batting cages, volleyball courts and parking.

Another point of view

Similar to its neighbors south of I-35, Buda city officials are also collaborating with developers to expand its trail system.

Buda City Council approved a $2.53 million incentive package in August for a new mixed-use development at 1065 FM 967. The incentive includes a fee credit of up to $1.1 million for developers to construct an 8-acre park with a 10-foot-wide walking trail. The walking trail will lead to a pedestrian bridge that will cross over into Garlic Creek.

Tim Dowling, one of the developers on the project, said they were able to zero in on the kind of project they wanted to pursue through a local commercial real estate group meetup.“Having these trail systems that lead into our development—that’s what’s really leading the charge in terms of the tenants that are coming on board,” Dowling said.