Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Presenter:
Ted Hollingsworth
Action
Disposition of Land – Travis County
Approximately 7 Acres near McKinney Falls State Park
November 3, 2016
I. Executive Summary: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) owns a tract of land of approximately 7 acres which is separated from McKinney Falls State Park by Stassney Lane and has been identified by the General Land Office (GLO) as underutilized.
II. Discussion: McKinney Falls State Park, inside the City Limits of Austin, Texas, was established in 1970 with an initial purchase of 632 acres and is now approximately 731 acres. The park preserves mature Edwards Plateau and coastal plain habitats along with a particularly attractive reach of Onion Creek including McKinney Falls.
In the late 1990s Stassney Road was completed between Burleson Road and Highway 35, severing and isolating acreage from the state park. Some of that acreage was sold shortly thereafter, and some was conveyed to the City for drainage improvements, but a tract of approximately seven acres remains. The tract was declared underutilized by the GLO in 2010 and 2013, as it no longer serves the purpose for which it was acquired. If the tract is sold by TPWD, the funds will come to TPWD as “land sale proceeds” and can be used for the acquisition of priority state park land anywhere in the system.
III. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:
Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Exhibit A
A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regarding the Disposition of Approximately Seven Acres of Land at McKinney Falls State Park in Travis County
Resolution
Whereas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) owns and manages McKinney Falls State Park (the Park), comprising approximately 731 acres of significant natural and cultural resources within the city limits of Austin; and,
Whereas, a 4-lane divided road called Stassney Lane was constructed through the northwest part of the park in the late 1990s, severing a section of the park and making that section impractical for development and operation as a state park; and,
Whereas, most of the land severed by the construction of Stassney Lane was sold a number of years ago and only an approximately seven-acre tract remains severed from the park; and,
Whereas, this seven-acre tract is unsuitable for park purposes and has been declared underutilized by the Texas General Land; and,
Whereas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) Commission finds that as required by Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 26, notices of today’s hearing of this matter were published at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation which is published at least six days a week in the community nearest to the Subject Tract in which such newspapers are published (Austin American Statesman in Travis County), with the last day of publication being not less than one week or more than two weeks before the date of today’s hearing and that such notices specified the date and time at which the TPW Commission would hear testimony regarding property exchange; and,
Whereas, the TPW Commission finds, in accordance with Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 26, that (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the sale of approximately seven acres of TPWD land; and, (2) the sale of the subject tract includes all reasonable planning to minimize harm to TPWD property; and,
Whereas, the TPW Commission finds, in accordance with Section 13.009 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code that continued ownership of the subject tract is no longer in the best interest of TPWD; and,
Now, therefore, the TPW Commission authorizes the Executive Director to take all necessary steps to sell the subject tract for the purposes and subject to the conditions described herein and in the motion approving this Resolution.
Adopted and approved this 3rd day of November, 2016.
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T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman
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Ralph H. Duggins, Vice-Chairman
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Anna B. Galo, Member
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Bill Jones, Member
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Jeanne W. Latimer, Member
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James H. Lee, Member
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S. Reed Morian, Member
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Dick Scott, Member
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Kelcy L. Warren, Member
Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Exhibit B
Location Map for McKinney Falls State Park in Travis County
Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Exhibit C
Vicinity Map for McKinney Falls State Park in Southeast Austin
Commission Agenda Item No. 9
Exhibit D
Site Map for Subject 7-Acre Tract
