DEPARTMENT: Development Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Roderick Sanchez
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide, Bexar County, Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ)
SUBJECT:
Briefing and discussion on the implementation of Southern Edwards Habitat Conservation Plan (SEP-HCP) and the Interlocal Agreement between the City of San Antonio and Bexar County.
SUMMARY:
In an effort to protect Camp Bullis the SEP-HCP offers projects that must remove habitat a more expedient way to comply with the Endangered Species Act. The SEP-HCP preserves habitat in advance and then sells habitat credits to project developers so that they can remove habitat and continue with their project. The proceeds from the sale are used to purchase more habitat.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of San Antonio is home to several military installations including Fort Sam Houston and its training facility at Camp Bullis. Implementation of recommendations made in 2005 by Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) transformed Fort Sam Houston into a leading military medical education training facility and made the military training missions at Camp Bullis vital to national security. In August 2008, in an effort to support the military's mission City Council approved several initiatives based on the Joint Land Use Study that was created to address, support, and protect Camp Bullis.
The Camp Bullis final Joint Land Use Study was accepted by City Council in June 2009 to preserve and protect the quality and quantity of the training conducted at the military installation. Since then Development Services Department has coordinated and implemented several ordinances to support the Military's Mission, which include:
* Military Notification Area - Implemented December 2008
* Military Lighting Overlay District - Implemented December 2008
* Habitat Compliance Ordinance - Implemented August 2009
* Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) Ordinance - Implemented October 2009
* Strengthened the tree ord...
Click here for full text