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[ CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
COMMISSION.THIS IS TUESDAY, MAY 21ST, 2024.
WE ARE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
UM, I WILL START WITH A ROLL CALL.
OH, I WAS GONNA SAY I DIDN'T SEE YOU ONLINE.
I CAN REMEMBER WHERE THE VOICE COME FROM.
LET IT BE SEEN THAT COMMISSIONER THOMPSON IS HERE.
SHE'S MAKING HER WAY UP TO THE DIOCESE.
[ Consent Agenda]
DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES.WHAT WERE THE APRIL ONES? APRIL 16TH.
SO WE HAVE APRIL 16TH AND MAY 1ST MINUTES.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THOSE? UH, ELIZABETH BUNK? UH, YES, I'M THE STANDING IN FOR THE LEAVES.
I SEE BETSY JUST HAD HER HAND UP.
UH, AND SHE HAD SENT AN EMAIL MADE MAKING A NOTE THAT I HAVE THE WRONG YEAR.
UH, ON THE 20, THE APRIL 16TH AGENDA, I WROTE 20 23, 24 AND IT SHOULD BE 20 24, 25, UH, OFFICER TERM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? IF NOT, WE'LL KEEP THOSE TWO ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE ALSO HAVE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ITEM TWO C 14 20 24 DASH 0 4 5 BURNETT HOTEL AT 1 2 9 0 5 AND 1 2 9 2 9 1 BURNETT ROAD.
IT IS FROM LO AND SF SIX TWO GR AND IT IS ON CONSENT WITH STAFF.
RECOMMENDATION ITEM THREE C 14 20 23 DASH 0 1 5 5 AT 2103 OAK VALLEY ROAD.
IT IS A REZONING FROM IRR TO SF THREE, AND THEY ARE REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT TO JULY 2ND.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THESE MINUTES OR THESE TWO ITEMS? SEEING NONE, I WILL TAKE, OH YES.
I CAN'T SEE THE SCREEN, SO I'M SORRY.
UM, WE ARE, COMMISSIONER FLORES IS PARLIAMENTARIAN.
I FORGOT TO CALL HER NAME OUT.
SO, ON THE MINUTES, I THINK IT SHOULD SAY THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER FLORES IS PARLIAMENTARIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN.
AND I APOLOGIZE TO COMMISSIONER PARLIAMENTARIAN FLORES FOR NOT CALLING THAT OUT ON ROLL CALL.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY, COMMISSIONER STERNUM, UH, MOTIONS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY HI OPPOSED.
[4. Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan]
BRIEFING ITEM FOUR ON THE BALCONES CANYON LAND CONSERVATION PLAN BY KIMBERLY HARVEY.I'M SHERRY KO, I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE OFFICER FOR AUSTIN WATER.
AND I WAS JUST HERE TO, UM, INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKERS FROM MY, UM, PROGRAM.
WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO BE INVITED TO, TO JUST GIVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE BAES CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN AND THE BAES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE, AND THEY'LL EXPLAIN KIND OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS.
SO WE HAVE JUSTIN BATES, WHO'S OUR DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION, AND KIMBERLY HARVEY, WHO'S OUR BA CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN OFFICER.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT AND JUST LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'M JUSTIN BATES, THE WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION MANAGER, AND TONIGHT KIMBERLY HARVEY AND I ARE GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BELCON CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, WHICH IS OUR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, UH, PLAN AND PERMIT AND THE BELCON CANON LANDS PRESERVE, WHICH IS THE, UH, SET OF LANDS THAT WERE SET ASIDE AS PART OF THAT PLAN AND ASSOCIATED PERMIT.
SO I GUESS FIRST, BEFORE I GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY.
UH, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T BEEN HERE SINCE THE 1990S OR MAYBE, UH, BE A LITTLE FUZZY, WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ENDANGERED SPECIES? WELL, BACK IN THE 1990S, UH, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SPECIES THAT WERE LISTED AS FEDERALLY ENDANGERED, UH, IN WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY HERE IN AUSTIN.
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WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THAT IS THAT ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO BUILD UTILITIES, ROADS, HOMES IN THOSE AREAS THAT, THAT HAD, THOSE ENDANGERED SPECIES HAD TO NEGOTIATE INDIVIDUALLY FOR THE TAKE OR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE, THAT HABITAT WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.SO, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT INTRODUCED ALL SORTS OF DELAYS, UM, AND UNCERTAINTY AS AUSTIN WAS GROWING.
AND SO, AUSTIN, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY CAME TOGETHER AND, UH, PUT TOGETHER WHAT WAS THEN ONE OF THE FIRST MULTI-SPECIES, MULTI-AGENCY HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS, UH, THE BELCON CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THAT DID.
SO JUST A LITTLE AGENDA HERE, WE'LL GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PERMIT.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, UH, UPDATES THAT ARE IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT.
WE WERE WANT TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT THE CITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY MADE IN, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING THIS PERMIT ISSUED.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE WILL WRAP UP WITH JUST A FEW OF THE, KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES OF MANAGING ALL OF THIS LAND THAT'S BEEN SET ASIDE.
SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PERMIT? SO, THE, THE BCCP PERMIT, UH, IS A PERMIT ISSUED BY US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
AND BASICALLY WHAT IT IS, IS A WAY FOR DEVELOPERS, LANDOWNERS, UM, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS TO HAVE A STREAMLINED APPROACH FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT COMPLIANCE.
UM, AND IN THIS CASE IT'S FOR A HANDFUL OF COVERED SPECIES THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MINUTE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND WHAT IT ALLOWS FOR IS IT ALLOW, IT, IT IS THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PERMITTING THE TAKE OR DESTRUCTION OF HABITAT IN EXCHANGE FOR CERTAIN COMMITMENTS.
UM, AND IN THIS CASE, THE, THE BELCON EAST CANYON LANDS PRESERVE LAND SET ASIDE, UM, TO BE PROTECTED SO THAT OTHER AREAS COULD, UH, WE COULD AUTHORIZE TAKE IN THOSE AREAS.
SO IT'S A, A PERMIT, LIKE I SAID, ISSUED BY US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, AN INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT.
IT'S A, THE PERMIT IS HELD BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT ARE INVOLVED, INCLUDING LCRA, SUNSET VALLEY, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, TRAVIS AUDUBON, TEXAS CAVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, AND OTHERS.
THE AREA THAT IT IS AUTHORIZING TAKE IN IS REALLY ALL OF WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FROM MOPAC ON WEST, LITTLE BIT EAST OF MOPAC ON WEST, OVERALL 561,000 ACRES, UM, THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PERMIT AREA.
SO IT WAS INITIALLY ISSUED IN 1996.
UH, AND KIMBERLY'S GONNA TALK IN A MINUTE ABOUT OUR EFFORTS TO EXTEND THAT FOR 15 MORE YEARS, WHICH WOULD TAKE US THROUGH 2041.
THE PERMIT ITSELF COVERS SEVEN ENDANGERED SPECIES, THE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER, YOU MIGHT KNOW.
UH, AND THEN IT ALSO INCLUDES SIX KARSTEN VERTEBRATES.
SO LITTLE CRITTERS LIKE, UH, THE PSEUDO SCORPION DOWN AT THE, UM, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, UH, THAT LIVE UNDERGROUND IN OUR CAVES AND CAST HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
IT ALSO INCLUDES THE BLACK CAP VERIO, WHICH WAS DELISTED.
UH, IT INCLUDES TWO PLANTS OF CONCERN, CANYON MOCK ORANGE AND TEXA BA CROTTIN, AND THEN 25 ADDITIONAL KARST INVERTEBRATES OF CONCERN.
SO BASICALLY THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, INVERTEBRATES OF CONCERN, SPECIES OF CONCERN, IF THEY WERE TO BE LISTED AS ENDANGERED, WE'D BE CO WE'D BE COVERED AND BE ABLE TO AUTHORIZE, TAKE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO, TO COVER THOSE AND THE ACTIVITIES SO THAT IT, AGAIN, THIS PERMIT ALLOWS US TO, UH, DO URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT.
ROAD UTILITY CONSTRUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE BASICALLY ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO, TO, TO GROW AS AUSTIN HAS BEEN DOING THREE KIND OF KEY REGULATORY PIECES TO THIS.
FIRST, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO THERE'S AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT THAT WAS SET UP IN 1995, EVEN BEFORE THE PERMIT WAS ISSUED.
THAT, UH, TALKS ABOUT HOW THE CITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THESE COMMITMENTS.
THERE'S THE, THE BCCP, THE BELCON CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN THAT LAYS OUT, UM, AGAIN, THAT IS THE DOCUMENT THAT CREATED THIS IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO SET ASIDE LAND AND PROTECT IT IN PERPETUITY, UH, WE'RE WE HAVE CERTAIN COMMITMENTS TO, TO MAKE
[00:10:01]
SURE THAT THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, PROTECTED AND, AND HIGH QUALITY HABITAT INTO THE FUTURE.AND, UM, AND THEN THE LAST PIECE, ONCE THAT PLAN WAS IN PLACE, MITIGATION, UH, STRATEGIES WERE SET OUT.
THE FINAL COMPONENT, US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE ISSUED THIS ACTUAL ENDANGERED SPECIES PERMIT TAKE PERMIT, WHICH, UH, HAS A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS THAT THAT TALKS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AGAIN, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
SO IN 2018, THE CITY AND COUNTY HIRED A CONSULTANT TO INFORM WHAT THE END OF PERMIT OPTIONS WOULD BE.
AND THAT REPORT WAS PRESENTED TO THE BCCP COORDINATING COMMITTEE IN 2019.
THE BCCP COORDINATING COMMITTEE IS THE PERMITS GOVERNING BODY AND CONSISTS OF TWO VOTING MEMBERS.
ONE APPOINTED FROM AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY COUNCIL MEMBER LESLIE POOLE, AND ONE APPOINTED FROM TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
CURRENTLY, COMMISSIONER BRIDGED SHEA, ALONG WITH ONE NON-VOTING MEMBER FROM THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.
THEY VOTED TO RECOMMEND EXTENDING THE BCCP PERMIT WITH NO ADDITIONAL CHANGES AND TO MAKE ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES TO THE STARTUP DOCUMENTS.
JUSTIN JUST, UH, SHOWED YOU TO MODERNIZE THE BCCP OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
THE CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNING BODIES VOTED TO APPROVE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
A PERMIT EXTENSION WITH NO ADDITIONAL CHANGES ONLY CHANGES THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE PERMIT, AND IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE IF THERE IS TAKE AUTHORIZATION LEFT.
SO A SIMPLIFIED WAY TO EXPLAIN TAKE AUTHORIZATION IS THAT FOR EVERY ACRE OF BA'S CANYON LANDS PRESERVE LAND, WE CAN CONSERVE IN PERPETUITY.
WE HAVE AN ACRE OF TAKE AUTHORIZATION AVAILABLE TO ISSUE A PERMIT FOR THE REMOVABLE OR FOR THE REMOVAL OF HABITAT FOR THE BCCP COVERED SPECIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY OUTSIDE OF THE PRESERVE.
SO WHEN WE ACQUIRE LAND FOR THE BCP, OUR TAKE AUTHORIZATION GOES UP.
WHEN WE ISSUE TAKE PERMITS, OUR TAKE AUTHORIZATION GOES DOWN.
SO AN ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT IN THE FIRST ALMOST 30 YEARS OF THE PERMIT, WE USED ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF OUR TAKE AUTHORITY WITH ROUGHLY ONE THIRD OF OUR TAKE AUTHORITY LEFT A 15 YEAR TERM FOR THE PERMANENT EXTENSION.
THE FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE WAS MADE TO THE 1995 STARTUP ILA AND THAT UPDATED ILA WAS FINALIZED, APPROVED, AND EXECUTED LAST FALL.
THE NEXT STEP IS MAKING ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES TO THE HCP.
AND IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE, IT MUST NOT ALTER THE TERMS OR COMMITMENTS OF THE BCCP.
THIS IS A COMMON APPROACH USED ON MANY HCPS AND WILL MAKE THE PERMIT MORE EFFECTIVE AND EASIER TO IMPLEMENT.
SO WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS OF OUR MITIGATION OBLIGATIONS? UM, IN A NUTSHELL, WE COMMITTED TO PRESERVING AT LEAST 32,428 ACRES OF HABITAT FOR THE TWO BIRD SPECIES AND TO PROTECT 62 CAVE FEATURES, NAMED CAVE FEATURES.
SO HOW ARE WE DOING OVER TIME? THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY AND MINI LAND MANAGEMENT CONSERVATION PARTNERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BCP AND THIS MAP HIGHLIGHTS THOSE CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORIES.
SO THE BCP IS NOT ONE CHUNK OF LAND, BUT A PATCHWORK OF CONSERVATION LANDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, OWNED AND MANAGED BY VARIOUS ENTITIES AND PARTNERS.
SOME SITES NEED TO BE PROTECTED FOR BCCP NAMED CAVES ON OUR PERMIT.
AND 52 OF THE 62 NAMED CAVES HAVE SOME LEVEL OF PROTECTION.
WHILE SOME OF THE CAVES ARE IN THE PRESERVE, SOME ARE ON LANDS OUTSIDE OF THE PRESERVE, BUT ARE STILL A PRIORITY FOR US TO PROTECT.
PAST ACQUISITION OFFERS ON SOME PRIVATELY OWNED CAVES HAVE BEEN REJECTED AND SOME CAVES HAVE BEEN LOST DUE TO DEVELOPMENT.
IF A NAMED CAVE CANNOT BE PROTECTED, THE PERMIT ALLOWS FOR CAVE SUBSTITUTIONS.
AND THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE PUT INTO FINDING SUBSTITUTION CAVES, INCLUDING USING LIDAR TO FIND CAVE FEATURES, CONDUCTING CAVE FUNNEL INVENTORIES AND MAPPING DRAINAGE BASINS AT SOME OF THE RECENTLY DISCOVERED CAVE FEATURES TO FACILITATE PLANNING THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE SYSTEM, THE WESTERN PORTION OF TRAVIS COUNTY WAS DIVIDED INTO 10 PRIMARY GEOGRAPHIC UNITS KNOWN AS MACRO SITES.
IN ADDITION TO THE MINIMUM ACREAGE REQUIREMENT, PRESERVED DESIGN STANDARDS WERE ALSO RECOMMENDED FOR THE MACRO SITES WITH HABITAT.
FOUR KEY MACRO SITES WERE IDENTIFIED AND CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE BCCP.
IN ADDITION TO THE MACRO SITES, PRESERVE ACQUISITION ZONES WERE ALSO DEFINED TO HELP GUIDE THE GROWTH OF THE BCP.
THIS INCLUDED ACRES ALREADY ACQUIRED BY THE CITY AND COUNTY AND ACRES POSSIBLY AVAILABLE
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FOR FUTURE ACQUISITION AND INCORPORATION INTO THE BCP MACROS.SITES AND PRESERVE ACQUISITION ZONES HELP TO ESTABLISH PRESERVE CONFIGURATION DESIGN STANDARDS, WHICH INCLUDED THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF HABITAT FOR THE SPECIES AS POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF HABITAT FRAGMENTATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN HOLDINGS.
GIVEN THE BIOLOGIC AND ECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS, SEVEN MACROS SITES HAD ACREAGE REQUIREMENTS AND OUT OF THOSE SEVEN FIVE INCLUDED ADDITIONAL PRESERVE EDGE TO AREA CONFIGURATION REQUIREMENTS.
AN ANALYSIS WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED TO DETERMINE HOW THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION OF THE BCP COMPARES WITH THE PRESERVED DESIGN STANDARDS OF THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN.
I'LL GIVE A SUMMARY OF THESE RESULTS TODAY, BUT IF YOU WANT MORE A DETAILED LOOK AT THIS ANALYSIS WAS PRESENTED TO THE BCCP COORDINATING COMMITTEE AT THEIR MAY 10TH MEETING, AND A COPY OF THAT PRESENTATION IS INCLUDED WITH THAT MEETING POSTING AND A VIDEO OF THE MEETING IS AVAILABLE ON A TXN VIDEO ARCHIVE.
BUT IN SUMMARY, BCP PRESERVE ACQUISITION HAS EXCEEDED THE MINIMUM ACREAGE PRESERVE DESIGN STANDARD IN SIX OUTTA SEVEN MACRO SITES.
WE ARE 45 ACRE SHORT OF THE MINIMUM ACREAGE STANDARD IN OUR BULL CREEK MACRO SITE.
BUT BCP STAFF ATTEMPTED TO BUY A 580 ACRE TRACT LAND IN THIS MACRO SITE, BUT THE OWNERS WEREN'T INTERESTED IN SELLING.
BULL CREEK IS ONE OF THE FOUR HIGH PRIORITY KEY MACROS SITES CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE BCCP.
IT DIRECTS IT AS MUCH PRESERVE ACREAGE AS POSSIBLE SHOULD BE LOCATED IN THE HIGH PRIORITY MACROS SITES.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE AREN'T QUITE THERE IN BULL CREEK PRESERVE ACQUISITION IN THE FOUR KEY MACROS SITES HAVE EXCEEDED THEIR COMBINED MINIMUM ACREAGE DESIGN STANDARD BY 5,882 ACRES.
THE PRESERVE EDGE TO AREA RATIO DESIGN STANDARD DESCRIBES THE PERCENTAGE OF PRESERVE THAT OCCURS WITHIN 330 FEET OF THE PRESERVE EDGE.
AND STATES THAT THAT PERCENTAGE SHOULD BE AT A MAXIMUM OF 20% OF THE FIVE MACRO SITES WITH EDGE TO AREA RATIO DESIGN STANDARDS THREE ARE UNDER THAT 20% RATIO MAXIMUM.
BULL CREEK WAS CLOSE WITH A RATIO OF 21.7%.
THE EDGE TO AREA RATIOS FOR THE NORTH LAKE AUSTIN MASS MACROS SITE WERE ALSO ABOVE THE 20% MAXIMUM.
HOWEVER, FURTHER ANALYSIS AFTER ISSUANCE OF THE PERMIT DETERMINED THAT THE ORIGINAL PRESERVE DESIGN STANDARD IN THIS MACROS SITE WAS NEVER ACHIEVABLE BECAUSE THE DESIGN WAS TOO FRAGMENTED.
EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THE DESIGN STANDARDS WERE NOT ACHIEVABLE, BCP STAFF WAS SUCCESSFUL IN PRESERVING 2,659 ACRES ABOVE THE MINIMUM ACREAGE REQUIREMENT IN THIS MACRO SITE.
AND THAT WASN'T EASY BECAUSE TRACKS OF LAND IN THAT MACROS SITE EXTEND TO THE LAKE, MAKING THEM VALUABLE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE.
THE CONSERVATION SUCCESS OF THE BCCP IS EVIDENT, BUT REALIZING THE CHALLENGES IN ACHIEVING THOSE COMMITMENTS MAKES THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE.
SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT LANDOWNERS MUST BE WILLING SELLERS, TEXAS STATE LAW PROHIBITS THE USE OF IMMINENT DOMAIN FOR PRESERVE ACQUISITION.
AND ALSO EVEN IN THE NINETIES, THERE WAS PREEXISTING HABITAT FRAGMENTATION THAT THEY WERE WORKING WITH TO COME UP WITH THOSE DESIGN STANDARDS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
ALSO, THE LAND PRICES HAVE INCREASED SINCE THE NINETIES, AND THE BCCP PRESUMED AN ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATE OF 2.25%, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE OVER 4%.
NOW, THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS ISSUED INCIDENTAL OR INDIVIDUAL INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMITS WITHIN THAT BCP PRESERVE ACQUISITION AREA SINCE THE PERMIT WAS ISSUED.
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACQUIRE THOSE PIECES AS WELL.
AND NOT ALL CAVES TO PROTECT HAVE ADEQUATE LAND AROUND THEM.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT CAVE SUBSTITUTIONS.
WHILE WE CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO BE FULLY SUCCESSFUL AND MEET OUR PERMIT OBLIGATIONS, THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CAVES AND POTENTIAL PRESERVE LANDS THAT ARE LOST TO DEVELOPMENT OR FOR WHICH WE DON'T HAVE A WILLING SELLER.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THESE ARE THE ITEMS WE'RE CONCENTRATING ON WITH OUR PERMIT PARTNERS.
WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE THOSE HIGH PRIORITY SITES AS AVAILABLE IF THAT LANDOWNER'S EVER INTERESTED IN SELLING US THAT, UH, PROPERTY.
UM, WE'RE PURSUING OUR REMAINING CAVE TRACKS, WE'RE IDENTIFYING SUITABLE ALTERNATIVES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT ACQUISITION IN THE AREAS AROUND THE PRESERVE TO HELP WITH THAT CONFIGURATION GOAL.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JUSTIN TO START TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT, THE LAND MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES NOW THAT WE HAVE THE LAND.
SO AS KIMBERLY, YOU KNOW, SHARE, AND REALLY THERE'S BEEN SOME AMAZING WORK DONE ON, ON PIECING TOGETHER THIS LARGE PRESERVE.
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AS THE GROWTH HAS MOVED OUT INTO WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY AND STARTED TO SURROUND MANY OF THESE PARCELS, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, INHERENT CHALLENGES IN MANAGING, UH, AN URBAN, UH, NATURAL RESOURCE PRESERVE.AND SO I'LL TALK ABOUT THREE BROAD CATEGORIES.
THE THE FIRST KIMBERLY REALLY TOUCHED ON WITH THOSE CONFIGURATION COMPONENTS.
SO INHERENTLY MANY OF THESE, UM, TRACKS OF LAND, THESE MACRO SITES HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ROAD PREEXISTING ROADS THAT ARE RUNNING THROUGH THEM, UH, ARE BROKEN UP INTO SMALLER PATCHES THAT ARE CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER, BUT NOT NECESSARILY CONTIGUOUS OR ADJACENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT OF COURSE, FROM A HABITAT QUALITY PERSPECTIVE INTRODUCES CHA CHALLENGES.
SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING ALL OF THAT EDGE ALONG URBAN DEVELOPMENT, IT LEADS TO EDGE ADAPTED PREDATORS.
SO YOUR BLUE JAYS, YOUR RAT SNAKES, UM, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY MAKE THEIR WAY, UH, OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INTO THE PRESERVE.
THEY CAN PREDATE ON SOME OF THOSE ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UH, YOU'VE GOT, OF COURSE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, NON-NATIVE PLANT SPECIES THAT PEOPLE PLANT IN THEIR YARDS THAT ALSO MAKE THEIR WAY INTO, INTO OUR PRESERVES THAT WE MANAGE.
UH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST GENERALLY HAVING ALL OF THOSE HABITAT BROKEN INTO SMALL PIECES, IT'S NOT IDEAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, FROM A, FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOME OF OUR SPECIES, THEY LIKE TO LIVE IN THE INTERIOR AWAY FROM THE EDGES.
SO THE MORE EDGE WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A CHALLENGE FROM A QUALITY PERSPECTIVE.
THE SECOND GROUP OF CHALLENGES IS REALLY IS, IS PEOPLE.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, THESE ARE LANDS SET ASIDE PRIMARILY FOR NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION PURPOSES.
AND, UM, AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO GROW, WE HAVE SOME PLACES WHERE THERE WAS PREEXISTING PUBLIC ACCESS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LOTS OF PEOPLE, DOGS, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT COME WITH WITH PUBLIC ACCESS MAKES IT LESS THAN IDEAL HABITAT FOR SAY, A NESTING GOLDEN CHIEF WARBLER WHO'S NOT GOING TO, UH, ALWAYS PUT THEIR NEST RIGHT UNDERNEATH THAT TRAIL IN THE BARTON CREEK GREENVILLE.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THE WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION IS TRESPASSING.
SO WE HAVE, UH, AGAIN, YOU SAW THAT 10, YOU KNOW, OVER 10,000 ACRES THAT WE'RE MANAGING AND EVERY BOUNDARY THAT WE HAVE, UM, PARTICULARLY WHERE WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, ADJACENCY WITH NEIGHBORS, MANY OF THOSE, WE SEE FOLKS CUTTING HOLES IN FENCES TO COME AND, AND ENJOY THESE NATURAL RESOURCE LANDS THAT WE'VE SET ASIDE.
AND SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THAT INTRODUCES CHALLENGES OF FOLKS, YOU KNOW, CUTTING DOWN TREES, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVING CAMPFIRES, ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS THAT, THAT ARE RISKS TO THE, AGAIN, THE QUALITY OF THE HABITAT THAT WE'RE PROTECTING.
UH, AND THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH MONITORING ALL OF THAT BOUNDARY AND KEEPING EYES ON, ON THESE PRESERVES TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THEM.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY PROTECTION AND, YOU KNOW, THAT DEVELOPMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, FERTILIZED LAWNS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING THAT THAT CAN, UH, RUN OFF.
I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CAVE FEATURES.
AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE AREA THAT THAT FEEDS INTO THE DRIPS UNDERGROUND, OFTENTIMES IT'S A BIGGER AND CAN INCLUDE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, CAN IMPACT THE WATER QUALITY IN THOSE FEATURES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LASTLY, WE'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE WILDLAND CONSERVATION DIVISION IS A STAFF OF 30 AND ALL TOLD, UH, WITH THE BELCON CANYON LANDS PRESERVE AND THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS, WE MANAGE OVER 25,000 ACRES OF FEE, SIMPLE LANDS AND ANOTHER 22,000 ACRES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
AND SO KEEPING, YOU KNOW, OUR WORK ON THE BCP IS, UH, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME MONITORING OUR SPECIES OF CONCERN.
SO GOING OUT AND DOING, RIGHT NOW IT'S GOLDEN CHIEF WARBLER NESTING SEASON.
SO WE'VE GOT A LARGE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT ARE OUT IN THE FIELD AND, AND TRYING TO KEEP TABS ON HOW GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLERS ARE DOING ON, ON INTENSIVE STUDY PLOTS.
WE LIKE TO SEE MATURE OAK, JUNIPER WOODLANDS.
AND SO, UH, PROTECTING AND, AND MANAGING THE SPREAD, MANAGING THE SPREAD OF OAK WILL INTO THE PRESERVES IS CRITICAL.
WE DO OVER FLIGHTS TO IDENTIFY WHERE WE HAVE OAK WILT CENTERS, INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL IS AN UNENDING TASK.
SO ALL OF THE CHINA BERRY, AUGUSTA, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE'RE OUT THERE WITH, UM, A HUGE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS
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ACTUALLY WORKING TO REMOVE, UM, AS MUCH AS WE CAN.UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, AS WE LOOK INTO THE SUMMER AND MAY BEING WILDFIRE, PREPAREDNESS, MONTH DROUGHT, UH, ICE STORMS, CLIMATE CHANGE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RISK OF WILDFIRE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THAT WE HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH TO ENSURE THAT THE LANDS THAT WE MANAGE ARE, UH, RESILIENT INTO THE FUTURE.
SO WE'VE DONE SOME GREAT WORK, UH, IN PUTTING THESE LANDS TOGETHER AND SETTING THEM ASIDE, BUT THE, THE FUTURE, THE WORK GOING INTO THE FUTURE, IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO EXPAND SOME OF THESE MACRO SITES WITH ACQUISITIONS, THE REAL BIG WORK IS, UH, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PRESERVES ARE HEALTHY AND RESILIENT, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT, OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I CAN START, GO FOR IT.
JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I WAS THE ONE THAT ASKED THAT YOU COME WITH SUPPORT OF, UM, MS. GREENBERG, BUT WE GET PRESENTED CASES OFTEN, OR WE HAVE IN THE PAST WHERE PROPERTIES IN QUESTION ARE ACTUALLY ADJACENT TO PRESERVE PROPERTIES.
AND SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS COMMISSION CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE THE BCCP AND, AND I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S SUCH A GIFT TO THIS CITY AND IT'S A THING I'M THE MOST PROUD OF WHEN PEOPLE COME TO VISIT ME HERE.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
BUT I ALSO WANNA KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ON THIS COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THE WORK AND THE COMMITMENTS THAT THE CITY'S MADE.
WELL, I'LL START JUST KEEPING THE BCCP AND THE CHARGE OF THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
SO COMING TO TALK TO YOU AND, UH, EDUCATING YOU AND THEN YOU TALKING TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOUR FRIENDS AND IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, REALLY JUST SPREADING THAT MESSAGE BECAUSE AS JUSTIN MENTIONED, THERE AREN'T VERY MANY PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE IN THE NINETIES WHO REMEMBER WHEN DEVELOPMENT WAS BROUGHT TO A SCREECHING HALT BECAUSE OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LISTING.
SO HAVING THE BCCP AS AN OPTION TO STREAMLINE MITIGATION FOR ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS IS REALLY A BENEFIT.
AND KEEPING THOSE PRESERVED LANDS, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SPECIES IN PERPETUITY IS THE COMMITMENT WE MADE TO ALLOW FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT TO CONTINUE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES, DEVELOPERS, INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS, THEY'LL LOOK AT AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH AND THEY'LL SAY, OH, THAT'S NOT TOUCHED.
THAT'S TOTALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, RIPE FOR A, A NEW, UH, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE CORRIDOR OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS PART OF THE PRESERVE.
SO JUST KEEPING US VISIBLE IS REALLY THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO AND WE'RE JUST SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT MESSAGE TODAY.
ARE THERE, UM, ANY, UM, CONNECTIONS THAT CAN BE MADE WITH DEVELOPERS WHEN THEY'RE IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION AND, UH, MAYBE NEGOTIATING WITH, WITH NEIGHBOR COMMUNITIES? UH, IS THERE ANY VALUE FOR THEM TO ENGAGE WITH YOU ON, UM, HOW THEY MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRESERVE SYSTEM? SO PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS WHEN THEY COME TO GET THAT PERMIT IS, UM, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SEND EMAIL NOTIFICATION TO MYSELF AND TO THE COUNTY AND TO THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IF THEIR PROJECT IS IN ENDANGERED POTENTIAL ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT.
SO THE BCCP HAS, UM, HABITAT MITIGATION ZONES.
SO IF THE DEVELOPMENT FALLS IN ONE OF THOSE ZONES, THEN THEY'RE REQUIRED TO SEND A NOTIFICATION EMAIL TO OUR GROUPS THAT SAY WE HAVE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND IT MAY BE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT.
SO THAT'S THE CONNECTION WE GET.
SO ONCE WE RESPOND TO THAT EMAIL, THAT'S WHERE THE CONVERSATION STARTS HAPPENING WITH OUR OFFICE.
SO WE ARE BUILT INTO THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE JUST AREN'T THAT WELL KNOWN.
YEAH, AND I THINK YOUR STEP COMES WAY AFTER OUR STEP, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHY I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN BE, UM, HELPING TO COACH, UM, BECAUSE WE DO GET THAT OPPORTUNITY FROM TIME TO TIME AS FOLKS ARE WORKING THROUGH PUZZLES.
YEAH, AND I WILL JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET POTENTIAL NEIGHBORS AND TO START, YOU KNOW, THAT CONVERSATION AND SHARE THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, SHARE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I TALKED ABOUT EDGE RELATED EFFECTS MM-HMM.
AND SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN HELP TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE WITH, WITH OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE LINE TO UH, YOU KNOW, HELP PROTECT WHAT WE'RE DOING ON OUR SIDE OF THE FENCE.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO START THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TO, TO SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LAND WE MANAGE IS, IS HEALTHY.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION AND THAT'S WHAT'S THE BOUNDARY OF, UM, LIKE
[00:30:01]
INTO AUSTIN WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS INCLUDED AND CAN BENEFIT FROM THE PERMIT? SO THE BCCP PARTICIPATION AREA IS WHERE THAT ENDANGERED SPECIES HABITAT WAS IDENTIFIED.THAT'S COVERED UNDER THE PERMIT IN THE NINETIES.
AND THAT'S GENERALLY WEST OF MOPAC, LIKE JUSTIN MENTIONED.
SO, UH, ELIGIBLE DEVELOPERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS WHO WILL BE REMOVING HABITAT, SO, UH, TRIMMING VEGETATION OR WHO WILL BE IMPACTING THE GROUND TRENCHING DIGGING.
IF THEY ARE IN THOSE, UH, SENSITIVE CAR ZONES OR SENSITIVE HABITAT ZONES FOR GOLDEN CH THEN THAT'S WHERE OUR PERMIT CAN BENEFIT THEM BECAUSE WE CAN GENERALLY GET A TAKE PERMIT ISSUED IN ABOUT 30 DAYS.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEE ZONES FOR THE PRICE OF THAT PERMIT, THOSE FEES WERE SET IN THE NINETIES AND ARE STILL THE SAME TODAY.
THEY CAN ALSO GO TO THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, BUT AS AN OPTIONAL PROGRAM, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO KEEP IT ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THOSE LOW FEES.
SO OUR HIGHEST FEE ZONE FOR, UH, CONFIRMED GOLDEN CHEESE WARBLER HABITAT OUTSIDE OF THE PRESERVE IS $5,000 AN ACRE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S A REAL BENEFIT.
THEY CAN GET THAT PERMIT IN 30 DAYS.
IT'S, UM, INEXPENSIVE COMPARED TO WORKING WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, WHICH COULD TAKE YEARS.
SO WE CAN BE A BENEFIT TO THOSE DEVELOPERS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE IF THEY HAVE PROJECTS IN WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THEY DO HAVE A GOOD MAP THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT SHOWS WHERE THE IMPACT ZONES ARE.
SO IF A DEVELOPERS BUYING A PIECE OF LAND, THAT'S THE FIRST THING LOOK AT WE ALWAYS DO, IS LOOK AT THAT MAP TO SEE WHETHER THERE'S AN IMPACT.
AND YOUR BEST WAY TO GET LAND INTO IT IS NOT DEALING WITH THE DEVELOPERS BUT DEALING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS BEFORE THEY SELL IT TO A DEVELOPER.
BECAUSE ONCE IT'S IN A DEVELOPER'S HANDS, IT'S GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL 'EM NOT TO DEVELOP IT.
BUT IF YOU'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO OWN THE LAND, HISTORICALLY, IT'S MUCH EASIER.
AND THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE CONSERVATION MINDED TOO, BECAUSE THEY COULD GET A LOT MORE MONEY FROM A DEVELOPER THAN WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER.
UM, BUT A LOT OF THESE BIGGER LEGACY PARCELS WE'RE FORTUNATE IN THAT THEY TAKE PRIDE.
IT'S BEEN IN THEIR FAMILY FOR YEARS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATIONS, BUT UH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED ARE GENERALLY THE CONSERV OR CONSERVATION MINDED PEOPLE THAT JUST REALLY WANNA KEEP THAT AS A BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
UH, I I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS AFTER 2041.
SO THE PERMIT WILL EXPIRE SOMEDAY.
WE WILL RUN OUT OF, TAKE AUTHORITY AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ISSUE, UH, PERMITS FOR THE REMOVAL OF HABITAT.
BUT OUR COMMITMENT TO PRESERVE AND MANAGE THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS PRESERVE IN PERPETUITY WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
SO EVEN IF THE PERMIT EXPIRES, WE'RE STILL ON THE HOOK FOR MANAGING ALL THESE LANDS FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT PERMIT DOES EXPIRE, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS IF THERE'S A NEW PERMIT NEEDED, IF THERE'S ENOUGH HABITAT, DIFFERENT SPECIES LISTED, UH, IF NOT, WE'LL BE BACK WORKING AT THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE AGAIN.
QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE REMOTE? I CAN'T SEE THE SCREENS.
SO
OKAY, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WHERE ARE WE?
[COMMITTEE AND WORKING GROUPS REPORTS]
COMMITTEE AND WORKING GROUPS.JOINT COMMITTEE, UH, CODES AND ORDINANCES.
DIDN'T MEET, UH, FOR LACK OF AGENDA ITEMS.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN JOINT COMMITTEE HAS NOT MET.
WE SHOULD HAVE A MEETING COMING UP SOON, I WOULD THINK IN JUNE.
UH, WE DID, UH, ENDORSE THE BUDGET LETTER THAT WENT ON TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SMALL AREA PLANNING JOINT COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONER FLOYD GREENBERGER, PKI.
I THINK WE HAVE A MEETING JUNE 6TH OR FIFTH OR SOMETHING.
YEAH, IT'S LUNCH MEETING ON THE FIFTH.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYTHING.
IF NOT, WE ARE ONTO THE FINAL AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS ADJOURNMENT AND IT'S 6 35.