A swimmer goes upstream in the San Marcos River on Sept. 15, 2021. The city is considering banning single-use beverage containers in its riverfront parks, in an effort to reduce trash.
Jordan Vonderhaar/Contributor
San Marcos moves closer to a 'can ban' in city's riverfront parks
Published: Sat, 12/02/23
San Marcos moves closer to a 'can ban' in city's riverfront parks
Visitors might have to stop bringing single-use containers as the city battles a growing problem with trash in the San Marcos River.
A swimmer goes upstream in the San Marcos River on Sept. 15, 2021. The city is considering banning single-use beverage containers in its riverfront parks, in an effort to reduce trash.
Jordan Vonderhaar/Contributor
San Antonio Express-News
By Liz Teitz, Staff writer
San Marcos is one step closer to implementing a can ban in the city's riverfront parks, as a city advisory board has recommended approving the new rule.
The San Marcos Parks and Recreation Board voted Thursday to adopt a resolution recommending that the City Council implement a ban of single-use beverage containers, along with a size limit for coolers. The board also suggested the city "adopt a specific enforcement plan and vote for an ongoing funding source in the annual city budget for adequate enforcement personnel."
The fast-growing city in Hays County has seen increasing recreation traffic in its parks along the San Marcos River, resulting in more trash. At a meeting last month, city parks and recreation director Jamie Lee Case told council members that conservation crews removed more than 1,500 cubic feet of trash from the river in July, along with 288 cubic feet of trash from the parks. She said the city is currently spending $191,000 on litter abatement during the summer.
In September, Council Member Mark Gleason asked the council to consider a single-use container ban, and most members voiced support for moving forward, tasking the parks board with bringing back a recommendation. More than a dozen people spoke in favor of a ban, and 10 people spoke or submitted written comments in support of the proposal at Thursday's board meeting.
If implemented, the city's ban would be less strict than New Braunfels' regulations, which prohibit all single-use containers, including plastic bags and disposable food containers, on any rivers within city limits. The proposed rules for San Marcos target only beverage containers. Glass containers are already banned on all Texas waterways by state law.
New Braunfels adopted its can ban in 2012, but it wasn't enforced for several years while legal challenges worked their way through the courts. The city resumed enforcing the ban in late 2017 after a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court. Since 2018, litter collection has declined by 41%, according to the city's website.
The San Marcos board's recommendation includes an exception for the fenced area of the baseball fields at Ramon Lucio Park, to allow San Marcos Youth Baseball and Softball to sell concessions.
During this week's meeting, multiple board members called their recomendation a first step in addressing litter issues, and said the city needs to provide resources for enforcement. The resolution says that additional signs in parks would be "an ineffective strategy to gain voluntary compliance," and says the ban will only be effective with a specific enforcement plan and funding source in place.
San Marcos currently has a Park Ambassador program, who are tasked with visitor education on park rules, as well as city marshals, who handle enforcement of city regulations and also provide emergency medical response services in city parks.