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Committee approves transfer of 163 acres of Rancho Diana Preserve to generate habitat credits under SEPHCP
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Summary
The Planning and Community Development Committee voted Oct. 28 to forward a proposal to transfer management and monitoring of 163 acres of the Rancho Diana Preserve into the Southern Edwards Plateau Habitat Conservation Plan, a move staff said will create habitat enrollment credits to fund future preserves.
The Planning and Community Development Committee voted Oct. 28 to forward a proposal to transfer management and monitoring of 163 acres of the Rancho Diana Preserve into the Southern Edwards Plateau Habitat Conservation Plan, a move staff said will create enrollment credits that can be sold to fund future preserves.
Logan Sparrow, assistant director in Development Services, told the committee the SEPHCP is a voluntary regional conservation program run by the city and Bexar County as co‑permittees with U.S. Fish and Wildlife. “The SEPHCP is effectively an insurance policy,” Sparrow said, describing how enrollment fees provide incidental‑take coverage that allows nonfederal projects to proceed while funding larger, perpetual preserves.
Sparrow said the 1,152‑acre Rancho Diana tract (acquired in 2001 with Proposition 3 funds to protect the aquifer) includes karst features and federally listed karst invertebrates. Staff recommended transferring management of 163 acres to Development Services and accepting a perpetual conservation easement to be held by the Edwards Aquifer Authority. Sparrow said the transfer would generate 1,688.14 enrollment acres; at $1,000 per enrollment acre staff estimated proceeds would total just under $1.7 million. As part of the proposal, Development Services would reimburse the Parks Department $1,507,396.29, described as the proportional investment tied to Parks’ original purchase.
Sparrow told the committee the monitoring and management work is performed by a contract biologist; council previously authorized up to $340,000 in annual biologist services funded jointly with Bexar County, and staff said they are not at that cap. Multiple advisory bodies had previously recommended the transfer, Sparrow said: the Southern Edwards Plateau Coordinating Committee, the Parks and Recreation Board and the Conservation Advisory Board all reported unanimous support.
Councilmembers asked whether the city maintains a list of projects that have purchased credits. Sparrow said about 40 properties have enrolled historically, including small developments and large enrollments such as TxDOT’s Loop 1604 enrollment. Members also asked whether additional DSD staffing would be needed; Sparrow said no new staff are required for the 163‑acre management transfer.
Philip Covington, manager of the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, clarified the preserve is not open to the public “for public safety at this time,” citing the site’s sensitive karst features. Sparrow said staff plan to seek a Council action timeline targeting November A session and final Council consideration afterward.
The committee moved, seconded and voted to approve the transfer and funding reimbursement; committee members voted in favor and the motion carried.
Key figures and details from staff presentation: Rancho Diana total acreage 1,152 acres; proposed transfer 163 acres; projected creation of 1,688.14 enrollment acres from the transferred parcel; estimated enrollment revenue roughly $1,688,140 (at $1,000 per enrollment acre); Parks reimbursement $1,507,396.29; annual contract biologist authorization up to $340,000 per year (joint city/county funding).
