San Marcos to Expand Purgatory Creek

Matthew Hamill
Assistant News Director

On January 22, the San Marcos City Council agreed to support Hays County in acquiring land to expand the Purgatory Creek natural reserve. The Trust for Public Lands organization played a role in getting the council’s support. The organization is working with the city to create the largest urban natural reserve in Texas.

Before Hays County Commissioner Will Conley answered the City Council’s questions about Purgatory creek and the planned expansion, he deferred to Trust for Public Lands representative Scott Parker to explain to the council what the trust has done for San Marcos.

“The trust for public lands working with the city of San Marcos and Hays County has actively and successfully worked to acquire and protect key conservation along Purgatory Creek as an expansion to the cities’ Purgatory Creek Natural Area.” – Will Conley

The trust for public lands has helped Purgatory Creek expand in previous years as well Parker explains.

“Since 2010 we’ve helped the city acquire approximately 289 acres to date.”

Parker went on to add that the Trust for Public Land utilized eight different funding sources from private donations to federal support. For this latest expansion Parker and the trust just need the City and Counties’ cooperation to make the one million dollar purchase however time may not be on their side.

“As was mentioned the trust for public land holds the right to acquire this property land have worked with the land owner to hold that right for a little over four years which show extraordinary patience on the part of the land owner.” Parker  said. “However, our ability to acquire the land terminates at the end of February so we are under a bit of a time crunch.”

The pressure is now on the city and county to come to finalize how to pay for the land.

The city will contribute no more than $500,000 with the promise that the county will raise funds to lessen the burden on the city. With Commissioner Conley working on the terms of the agreement now, San Marcos is getting closer to being home to the largest natural urban preserve in the State of Texas.