UPDATE: 1:35 P.M., March 3 
All public facilities including park pavilions and picnic areas have reopened as of March 3 by the City of San Marcos, following closure aimed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
Masks will be required at all public facilities and parks for everyone over 10 years of age. Individuals are also asked to maintain at least six feet of distance from those not in the same household. Those with COVID-19 symptoms are asked to not visit any facility, park or recreational area. 
The reopening comes after a steady decline in active and new cases of COVID-19 in San Marcos along with fewer hospitalizations, according to City Manager Bert Lumbreras. 
“We all want to remain vigilant in maintaining CDC recommended guidelines to keep case counts low and to continue to combat community spread as the vaccine becomes available to a larger portion of our community,” Lumbreras says in a press release. 
Residents are encouraged to handle city related business remotely if possible through online access, emails, phone, utility billing drive-thru or by appointment. 
Reservations are required for all San Marcos Activity Center visitors which can be made in one hour time slots online. The center’s capacity is limited to 25% within each area of the facility. 
The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter’s intake/reclaim office has resumed normal operations. Appointments are encouraged. The shelter’s adoption center will resume normal operations noon on March 4. 
The City Clerk will begin accepting appointments for passports or birth/death certificates on March 5. 
The San Marcos Public Library interior will remain closed through the weekend due to construction. However, library stacks will reopen March 8 with occupancy limited to 25 individuals at a time. Lobby seating is only available at this time; drive-thru and lobby computer lab services will continue. 
The Municipal Court has postponed jury trials until April 1. A case resolution program is available for defendants until March 12.

Women, Infants & Children (WIC) offices will continue curbside service while federal waivers remain in place. 

UPDATE: 1:09 p.m., Jan. 28 
City facilities throughout San Marcos will continue to stay closed to the public until March 1 due to rising COVID-19 cases throughout the city and Hays County.
All buildings in the City Hall complex, the activity center, the animal shelter, Municipal Court, the public library, the Grant Harris Building, the San Marcos Tourist Information Center, the Discovery Center and Utility Billing counters at the Municipal Building and the San Marcos Electric Utility Office are facilities that will remain closed. 
City staff will continue to assist residents during normal business hours via phone, email, curbside services and utility billing drive-thrus. 
City parks and natural areas will remain open. 
UPDATE: 2:51 p.m., Jan. 6
San Marcos’ public facilities will remain closed for the remainder of January following initial closure for the holidays, the city announced on Jan. 6.
The extension of the closures is due to rising COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Hays County.
“The hospital capacity in Trauma Service Area (TSA) O in which San Marcos resides reached the 15% mark occupied by COVID patients as of Monday,” Director of Public Safety Chase Stapp said in a press release. “If our area remains above the 15% mark for seven consecutive days, the more restrictive components of the standing Governor’s Order (GA-32) will be triggered.”
GA-32, issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, mentions areas that have experienced seven consecutive days in which COVID- 19 hospitalizations as a percentage of total hospital capacity exceeds 15% may operate at up to 50%, as opposed to 75% in other areas.
The restriction would remain in place until the area has experienced another seven consecutive days in which hospitalizations as a percentage of total hospital capacity is 15% or less.
Original story, Dec. 22:
In an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19 among city staff and throughout the community, all public facilities in the City of San Marcos will be closed between Dec. 28 to Jan. 12, the city announced Dec. 22.  
The Activity Center, San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter, Municipal Court, San Marcos Public Library, the Grant Harris Building, the San Marcos Tourist Information Center, the Discovery Center, all buildings in the City Hall complex along with utility building counters inside the Municipal Building and the San Marcos Electric Utility Office will be closed to the public for two weeks following the Christmas holiday. 
City parks and green spaces will remain open to the public, excluding Texas State’s Sewell Park.
“As the COVID-19 public health emergency continues to impact San Marcos, the City is remaining vigilant in our efforts to keep our citizens and staff safe and healthy,” City Manager Bert Lumbreras said in a press release. “Throughout this year, positive cases have been at their highest following every holiday since COVID arrived, and we’ve seen this same trend after Thanksgiving and as we move into Christmas.”
The public library will continue its curbside service Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as Sunday from 1-6 p.m. Computer lab services along with the library lobby will be closed to the public beginning Dec. 26; wi-fi service will be accessible to the public from the library’s parking lot. 
Utility drive-thrus located at the Municipal Building and the San Marcos Electric Utility Office will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to assist with utility questions or payment arrangements. Customers may also email [email protected], call 512-393-8383 or visit the city’s utility website for assistance. 
Residents can continue to contact city staff by phone and email during normal work hours. For emergency animal services, residents may call the San Marcos Police Department’s non-emergency line at 512-753-2108.