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Eagle Mountain Lake discussion continues (Region N)

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department continues to work closely with the Texas General Land Office (GLO), state and local elected officials and nonprofit partners to determine the best use of the department's 400-acre Eagle Mountain Lake State Park property in Tarrant County.

In discussions over the summer with with Rep. Charlie Geren, Sen. Kim Brimer and representatives from the GLO, conservation groups and others, TPW Commission Chairman Joseph Fitzsimons encouraged The Nature Conservancy of Texas and Trust for Public Land to help make possible a conservation transaction that would result in more access to outdoor recreation for Texans.

"My hope is to forge a coalition of interested parties and find a conservation solution so that rather than having one unopened property, the people of Texas would have access to two parks, one local and one state-managed," Fitzsimons said. "I believe the best outcome would be a locally operated day use park at the Eagle Mountain Lake property, possibly operated by Tarrant County or another local entity, and a large regional state park near the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex that would be consistent with our Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan."

The department bought the tract on the northeast shore of Eagle Mountain Lake in 1980 for $3.9 million for the purpose of developing a state park. Since that time, funding constraints have prevented park development there.

In 2005, the GLO listed the site as an underutilized state property and Gov. Rick Perry's office authorized the land office to sell the property, but directed that revenue from the sale should go into the state's dedicated park fund to be used for state and local parks. The governor's office further directed that mineral rights under the property should remain with TPWD. State law requires that proceeds from the sale of state park land can only be used to acquire or improve property for the same purpose.

The department created its "land and water plan" in 2002 to provide long-term, strategic direction for natural and cultural resource conservation and recreation. The plan was an outgrowth of TPWD's last Sunset Review by the legislature in 1999. Senate Bill 305 in the 77th legislature directed the agency to inventory all Texas land and water resources associated with historic, natural, recreational and wildlife values. The bill further directed TPWD to analyze the state's existing and future land and water conservation and recreation needs, identify threatened resources and establish the relative priority of conserving resources listed in the inventory. One objective of the plan is to "acquire and develop a minimum of four, 5,000-acre or larger state parks near major urban centers of the state."