Res 2006-209 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. Make sure to identify the project as a neighborhood, Community, or Regional Park. Describe the parks & open space demand for the service area (A neighborhood park serves as the recreational and social focus of the neighborhood, with focus is on informal active and passive recreation. A Community Park serves broader purposes with focus is on meeting community-based recreation needs, as well as preserving unique landscapes and open space. A Regional Park will serve residents as a community park will, but because of recreation and open space demand will also serve a significant portion of a county, or even multiple counties. For larger communities the regional park will have more unique features, and significantly larger acreage) The site of the proposed project lies in an undeveloped area Northwest of the City of San Marcos on Bert Brown Road. No easements or rights-of-way will be needed to carry out the identified work. Acquisition and preservation of the Sink Creek tract will provide a permanent buffer from encroaching development in a highly sensitive and beautiful habitat that will result in enhanced water quality and recharge to the San Marcos Springs and will encourage the recovery of several federally-listed or endangered species that live there. It will also provide critically needed public park space for space for hiking trails, nature study and other passive recreational and educational uses for local citizens and visitors to Hays County and will be a crucial link in the area greenbelt and trail system. The conservation of the Sink Creek Tract accomplishes several major goals of the San Marcos/Comal Revised Recovery Plan, finalized in 1996, including water quality protection in the Edward's Aquifer, permanent preservation of recharge features, reduction of pollution loads to San Marcos Springs and associated aquatic habitats, and the provision of future opportunities for environmental education. Texas State University (TSU), in collaboration with the National Park Service, will assist the in the development of a master plan that will maximize long-term passive recreational activity and interpretation of the Sink Creek tract, while assuring that natural resources impacted by the site are protected. University researchers will assist in determining and monitoring the impact usage or proposed usage will have upon the wildlife, flora, and habitat found at the site or upon the unique ecosystems found in the adjacent Spring Lake and San Marcos River. Public access to the property in occupied Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat areas will be restricted. These areas will be managed so that the vegetation is consistent with those that support the warbler. Spring flow, water quality, and changes in vegetation will be monitored frequently to ensure pollution levels are controlled and that an optimal habitat is maintained for the endangered species that reside in Sink Creek Preserve. Hays County is in south-central Texas. The project area is located in the Edwards Plateau Land Resource Area. Soils of the Edwards Plateau, locally known as the "Hill Country': are mostly shallow stony clays and gravely clay loams. Land use in this area has undergone significant changes in the last few years. Due to the expansion of the nearby urban areas of San Antonio and Austin there has been a net loss of rangeland and a gain in urban land and land in pasture.