Discuss, consider and take appropriate action regarding the Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP), including, but not limited to, receiving report from Environmental Programs Director and approving enrollment of properties participating during the 2019 calendar year (any participation received on or prior to 12/31/19) into the tax benefit financing plan for tax year 2019 and to re-enroll prior year participating properties.

The county's Regional Habitat Conservation Plan (RHCP), approved in 2008, provides for a portion of the increase in tax valuation for properties enrolled under the county's 10(a) incidental take permit with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to be directed to the Williamson County Conservation Foundation (WCCF) as the county’s contribution for the acquisition, maintenance and monitoring of endangered species habitat in the county and for related environmental studies, community outreach and educational and informational activities. Specifically, under the RHCP a calculation is made using a base enrollment period. The taxable value of the base enrollment period is determined and a percentage – 15% as defined in the RHCP – of the cumulative increase in value in future taxable years is calculated. That calculated taxable value percentage is applied to the county's then current tax rate for the relevant operational, capital and planning purposes and the resulting sum is attributed to the RHCP and transferred to the WCCF investment corpus.

There is no increase nor decrease in taxes to participants/property owners. Once financial goals of the HCP have been achieved and sufficient basis for future activities is attained, then the allocation under this plan may be, but is not mandated to be, discontinued depending upon then existing conservation goals and requirements. The financial goal is primarily determined by the ability to maintain preserve properties (monitoring, maintenance, gain or accession and sustainment) in perpetuity and may be adjusted depending upon future conservation requirements of the RHCP including, but not limited to, then existing County needs for dealing with species listed (or proposed for listing and for similar species related activities) under the Endangered Species Act (as amended) or for related conservation activities which may include acquisition of requisite conservation land(s).

The Williamson County Habitat Conservation Plan is rare and distinct in its "pay as you go" financing for meeting conservation targets and the specific tax benefit financing structure is unique for the entire country in its approach to funding a habitat conservation plan.

Enrollment is on a year-to-year basis. Attached is a detailed list of private party participants for 2019 and summary lists for prior year enrollments.

The action needed is to enroll the 2019 participants and to re-enroll/extend the tax benefit financing for past years.The WCCF Board on 1/15/20 took action similar to the following requested motion to propose this agenda item to Commissioners Court.

Requested motion: "Motion to approve the County's Regional Habitat Conservation Plan: 1) enrolling 2019 participants in the tax benefit financing plan, and 2) to re-enroll/extend the tax benefit financing for past years as outlined in the County's Regional Habitat Conservation Plan."