Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Presenter: Ted Hollingsworth
Action
Lease Termination — Jackson County
Lake Texana State Park
August 30, 2012
I. Executive Summary: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff has notified the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority (LNRA) of TPWD’s intention to terminate the current lease for Lake Texana State Park. LNRA and TPWD are working together to ensure the transfer occurs with a minimum amount of adverse impact to the public.
II. Discussion: Lake Texana State Park is located on the shores of its namesake lake in Jackson County. The 575-acre site was developed during the creation of Lake Texana on the Navidad River by the Bureau of Reclamation and was leased to TPWD in 1977 for a term of 50 years. The site opened to the public in September 1981 and contains a day use area and approximately 140 campsites. Visitation to the site was 43,877 in FY11, with FY11 revenues of $209,303 and total expenses of $516,747 (plus additional fringe benefit costs of approximately $95,000).
In accordance with the 82nd General Appropriation Act, and consistent with the TPWD Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan, State Parks Division staff has been evaluating sites to determine whether or not local ownership and operation might be appropriate. As a result of these evaluations, staff has determined that termination of the current lease for Lake Texana is necessary and should be effective August 31, 2012. The leased property will revert to the LNRA, which has expressed a willingness to assume operation of the site.
III. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:
“The Commission adopts the Resolution attached as Exhibit A.”
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit A
A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regarding Termination of the 575-Acre Lake Texana State Park Site in Jackson County from the Lavaca Navidad River Authority
Whereas, Lake Texana was created by the damming of the Navidad River by the Bureau of Reclamation, and 575 acres of lakefront land in Jackson County was leased to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) by the Lavaca Navidad River Authority (LNRA) in 1977 for 50 years (the Lease) for the development and operation of Lake Texana State Park (the Park); and,
Whereas, the Park has been open to the public and has been operated and managed by TPWD for camping, day use and water-oriented outdoor recreation since 1981; and,
Whereas, during the 82nd Texas legislative session, the Legislative Budget Board did recommend that TPWD evaluate the feasibility of transferring certain sites to local partners for management and operation; and,
Whereas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (the Commission) finds that notices of today’s hearing of this matter were published at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation which is published at least six days a week in the community nearest to the Subject Tract in which such newspapers are published (Victoria Advocate in Victoria County and Jackson County Herald-Tribune in Jackson County), with the last day of publication being not less than one week or more than two weeks before the date of today’s hearing and that such notices specified the date and time at which the Commission would hear testimony regarding the transfer; and,
Whereas, the LNRA has agreed to assume management and operation of the facilities and programs comprising the Park and its resources, and to operate it for public recreation, interpretation and education; and,
Whereas, TPWD and the LNRA have agreed on terms and conditions for the transfer of records and artifacts associated with the Park; and,
Whereas, the Commission finds that there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the termination of the Lease; and,
Whereas, the Commission finds that termination of the Lease is in the best interest of TPWD; and,
Now, therefore, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorizes the Executive Director to take all necessary steps to terminate the Lease for the purposes and subject to the conditions described herein and in the motion approving in this Resolution.
Adopted and approved this 30th day of August 2012.
| ______________________________ T. Dan Friedkin, Chairman |
______________________________ Margaret Martin, Member |
| ______________________________ Ralph H. Duggins, Vice-Chairman |
______________________________ S. Reed Morian, Member |
| ______________________________ Antonio Falcon, M.D., Member |
______________________________ Dick Scott, Member |
| ______________________________ Karen J. Hixon, Member |
______________________________ Bill Jones, Member |
| ______________________________ Dan Allen Hughes, Jr., Member |
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit B
Location Map for Lake Texana State Park in Jackson County
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit C
Vicinity Map for Lake Texana SP, Jackson County
Commission Agenda Item No. 6
Exhibit D
Lake Texana State Park
