Save Thompson's Island

To SAVE THOMPSON’S ISLAND, work must be done to increase flow around both sides of the island by restoring the elevation of the water above the island to its historical levels: https://www.facebook.com/groups/304393306435126/

Cape’s Dam (actually a weir as it lets water pass) is a 150 year old river structure that creates Mill Race, Mill Race Falls and Thompson’s Island in Stokes Park, San Marcos. The city now owns this property and is required by ordinance to preserve the natural and historical elements of this new park.

The recent floods have damaged these to the extent that they are a hazard to citizens and visitors to the park. Thus we seek to restore these historical structures to return adequate amounts of water to to sustain native plants and animals on both sides of the island.

Fraye Stokes, and her husband John J. Stokes donated J.J. Stokes Park and a part of Thompson’s Island. We feel that the existing river structures should be preserved and that the city is not properly stewarding what her family donated, since it has been a hazard since it became a Federal Disaster Area in the 2013 Halloween Flood.

The following provisions are proposed to save the island.

• DIVISION 1: - GENERAL PROVISIONS

• Section 5.3.1.1 - Purpose, Applicability, and Findings

(a) Findings.
(1) The City is the trustee of the natural environment of the San Marcos River for existing and future generations of citizens of the City and its environs;
(2) The San Marcos River provides significant and irreplaceable recreational opportunities to the citizens of the City and its environs;
(3) The San Marcos River ecosystem is biologically unique, and some animal and plant species found in the first few kilometers of the San Marcos River are found nowhere else;
(4) Development that is insensitively planned, improperly constructed or poorly maintained near the San Marcos River can result in irreparable damage to the natural environment and, particularly, to the quality of the water in the San Marcos River;
(5) The San Marcos River Corridor, due to highly erodible soils and rare biotic communities, is highly susceptible to irreparable damage resulting from development activities;
(6) The San Marcos River Corridor is facing the potential for intense development;
(7) The continued economic growth and quality of life of the City is dependent on a pleasing natural environment, quality recreational opportunities and unique natural resources within and in close proximity to the City;
(8) The San Marcos River Corridor must be protected in order to preserve the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the City and its environs;
(9) If the San Marcos River Corridor is not developed in a sensitive and innovative manner in accordance with regulations designed to protect the corridor, the natural environment, river ecosystem and recreational characteristics, the San Marcos River will be irreparably damaged; and
(10) The City Manager has directed the City staff to conduct a study of characteristics of the San MarcosRiver Corridor, the adverse impact of development activities thereon and the means by which adverse development impacts can be mitigated.

(b) Purposes. The purposes of the standards in this Division shall be to:
(1) Prevent indiscriminate and unnecessary stripping of native vegetation and the unnecessary loss of soils;
(2) Prevent increases in soil erosion and sedimentation during and after development activities;
(3) Prevent increases in the rate, volumes and velocities of stormwater runoff;
(4) Prevent or reduce increases in pollution concentrations and total pollutant loadings of stormwater runoff;
(5) Protect the biological integrity of the San Marcos River habitat; and
(6) Preserve the natural and traditional character of the land and waterway to the greatest extent feasible.

(c) Applicability. The provisions of this Division apply to all land within the following described boundaries:
(1) An area bounded by the headwaters of the San Marcos River in Spring Lake along a line perpendicular to the flow line of Sink Creek southeast to the intersection of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks, then southwest along the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks to its intersection with Charles Austin Drive, then southeast along Charles Austin Drive to its intersection with the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks, then southwest along those tracks to McKinnon Street, then southeast along McKinnon Street to its intersection with Field Street, then south along Field Street to its intersection with Roberts Street, then along Roberts Street, southeast along a line crossing Interstate 35 to Sherbarb Street, along Sherbarb Street to its intersection with Linda Lane, then southwest along Linda Lane to its intersection with RiverRoad, then south along River Road to a point on River Road where River Road turns northeast and intersects with land having soil which is classified as having a high or severe water erosion hazard, then southeast parallel with the San Marcos River to the confluence of the Blanco and San Marcos Rivers, then for a distance of 1,000 feet up the Blanco River and a distance of 200 feet from the bank of the BlancoRiver, then across the Blanco River to a point 200 feet from the eastern bank, then south at a distance 200 feet from the bank to the floodplain of the San Marcos River as defined in the Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, USDA, SCS-EIS-WS-(ADM)-78- 2-(F)-(TX), and on the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) maps for Hays, Guadalupe and Caldwell Counties in effect on August 11, 1985, (1) then along the floodplain or (2) within 1,000 feet of the centerline of the San Marcos River if the land is classified by the Soil Conservation Service Soil Surveys of Hays, Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties, as having a high or severe water erosion hazard, or (3) within 200 feet of the bank of the San Marcos River, whichever is the larger area, to the limits of the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Then across the San Marcos River and from the limits of the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction west and north along the San Marcos River and (1) within the floodplain of the San Marcos River or a tributary as defined in the Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, USDA, SCS-EIS-WS-(ADM)-78- 2(F)-(TX), and on the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) maps for Hays, Guadalupe and Caldwell Counties in effect on August 11, 1985, or (2) within 1,000 feet of the centerline of the San MarcosRiver if the land is classified by the Soil Conservation Service Soil Surveys of Hays, Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties, as having a high or severe water erosion hazard, or (3) within 200 feet of the bank or the San Marcos River, whichever is larger area, then to Hays Co. Road, northwest along that road to USGS benchmark 578, then north along S. McKie Street to Interstate Highway 35, then across Interstate Highway 35 to C.M. Allen Parkway, then north along C.M. Allen Parkway to its intersection with Purgatory Creek, then along Purgatory Creek west for a distance of 1,000 feet and within 200 feet of its bank, then across Purgatory Creek a distance of 200 feet from the northern bank, then back to C. M. Allen Parkway at a distance 200 feet from the bank of Purgatory Creek then along C. M. Allen Parkway to Moon Street, down Moon Street to its intersection with Woods Street, then in a straight line northeast to that intersection of Sessom Drive with Peques Street, then northeast along Peques Street to a point where Peques Street intersects with the Eckrant-Rock Outcrop Complex soil group, then generally northeast along this soil group's boundary 1,000 feet from the centerline of the San Marcos River to its intersection with the beginning point near the intersection of Ed J.L. Green Drive and West Laurel Street, then southeast along a line to the headwaters of the San Marcos River in Spring Lake.

(2) The official map of the SMRC shall be retained in the City Clerk's Office. As land is annexed into the City, and the City's extraterritorial jurisdiction is extended in the vicinity of the San Marcos River, the boundaries of the SMRC shall be extended automatically without further action by the City Council in accord with the three-part description in the preceding paragraphs of this subsection.

(3) The Engineering Director shall interpret the boundaries of the San Marcos River Corridor from topographic, hydrologic and biological data based on the boundaries described in this subsection.

(4) The City Council shall periodically, with the assistance of the Engineering Director, review the boundaries of the SMRC. The City Council shall consider in this review and in considering revising the boundaries:
a. Revised FEMA floodplain maps;
b. Water quality monitoring data; and
c. The effectiveness of this Article's measures, which are designed to protect the river.

(d) Exceptions.
(1) Development on platted subdivisions. The additional requirements of this Article shall not apply to development, redevelopment, repair or construction or reconstruction of a single-family detached residence on a properly platted subdivision lot that has been properly platted before the effective date of the ordinance from which this Article derives.
(2) Erodible soils. If a development is on land included within the San Marcos River Corridor because it is shown on the Hays, Guadalupe or Caldwell County Soil Conservation Service soil survey maps as being on soils that have a high or severe water erosion hazard, is not within 200 feet of the bank of the San Marcos River, and is not within a floodplain within the SMRC and a soils test, as verified by the Engineering Director, shows that the development is not on soils that have a high or severe water erosion hazard and that the stormwater runoff from the development will not flow over soils that have a high or severe water erosion hazard, the development shall not be required to meet the additional requirements of this Article.

• DIVISION 2: - DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

• Section 5.3.2.1 - Ecological Preservation

(a) Applicability of Landscaping and Buffering. All standards concerning landscaping, buffering and the preservation of natural vegetation. as set forth in Chapter 6, Article 1, shall apply within the SMRC.
(b) Restoration of Disturbed Areas. Restoration of disturbed areas that contain native woody and herbaceous plants shall be accomplished only as approved by the Engineering Director.

Stabilization of eroding creek banks. Stabilization of eroding creek banks is permitted in order to protect threatened property, but only as approved by appropriate Federal and State agencies and the Engineering Director. All these projects shall be designed to stabilize existing conditions only.
Excavation or filling. Excavation or filling shall be allowed within the SMRC only in accordance with Article 4, Division 2 of this Chapter 5, and the following additional requirements:
(1) The excavation or filling is necessary for the purpose of structural engineering or is in the area where a structure will be completed, including a building foundation; or
(2) Excavation or filling, as demonstrated and certified by a registered professional engineer, will improve the water quality of the runoff and/or stabilize an existing area of erosion and will continue the maintenance of flood and flow characteristics.
(3) Water levels will be restored to historically designed elevations after all changes and floods.