After years of rapid growth that brought dozens of new subdivisions to the Hill Country, Hays County officials are looking for ways to preserve the few large tracts of land that remain for open space. The Dahlstrom Ranch, a 2,400-acre spot south of Buda, could be the latest conservation easement purchased to maintain the health of the Barton Springs Zone of the Edwards Aquifer. The proposition was first introduced Dec. 4 in Hays County Commissioners Court, with Commissioner Jeff Barton laying out the Dahlstrom family proposal that would have the county paying $9.9 million for permanent development rights to the ranch. Due to the bargain-basement price – the development rights are said to be worth between $20 million and $40 million – and the unique recharge features on the property, speculation abounds over which potential partners may team up with Hays County to acquire and manage the land.
The county’s Citizens Parks Advisory Team reviewed the plan in December, but the proposal came up short of the 105 minimum “passing” score (on a 155-point scale) required under the county’s criteria for dipping into $30 million in voter-approved bond money to purchase parks and open space. However, the citizens’ group was unanimous in expressing continued support for the project, saying the low score was a result of having insufficient information on the property. Barton promised to continue pursuing a feasibility plan and is discussing possible partnerships with officials from the nearby cities of Dripping Springs, Kyle, and Buda. In addition, he said he has been in talks “at the staff level” with the city of Austin. The Dahlstroms’ attorney, David Braun, an expert on land-conservation issues, added that some commissioners have pitched the idea to some Austin City Council members. The Hill Country Conservancy is also “firmly involved” in the project, Braun said. The executive director of the conservancy, George Cofer, said the ranch’s size and the enthusiasm of the family to sell only add to what “is absolutely one of the most important tracts as far as recharge to the aquifer.”
In early January, Braun invited Joseph Beery, a hydrologist with the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, to the property to gather data on the site’s recharge potential. Beery, for his part, said the conservation district was “refining our geological map and assessing … caves and sinkholes and those types of recharge features.” The property, he said, is the “last really large ranch at the end of the aquifer,” and a 400-acre catchment in the recharge area is “the largest I’m aware of in the district.” Barton was less technical, characterizing the report from Beery and geologists as “universally enthusiastic.” Beery tempers that enthusiasm, noting the project is still in the “early conceptual stages.” The district is now waiting to hear from Braun as to what the next step may be. “There’s so much potential with that property,” Beery said. “It just depends on what entities and agencies can see that benefit – today and for the future.”
Barton laid out a rough timetable for a two-pronged feasibility period. The first phase, spanning 60-90 days, would structure an agreement with the family and lay out the specifics of public use. Commissioners Court discussions suggest $3 million of the tentative asking price would be paid up front, with the remainder paid over the next 10 to 15 years. A second feasibility period, which could last around 120 days, would take the proposal back to the Citizens Parks Advisory Team for a new, presumably higher score. During this phase, the family and court representatives would be identifying potential partners to bring to the table. “By the time the county really has to commit,” Barton said, “we would have a clearer idea of what we would be getting for our money and who would help.”
Of particular significance is any potential assistance the city of Austin could provide. “Whether or not they would be able to commit financially,” Barton said, “we certainly recognize that they are a downstream user of the creek and aquifer … and of course there’s always the possibility of a partnership, as well.”
Braun noted that the property is “a really important part of the aquifer recharge,” but although the “city of Austin has been buying this kind of easement for years … it’s a fairly new concept in Hays County.” The family is organizing volunteers from different agencies and organizations to help plan the public use of the property. Braun said he intends to meet with officials from the Lower Colorado River Authority to discuss the management of Onion Creek, which runs through the ranch. Ecologists have also been looking at the management of the landscape and its transition from a livestock operation to a conservation-oriented site. While Braun believes “interests and economics are very aligned” among the potential partners, he said the complexity of the deal will mean it could take most of 2008 to complete.
This article appears in February 1 • 2008.