Fencing in the area around Rio Vista Park in San Marcos went up this week and will stay in place through Labor Day as the city attempts to keep trash out of the river during the busy summer season.
The San Marcos City Council gave the go ahead on Tuesday to install the temporary fencing ahead of Memorial Day weekend. The decision came after large crowds last summer made it difficult for the city to enforce park ordinances, including the single-use container ban that went into effect last year.
The education campaign for the "can ban" ordinance " ended up being a little bit lackluster and ineffective," Council Member Alyssa Garza said.
The campaign included online posts and park signs, but council members said the language was difficult to understand and didn't make clear what items were banned.
Council Member Matthew Mendoza said people want the single-use container ban to be enforced and for park grounds to be patrolled by either marshals or park rangers.
Those visiting Rio Vista Park this summer will see chain-link fencing around the park's perimeter with several staffed entrances.
Park ambassadors will be stationed at these "access points" to share information about park ordinances and keep an eye out for any banned containers or unsafe behavior.
While locals are more familiar with the rules, city officials hope this will help out-of-town visitors follow the rules.
" About 70% of our weekend participants are from out of town," Assistant City Manager Rodney Gonzales said. "A lot of them primarily are from Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin."
According to , the number of people visiting San Marcos during the summer and visiting the riverfront parks has gone up, with 2024 being a record year for the city.
Gonzales said these out-of-towners often don't know the rules that include no public display of alcohol, no glass and restrictions on single-use containers.
Council members are also considering implementing visitor fees at the river's access points for non-residents. San Marcos residents would not have to pay.
City officials said the revenue from the fees could help offset the cost of cleaning, maintaining and securing riverfront parks during the busiest times of the year, and they would include opportunities for public input before implementing a park fee.
