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Comal County court approves pursuit of $11.3 million federal grant to expand Morton Preserve
Summary
County staff won approval to submit a Texas Parks and Wildlife subapplication for an $11.3 million proposal (federal share $5.5 million) to acquire adjacent tracts that would expand Morton Preserve by about 474 acres, with the county providing an in-kind 200-acre match.
Comal County commissioners voted to authorize submission of a grant subapplication to Texas Parks and Wildlife seeking $11,300,000 to expand the Morton Preserve. County staff said the proposal would purchase 100 acres adjacent to the preserve and facilitate acquisition of an additional 174 acres, producing roughly a 474-acre addition.
"The total cost of this grant is $11,300,000. The federal share is $5,500,000, and our portion is covered by the in-kind donation of the 200 acres," the county engineer said, describing the owner agreement to donate acreage contingent on purchase of an adjacent 100-acre tract. Staff told commissioners there would be no cash outlay from the county if the grant is approved; the county's required match is satisfied by the donated land.
County staff said the application was prepared with assistance from the Great Springs Project and noted procedural next steps if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approves the subapplication, including delineating conservation-area limits, conducting surveys and appraisals using uniform standards, negotiating sales prices, completing closings, and recording conservation easements. Commissioner Eckleson praised Great Springs Project as an "extraordinary" partner in land preservation efforts.
The court approved the request to submit the application and authorized the county judge to sign needed documents. Staff emphasized the application deadline and that the county had applied previously for similar funding.
