Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on assignment and acceptance of a Conservation Easement to hold in trust for Williamson County Conservation Foundation.

The Conservation Easement is approximately 1.3 acres located at the transition point of County Road (CR) 176 and Parkside Parkway. This cave and its easement area were part of a Conservation Easement entered into and approved by US Fish and Wildlife as a part of conservation for the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District (BCMUD) during construction of their raw water line in 2005  from Lake Georgetown to the BCMUD water treatment facility. A copy of that Conservation Easement is attached.

Currently the Williamson County Road Bond Program (RBP) has initiated an improvement project for CR 176 from the transition of Parkside Parkway to FM 2243. See attached project location map. The project plans call for a partial closure of the feature known as Snow Melt Cave. The partial closure is indicated for public safety as the existing CR passes over a part of the feature. The existing surface conservation easement tract is not affected. The project alignment has been participated under the County's Habitat Conservation Plan leaving only the disposition of and agreement on the Snow Melt cave conservation area.

Under the Assignment and Acceptance of Conservation Easement the Williamson County Conservation Foundation (WCCF) will assume the management and monitoring of the tract and the Snow Melt Cave feature. Any expenditures for monitoring and maintenance will be out of WCCF funds. Taking this conservation tract "under the umbrella" of the WCCF is also in line with conservation goals of the Williamson County Habitat Conservation Plan. The costs to the RBP are also significantly diminished through this action.