The expedited process establishes a habitat conservation plan for participating landowners of each remaining undeveloped lot within the subdivisions. People who purchase lots in one of these subdivisions could see their permitting process time reduced from many months to less than a month.
The Endangered Species Act requires habitat conservation plans (HCP) be prepared as a part of the permitting process. The HCP outlines binding conservation measures that offset any harmful effects that development may cause for endangered species such as the Houston toad.
"This new process eliminates much of the individual effort previously needed because the Service has already proposed a plan for the homeowner," said Nancy Kaufman, Regional Director for the Services Southwest Region.
Landowners in the covered subdivisions that use the new process will avoid the costs and time delays incurred in developing their own HCP. Conservation measures required under the 46-subdivision HCP include on-site habitat protection and mitigation funds for the protection and management of large tracts of land within the Lost Pines forest. Specific instructions accompany the permit process.
"A family can build their dream home while still protecting the Lost Pines forest," said Kaufman. "The Houston toad gets some help and Bastrop County maintains its rural character.
The 46-subdivision HCP is an interim process to ease endangered species compliance while a broader plan is being developed for the Bastrop area. The Bastrop County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution in October 1999 "that the citizens of Bastrop County should go forward with a County-wide plan to protect the Houston toad and maintain the quality of life for the citizens of Bastrop County consistent with the requirements of Federal and State law.The resolution was a product of a task force convened by County Judge Ronnie McDonald to address a wide variety of concerns for county growth and development and the legal requirements for preserving the Houston toad.
Earlier this year Bastrop County received a $1.5 million grant from the Service to assist with purchasing land from willing sellers in the Lost Pines area for Houston toad habitat protection. Much of the required match came from mitigation fees paid by those who have already obtained permits. "By using those fees as match for the grant, the money gets channeled right back into the community," said Kaufman.
The Houston toad measures no more than 3
