Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Presenter:
Stan David
Action
Disposition of Land – Jasper County
Approximately 1.2 Acres of Land at the Former Jasper Fish Hatchery
January 23, 2020
I. Executive Summary: On March 19, 2019, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) authorized Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff to begin the public notice and input process regarding the proposed sale of the former Jasper Fish Hatchery. An adjacent landowner has asked to purchase approximately 1.2 acres of the fish hatchery land.
II. Discussion: The 219-acre Jasper Fish Hatchery was acquired in the 1930s for the construction of a freshwater fish propagation and research facility. Over time, with advances in fishery technology, operations at the Jasper facility were relocated to newer facilities such as the Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens and the John D. Parker Fish Hatchery north of Jasper near Sam Rayburn Lake. In 2012, the Jasper Fish Hatchery property was transferred from the Inland Fisheries Division to the Wildlife Division, which renamed the site the East Texas Conservation Center. Buildings on the site have been used to house Wildlife Division District 6 administrative offices. Recently, those site operations have been relocated to Nacogdoches to be more centrally located to district operations. Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Division staff find that the property no longer serves the operational purposes for which it was acquired and believe the sale of the site and use of the sale proceeds to achieve strategic land acquisition(s) in East Texas would best serve the mission of TPWD. On March 19, 2019, the Commission authorized staff to begin the public notice and input process regarding the proposed sale of the former Jasper Fish Hatchery. The property is currently being marketed by an East Texas real estate agent.
The Indian Creek Cemetery Association, an adjacent property owner, would like to purchase 1.2 acres of land located at the southeast corner of the fish hatchery to add to the historic Indian Creek cemetery established in the mid-1800s. The cemetery contains the grave of Richard Seale, who was born a slave and would go on to establish the Dixie Baptist Church, the oldest known African-American church in Texas on what is now the cemetery grounds. The land would add space to the cemetery allowing for expansion and continued operation.
III. Recommendation: The staff recommends that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts the Resolution attached as Exhibit A.”
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit A
A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regarding
the Disposition of Approximately 1.2 Acres of Real Property
at the Former Jasper Fish Hatchery in Jasper County
Resolution
Whereas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) owns and operates the 219-acre former Jasper Fish Hatchery, now known as the East Texas Conservation Center, acquired in the 1930s for a freshwater fish propagation and research facility, and more recently used as TPWD Wildlife Division District 6 administrative offices; and,
Whereas, over time, with advances in fishery technology, operations have been relocated to newer facilities and administrative offices moved to more central locations; and,
Whereas, On March 19, 2019, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorized staff to begin the public notice and input process regarding the proposed sale of the former Jasper Fish Hatchery; and,
Whereas, TPWD staff was approached by the adjacent historic Indian Creek Cemetery Association with a request to transfer approximately 1.2 acres of fish hatchery land (Land) to expand its historic cemetery; and,
Whereas, staff believes that the Land is not serving the purposes for which it was acquired and recommends that the Land be sold, and the sale proceeds be applied to strategic land acquisitions; and,
Whereas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) finds that as required by Texas 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 newspapers of general circulation which are published at least six days a week in the communities nearest to the fish hatchery in which such newspapers are published (The Newsboy in Jasper 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,
Whereas, the Commission finds that the Land is not serving the purposes for which it was acquired and that continued ownership is no longer consistent with the TPWD mission; and,
Whereas, the Indian Creek Cemetery Association has offered to pay fair market value for the Land; and,
Whereas, the Commission affirms that it has the authority to sell the Land in accordance with Section 13.009 of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code;
Now, therefore, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes the TPWD Executive Director to take all necessary steps to sell an approximately 1.2-acre tract of land within the former Jasper Fish Hatchery in Jasper County subject to the purposes and subject to the conditions described herein and in the motion approved in this Resolution.
Adopted and approved this 23rd day of January 2020.
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit B
Location Map for the Former Jasper Fish Hatchery/East Texas Conservation Center
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit C
Vicinity Map for the Former Jasper Fish Hatchery/East Texas Conservation Center
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit D
Site Map for the Former Jasper Fish Hatchery/East Texas Conservation Center
Area Shown in Exhibit E Highlighted in Blue
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit E
The Former Jasper Fish Hatchery Outlined in Yellow
Subject Approximately 1.2-Acre Tract Outlined in Blue
