SMGA Update for May 21, 2008

In This Issue...

For Your Calendar
Trail-Builder Alert
Work Begins on Ringtail Ridge Trail Project
Citizen Parks Advisory Team Update
Hays County Growth Explodes
Survey / Board Retreat
Students Set an Example
Water & Energy Conservation
In The News

FOR YOUR CALENDAR

View calendar of events

NATURESCAPE PHOTOS NOW ACCEPTED
Your amateur nature photo taken within Hays County could be a winner! We will display up to 60 images at our contest exhibit,
and winners will receive cash prizes. Tell friends and family and learn more at http://www.smgreenbelt.org/PhotoContest.htm.

EVERY THURSDAY: TRAIL BUILDING
LOCATION TBA, 6:45 - 8:15 AM
Location to be advised via email to our trail crew list: Email alliance@smgreenbelt.org to receive location and last-minute weather cancellations. All trail builders must wear gloves, hard shoes, and eyewear. Water bottle, long pants, and hat highly recommended. We supply tools and bug repellent.

1st AND 3rd WEDNESDAYS: ELEPHANT EAR REMOVAL
AQUARENA CENTER, 4:30 - 7:00 PM
Meet at Aquarena Center at the far end of the long parking area. Gloves, supplies, and instruction provided.

WATER HYACINTH REMOVAL
AQUARENA CENTER, SATURDAY, MAY 24 9:00 AM - NOON
Email wassenich@grandecom.net for details.

TRAIL BUILDING - LOCATION TBA,
SATURDAY, JUNE 7 & 21: 8:00-10:00 AM (7:30 NEWBIES)
See notes above for Thursday trail building.

TRAIL-BUILDER ALERT
Our trail crew discovered something unexpected at Upper Purgatory last week: A well-meaning volunteer attempted to do some trail work on his or her own without following the flags set out by SMGA and without using appropriate trail-building techniques. The flags mark a future trail designed to avoid erosion and other problems, and cutting and grubbing techniques ensure a sustainable trail corridor. While we appreciate this spirit of volunteerism, SMGA was given permission by the city to create local trails because we have trained along side city staff, follow login/logout procedures, and follow safety and planning practices. If you or someone you know has been working on the trail, please contact us so we can make arrangements to have all work done within project standards and guidelines. We are happy to facilitate getting everyone on the same “path”. Email alliance@smgreenbelt.org or call Todd at 754-9321. Parks and Recreation can be reached at 393-8400.

WORK BEGINS ON RINGTAIL RIDGE TRAIL PROJECT
Excerpt from press release dated 5/14/08: In August of 2007, The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance (SMGA) was awarded a National Trails Grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TP&WD) to fund the Ringtail Ridge Trail Project in the amount of $40,087. The grant reimburses 80% of the total cost of $50,000 for this exciting trail project.

Ringtail Ridge is located behind the Dakota Ranch Apartments on Ranch Road 12. Randall Morris donated the parkland in July 2001 as part of a Planned Development District, the first of its kind in San Marcos. Morris’ contribution allowed for denser development on 13 acres, leaving 45 acres of public open space. Located entirely on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, cluster development allowed for a substantial reduction in impervious cover and infrastructure while preserving water quality and habitat protection on the majority of this environmentally sensitive land. Hughson Meats previously owned the site, where they ran a meat processing facility for many years.

Improvements include two miles of trail renovation, construction of a half-mile, ADA accessible trail, a wildlife viewing stand, bike racks, interpretive kiosks and signage, and parking lot improvements. Restoration aspects include the removal of the massive concrete slabs left from the meat packing facility and planting native plants and grasses.

While much of the work will be done by the consulting firm Environmental Survey Consultants, volunteers are needed to work on the trail improvements and other tasks. Volunteer hours and matching funds are needed to meet the SMGA’s commitment to the project, a total of $10,000. Monetary contributions to date include generous gifts from Randall Morris and the Hobby Family Foundation. For information on how you can help contact Chris North at 392-3932.

CITIZEN PARKS ADVISORY TEAM UPDATE
Background: Hays County voters passed a $3.5M parks bond in 2000; those funds were leveraged to fund $14.5M in parks projects throughout the county, in large part due to the work of grant writer Richard Salmon. (San Marcos residents are fortunate that Richard now focuses his expertise on projects closer to home as the city's recently hired grant writer.) In September 2002 the Commissioner's Court adopted the Parks & Open Space Master Plan for 2002-2012, which sets forth priorities and recommendations for a countywide park and open space system. Last year Hays County residents passed a $30M bond for, "parks, natural areas, open space, and related projects, and the preservation of water quality, aquifer recharge areas, and wildlife habitat, and the levying of a tax in payment thereof."

Upon passage the $30M bond, the Commissioner's Court formed the Citizen Parks Advisory Team (CPAT), charged with reviewing and recommending to the court proposals for funding from the 2007 park bond funds. Recent months have been marked by controversy and split court votes to fund projects that do not meet the scoring criteria that CPAT had developed for qualifying projects for funding. The Court recently placed a moratorium on new project proposals and hired Trust for Public Lands (TPL) to help CPAT and the Court develop a cohesive vision for how the remaining parks bond money should be spent.

To date the Court has allocated over $12 million (see projects listed below), with much of that spent on infrastructure for recreational facilities located within municipalities as opposed to land acquisition and preservation. Only two of the nine approved projects, Blue Hole and Jacob’s Well, are listed as priorities in the Hays County Parks & Open Space Master Plan.

TPL and Envision Central Texas (ECT) held a workshop earlier this month to glean input from County Commissioners and a group of citizen stakeholders selected based on their interest and expertise in parks and open space planning. Findings from the workshop will inform a five-county "greenprint" (described below). TPL will also make recommendations to guide expenditures from the remaining parks bond money based on findings from the workshop, interviews, and research.

Meanwhile the San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department has prepared a proposal for improvements to several parks and natural areas in San Marcos that will go before CPAT later this month. The proposal, submitted previous to the moratorium, will complete funding for five parks, with 52% of the land used primarily for recharge/aquifer protection and 48% for recreational activities. The proposal includes a funding match from the City of San Marcos and may attract matching from other contributors as well.