Presenter: Walt Dabney

Commission Agenda Item No. 5
Action
Kerrville-Schreiner State Park Transfer
January 2003

I. Discussion: Negotiations are currently underway between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the City of Kerrville to consider the transfer of Kerrville-Schreiner State Park to the City of Kerrville.

House Bill 2108, 76th Legislature, amended the Parks and Wildlife Code to include grants for interim operation and maintenance of parks owned or operated and maintained by the department and being transferred to a political subdivision for operation and maintenance of the site. Negotiation of the proposed transfer of state park sites will consider grant funding to facilitate the transfer. A total of $2 million is available each year of the FY02-03 biennium. Grants will be awarded based upon a proposal from the political subdivision explaining the need for transfer grant funding and detailing the exact amount requested for operations and maintenance. No final proposal regarding the potential transfers will be brought forward to the Commission without extensive opportunity for local public review and input, and coordination with the Texas Historical Commission.

With Commission approval today, Department staff will continue negotiations toward transfer of Kerrville-Schreiner State Park.

Kerrville-Schreiner State Park is a 517.2-acre area along the Guadalupe River, three miles southeast of Kerrville in Kerr County. The park was acquired in 1934 by deed from the City of Kerrville. Original park construction was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

Facilities include restrooms with showers, picnic sites, hike-in primitive campsites, campsites with water nearby and with water, RV campsites, screened shelters, a cabin, two group picnic areas (large fire pit, drinking water), a group dining hall (with a full kitchen) which can be used as a group shelter area, recreation hall, a Texas State Park Store with tube and canoe rentals; amphitheater, boat ramp, 8 miles of hiking trails, 6 miles of mountain bike trails, a lighted fishing pier, and a playground.

A preliminary request has been received from the City of Kerrville for $1,108,763 million to effect the transfer including upgrade of the travel trailer sites, conversion of the screened shelters to cabins, and three years of operating expenses. TPWD has held a public hearing in Kerrville to allow citizen comment on the proposed transfer. No transfer will occur without binding legal assurances that there will be no change in the current recreational character of the park, and no change in the natural resource and historical characteristics of the site. With Commission approval today, Department staff will execute a grant agreement to begin the process of the transfer.

II. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

"The Executive Director is authorized to execute the necessary agreements to effect the site transfer of Kerrville-Schreiner State Park to the City of Kerrville for use as a City park site. All "State Park" references to the site shall be removed. The Executive Director is authorized to execute a grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $1,808,763 from the Texas Recreation and Parks Account to effect the orderly transfer of this site."

1. Exhibit A – Fiscal Note (Available upon request)