Annual Monitoring Report
Presentation ofAnnual Monitoring Report
RJ has spent some time revising the monitoring report. The new version is meant to capture the history, goals, and observations of the property. A separate violation document will be created when violations occur. RJ, fill in any other desired information here.
The Committee provided the following input for what monitoring profiles may look like:
Profile
Location maps, directions, contact info, metes and bounds
Restrictions and reserved rights summary
Oil and gas summary rights
Brief explanation of what makes the easement unique (from baseline summary)
Photo documentation will be kept also
It will be ideal for CCF to have these formalized for audits, accreditation, and staff/volunteer turn-over.
Update on Fee for Service Proposal
The Board will be voting on the concept of the Fee for Service proposal at the upcoming 1/21/09 board meeting. The details of the proposal will likely be voted on by email by the board so that the proposal may be implemented before the March board meeting.
RJ provided an overview of the research on such proposals by calling other land trusts. Most other land trusts have only worked with municipalities, not developers because of the perception it may create. In our situation, however, we anticipate more developers approaching CCF to assist with conservation developers. The Committee discussed that we will learn a lot from this pilot program and will learn as we go.
Flower Mound Conservation Development
The Committee discussed the potential conservation development (Villas de Montalcino) and reviewed the map. Brett offered that the riparian zones may be the most important. Don indicated that experience from working HOAs reveals that having the HOA sign the covenants is very important and it is key to only work with one to two people from the HOA in order to streamline information.
Because the Town of Flower Mound is requesting formal concept plans from the developer before the next phase, CCF will likely be asked to help create this document in the next few months. CCF will want to be involved with this process. Some parts of the currently proposed conservation easement area are less than desirable area for Connemara due to small sizes or exposure to many neighboring homeowners. The conversation with the developer need to address these issues in the coming weeks.
Flower Mound Partnership
Flower Mound would like to formalize its current relationship with Connemara. Fortunately for Connemara, they have remained very vague about the parameters they want to see in the agreement. Connemara’s main needs are funding and staff support.
The Committee discussed initial thoughts about our goals from the proposal including:
- Being asked to participate earlier in conservation development process
- Guaranteed income stream (i.e. being placed on retainer based on the percentage of hours spent working with FM)
- Working with a third party consultant (ex: Halff Associates) for additional resources (services or hardware)
Next Steps: Susan and RJ will be working with the Town of Flower Mound on this in the coming weeks
Annual Monitoring
RJ presented an overview map of our easements (current and potential).
Easements Monitored
TitusCounty
Very little change with potential for new easement
Granek
Oil and gas drill site to occur on property. Drill site offset from gravel road by 100 feet.
Carol Strain-Burk
Some overgrowth. A pole barn proposed but included in the current building envelope.
Remaining Easements
CCF will finish the rest of the easements in ’09, based on less of a rush due to tax reasons. CCF will aim for the fall for its next round of monitoring visits in order to get a better feel for flora/fauna. Board members and Land Committee members are encouraged to attend. RJ and Susan will publicize visits accordingly.
Potential Easements
David Kusin
No updates. RJ will be visiting soon.
Elizabeth Kuebler
RJ has walked the site. It is currently a mono-culture of silver bluestem. Hasn’t been grazed since 1950’s but has had potential. RJ will talk to Jim Eidson of TNC about conservation values. The Land Committee will need to determine its official recommendation to the board. There may be several options for the property since it would be a land donation instead of an easement. Options include: a Tradelands property, a nature preserve, or a conservation buyer.
RJ will be talking more to the landowner and attorney to determine the ultimate landowner goals and report back to the Committee.
TitusCounty
The landowners may have an additional 3,000 acre site for conservation easement. There are some concerns, however, about the potential Marvin Nichols reservoir. The Committee discussed the pros and cons of investigating it further. The eminent domain provision for CCF requires that condemned land be mitigated by an alternate site for protection. CCF will need to know more of the landowner goals if the reservoir were to occur in order to determine if the project is something CCF is interested in.
Leo Ranch
RJ visited the property with Clint Josey and Robert Potts and is learning more about the relationship with Dixon Water Foundation. As discussed in 2008, there is a potential to acquire an easement on the neighboring Pittman Ranch. CCF staff is leaning towards the stewardship endowment falling between $30,000 - $35,000.
Open Space map
David Morgan was not present. Susan updated the Committee about Landscope 360.
Potential Meetings on the Horizon
-John Dugdale was asked about to re-present about STEP (EPA) wind energy.
-TPWD will be holding a landowner workshop in the near future. CCF may partner with them.
□ RJ let me know for color photos