Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Travis County, Texas

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1 Travis County, Texas University of Texas at Austin Community and Regional Planning December 15, 2008

2 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Over the past twenty years, the City of Austin, Texas has undergone an ambitious land acquisition program for the protection of endangered species habitat, open space, and water quality focused primarily in western Travis County. The presence of the Edward s Aquifer recharge zone and several endangered species in western Travis County contributes to the area s ecological diversity and has led the push to acquire land for perpetual preservation. Since the 1990s, the City of Austin, Travis County, LCRA, and numerous non-profit organizations have acquired areas in western Travis County known as the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves as part of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan to protect several federally listed endangered species. In the early 1990s, the City of Austin experienced a significant surge in population growth and development due to the high-tech economic boom with much of the new growth and development spread out into west Austin and Travis County. The land west of Austin is highly desirable due to the impressive hill county views and access to the nearby lake. The Balcones Canyonlands Preserves are a selling point for realtors due to the value of living adjacent to lands that are in perpetual preservation that will never be developed. The primary objective of this paper is to determine whether the property adjacent or in proximity to the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves in western Travis County is more expensive and thus an indicator of greater desirability and attractiveness. I hypothesis that the single-family residential homes property value adjacent to the BCP lands will be higher due to the desire to live next to land that will never be developed. The attractiveness of the land near the BCP lands will be analyzed with data for the year homes were built, trends in the City of Austin building permits, and appraised property values from the Travis County Appraisal District to examine whether development growth is spatially occurring closer to BCP lands in western Travis County 2

3 II. INTRODUCTION Over the past twenty years, the City of Austin, Texas has undergone an ambitious land acquisition program for the protection of endangered species habitat, open space, and water quality focused primarily in western Travis County. The presence of the Edward s Aquifer recharge zone and several endangered species in western Travis County contributes to the area s ecological diversity and has led the push to acquire land for perpetual preservation. Ecological Features Austin, Texas is located in the ecologically diverse region of Central Texas. The city is surrounded by the regions of the Balcones Canyonlands and the Live Oak-Mesquite Savanna of the Edward's Plateau to the west and the Blackland Prairie to the east, seen in Geographic and Natural Features. The Edwards Plateau has the highest density of unique species in the state with at least a third of the state s threatened and endangered species that live or migrate through the area (Friends of Balcones Canyonlands). The Colorado River runs through the middle of Travis County with Lake Austin formed by Tom Miller Dam in the western part of Austin and Mansfield Dam forming Lake Travis in the western part of Travis County, seen in Geographic and Natural Features. Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Beginning in the late 1980s, the City of Austin, Travis County, the Lower Colorado River Authority, several nonprofit organizations, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conceived the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP) to protect sensitive habitat of the eight listed endangered species and twenty-seven species of concern. The Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) is a larger set of landholdings of 28,000 acres acquired for endangered species habitat protection and managed by the Austin Water Utility and Travis County. Acquisitions of land are targeted for the greatest potential to preserve areas that are prime habitat for endangered species and species of concern. A map of all the protected lands and parks in western Travis County by partner ownership with the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves identified is seen in Protected Lands and Preserves. History of Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan In 1973, the United States Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The purpose of the ESA was to provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved and to provide a program for the conservation of such endangered species and threatened species (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1) The restrictions of the ESA led to conflicts between environmentalists and landowners and resulted in bringing economic development to a halt in many communities where endangered species were present. In 1982, the federal government authorized an "incidental take" of a species following the creation of a Habitat Conservation Plan. A Habitat Conservation Plan requires study of what impacts an activity will have on a species and their habitat and then lays out a strategy for minimizing and mitigating that disturbance (City of Austin: History of Balcones Canyonlands Preserves). 3

4 In 1996, after years of work on the plan, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issued a 10(a) permit for incidental take jointly to the City of Austin and Travis County covering eight endangered species and twenty-seven species of concern with the adoption of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan, a regional Habitat Conservation Plan. The BCCP called for the City of Austin, Travis County, and its partners to create a preserve system, the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, in western Travis County to conserve 30,428 acres of habitat for the named species by 2016 (City of Austin: History of Balcones Canyonlands Preserves). The BCCP additionally outlined a permitting process for landowners to develop their land in the habitat sensitive permit zone and by participating in the BCCP, private landowners do not have to pursue their own 10(a) permit with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (City of Austin: History of Balcones Canyonlands Preserves). The location of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Permit Area and the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves is seen in Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Study Location Area. To date the BCCP Managing Partners have assembled more than 28,000 acres, over 92%, of the permit acreage required (Travis County: BCP). The endangered species identified in the BCCP include the Golden-cheeked Warbler, a migratory songbird that only nests in the oak-juniper woodlands of Central Texas; the Black-capped Vireo, a migratory songbird that ranges through Central Texas; and numerous karst species (City of Austin: BCP Protected Species). Karst is a term that describes a terrain formed from the dissolution of limestone, dolomite or gypsum and characterized by caves, sinkholes and underground streams (City of Austin: BCP Protected Species). The karst species include the Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion, Tooth Cave spider, Tooth Cave ground beetle, Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle, Bone Cave harvestman, and the Bee Creek Cave harvestman (City of Austin; BCP Protected Species). A map representing the habitat locations of the endangered species is seen in Endangered Species Habitat. Population Growth and Development In the early 1990s, the City of Austin experienced a significant surge in population growth and development due to the high-tech economic boom driven by local industries such as Dell, IBM, Motorola, and AMD (Duerksen and Snyder, 123). Between 1980 and 1990, the population within the City of Austin increased by 119,732 people and from increased by 190,940, seen in Table Two. Duerksen and Snyder note that in the 1990s much of the new growth and development spread out into environmentally sensitive west Austin and Travis County (Duerksen and Snyder, 123). In the late 1990s and 2000s, population growth slowed with the decline of the high-tech industry. Growth in the City of Austin is forecasted by Ryan Robinson, the City Demographer to remain steady, but growth in Travis County is expected to significantly increase, as seen in Tables One and Two. 4

5 Table One: Population History and Forecasts City of Austin 345, , , , ,544 Travis County 419, , ,820 1,038,595 1,365,589 Source: Ryan Robinson, City Demographer, Department of Planning, City of Austin. January ,500,000 2,000,000 Graph One: Population History and Forecasts Population 1,500,000 1,000, ,000 Travis County City of Austin Year Table Two: Change in Population City of Austin 119, , , ,430 Travis County 156, , , ,994 Despite the restrictions of the BCCP Permit for landowners and developers, the western region of the county is continuing to experience increasing population growth. Duerksen and Snyder describe that the western areas are some of the wealthiest in the city, featuring new trophy homes and mini-mansions that have sprung up to take advantage of impressive hill country views and close access to the river and nearby lakes (Duerksen and Snyder, 125). Just west of downtown Austin, the elevation of the region increases leading into the hill country region of Central Texas. The unique terrain attracts high-end development drawn by the unique beauty and scenic views. Stenhouse Otto notes: this area has become particularly attractive to developers due to the unique beauty of the Texas Hill Country, access to popular recreation areas, and distance from the real and perceived problems of the central city. The rough hilly terrain that had made earlier development difficult became an advantage for selling exclusive and expensive new developments (Stenhouse Otto, 15). 5

6 Development pressures in the western ecologically sensitive area of Travis County drove the enactment of the BCCP. The creation of the numerous preserves and protected lands has led to the existence of a permanent greenbelt in Travis County. Stenhouse Otto explains that proximity to the BCCP preserve lands has become a positive selling point for land developers (Stenhouse Otto, 55). Additionally, Stenhouse Otto notes that some realtors use the preserve to sell their property, leading landowners to think that the BCP is their private reserve (Stenhouse Otto, 52). The significant value of living adjacent to the BCP lands is that the parcels are in perpetual preservation and will never be developed. Stenhouse Otto describes: while it was understood that development would reach and likely surround the preserve lands (hence the original concern) it seems that planners underestimated the rate and extent of growth. Observers now report that most preserve lands have significant encroachment which is substantially changing the biological composition of the area (Ladd interview 2005) (Stenhouse Otto, 50). Development adjacent to the preserves could have a negative effect on the species of the preserves due to increased human interaction, pets, and the spread of introduced nonnative invasive plant species. Proximity Figure Literature Review Research indicates that property adjacent to open space is highly desirable for development with amenities including pleasing views and privacy along with an increase in urban land value (Nelson, 44). This section is a review of literature examining methods to determine the desirability of residential properties. Crompton describes that the premise that parks have a positive impact on proximate property values derives from the observation that people frequently are willing to pay a larger amount of money for a home located close to a park, than they are for a comparable home (Crompton, 2005, 1). One method of measuring the influence on nearby parks and open space on property values is the proximate principle. The proximate principle states that the market values of properties located near a park or open space frequently are higher than those of comparable properties located elsewhere (Crompton, 2007, 1). The proximate principle utilizes complex regression models to isolate multiple variables that contribute to property value and determine the influence of each variable. Crompton states that increased capability of computing, which has made feasible more complex analyses enabling the economic contributions of parks and open space to property values to be quantitatively identified and distinguished from those attributable to other possible contributions (Crompton, 2007, 2). There are numerous factors that affect property value. The factors that influence property value that Crompton identifies include: 6

7 structural attributes (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, lot size, age of structure); neighborhood attributes (socio-economic characteristics, quality of neighborhood structure, ownership/rental); community attributes (school and tax districts); locational attributes (proximity and accessibility to various (dis)amenities including waste sites, power lines, highways, shopping centers, churches, schools, cultural opportunities, airport, public transportation); environmental attributes (view from property, noise levels, pollution, stormwater); and time-relates attributes (month and year of sale, number of days on market) (Crompton, 2005, 2). Crompton s review of twenty studies over the past three decades revealed that the studies demonstrated that the proximate effect is substantial up to feet away from the park (typically three blocks) (Crompton, 2007, 4). Specifically in a study undertaken by Irwin, results from the analysis show that surrounding open space significantly influences the residential sales price of houses and that different types of open space have differing effects... We find that the spillover effects from preserved open space are significantly greater than those associated with developable farmland and forest (Irwin, 474). Numerous studies have found an increase in property value in close proximity to parks and open space and additional value with preserved open space. 7

8 III. HYPOTHESIS The primary objective is to determine whether the property adjacent or in proximity to the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves in western Travis County is more expensive and thus an indicator of greater desirability and attractiveness. In Travis County, increased development limits the availability of existing homes and developable tracts with scenic views. I hypothesis that the single-family residential homes property value adjacent to the BCP lands will be higher due to the desire to live next to land that will never be developed. I would like to examine whether development growth is spatially occurring closer to BCP lands in western Travis County. Numerous measures are utilized to determine the desirability of a property. The desirability or attractiveness of a certain property is often indicated by its property value. The attractiveness of the land near the BCP lands will be analyzed with data for the year homes were built, trends in the City of Austin building permits, and appraised property values from the Travis County Appraisal District. IV. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The primary research questions are: Is it more attractive to live closer to BCP lands? Is growth in western Travis County occurring closer to BCP lands? Has development increased overtime with the creation of the BCP lands? 8

9 V. METHODOLOGY I utilized ArcGIS spatial analysis tools to address the spatial research questions outlined in Section IV with data provided by the City of Austin, Austin Water Utility, the U.S. Census, Texas Natural Resource Information Systems, ESRI, and Capital Area Council of Governments. A detailed overview of the steps taken for each map is provided in the Appendix. Data Collection To analysis the area in proximity to the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves, I first needed to acquire the shapefiles of the current preserve locations. I was able to obtain the BCP preserve and BCCP permit area shapefile from Dolph Smith with the Austin Water Utility. The data I needed for the indicators of attractiveness of the preserves included building permit data and property value. I was able to obtain building permits from 1990 to the first half of 2008 from the City of Austin GIS FTP site. I obtained property values from the Travis County Appraisal District (TCAD) 2005 parcel shapefile from Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG). I hoped to compare dates of property values, but was unable to acquire any additional TCAD parcel data by year. Shapefiles for arterials, Austin annexation, and Austin parks was obtained from the City of Austin GIS FTP site. I obtained water bodies, rivers, municipal boundaries, and county boundaries from CAPCOG. The Census data for population and year structure built was obtained in table format from the U.S. Census Bureau. I obtained the Travis County Census Block Group shapefiles for 1990 and 2000 from Environmental Science Resources Institute. Shapefiles for natural regions and State of Texas parks was obtained from Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS). I obtained the shapefile for the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge from Cynthia Banks, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department GIS Data Librarian. Data Formulation Data was first uniformly defined and projected into Texas Central State Plane (NAD83, survey feet) and then clipped to the boundary of Travis County. Study Area and Travis County Characteristics The characteristics reference maps listed below of Travis County and the BCCP study area location were made utilizing symbology and overlay of data layers techniques. Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Study Area Location Protected Lands and Preserves Geographic and Natural Features Endangered Species Habitat Built Environment Municipal Jurisdictions City of Austin Current Annexation 9

10 Census Population Density Census 1990 and 2000 population data was downloaded from the U.S. Census Website in table format. The Census 1990 population data was joined with the shapefile of the Census 1990 block group level. The Census 2000 population data was joined with the shapefile of the Census 2000 block group level. The population density was calculated by dividing total population by block group area for 1990 and again for The population density results for 1990 and 2000 were symbolized with the same classification and number of categories. Construction Growth Indicator Analysis Census 2000 Average Year Structure Built Census 2000 SF3 Sample Survey data of the year structure built for respondents was downloaded from the U.S. Census Website in table format. The year structure built data table was joined with the shapefile of the Census 2000 block group level. The average year in which the structure was built was symbolized by decade Residential Building Permits Series of Maps Four new layers were created to symbolize the building permit data in five year increments utilizing the Select by Attributes tool to select the year in the YEAR field of the Attribute Table for , , , and The residential building permits were isolated with the Select by Attributes tool by selecting Residential or 100 or 200 in the Summary Use Column of the Attribute Table for each five year data layer. The residential building permit five year data layers were each joined to the Census Block Group 2000 layer with the Join data from another layer based on spatial relation tool. Since the building permit data is only available for the City of Austin, many of the block groups in Travis County outside of the city limits of Austin had a residential building permit value of zero. Therefore, I used the Select by Attributes tool to isolate block groups where the Average Value was equal to zero and displayed the groups as No Permit Value. The Data Exclusion tool as used to exclude where the Average Value was equal to zero. The data was symbolized by the same classes and colors for better comparison. Results are shown in Residential Building Permit Value, Residential Building Permit Value, Residential Building Permit Value, and Residential Building Permit Value maps. 10

11 Property Value Indicator Analysis Market Value for Single-Family Residences Due to the complexity of the data and the large values of multi-family housing units, I isolated single-family residential properties for the analysis of the property value in proximity to the preserves. I used the Select by Attributes tool to select land use code values for A: Real Property: Single-Family Residential and O: Real Property: Residential Inventory in the Attribute Table in order to create a new layer of single-family residential parcels. The single-family residential parcels were joined to the Census 2000 block group shapefile with attributes summarized by average using the Join data from another layer based on spatial relation tool. Data was symbolized to display the Field Value of Average Market Value by the same classes utilized in the Residential Building Permit Value Map. Land Value for Single-Family Residences Data of the joined single-family residential parcels on the Census block group level was symbolized to display the Field Value of Average Land Value by the same classes utilized in the Residential Building Permit Value Map. Single-Family Residential Property Value Proximity Buffer Analysis To determine the approximate property value in proximity to the BCP lands, buffers were created with ArcGIS Buffer Tool of distances of 100 feet, 500 feet, 1000 feet, ½ mile, and 1 mile from BCP lands. Each buffer was intersected with Single-Family Residential TCAD 2005 parcel shapefile. The average value of the Single-Family TCAD 2005 parcels in each buffer proximity group was determined from the mean of market value and land value for the intersect buffer shapefile under Statistics in Attribute Table. 11

12 VI. FINDINGS Study Area and Travis County Characteristics The following maps represent the geographic, ecological, built, municipal, and population characteristics of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP) Permit Area and Travis County: Protected Lands and Preserves: This map was created to illustrate the inventory of existing protected lands of all types including City of Austin Preserves, Water Quality Lands, and State of Texas Parks, Travis County, and City of Austin Parks with a hatch overlay indicating specific areas designated for the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves in the BCCP permit area. Geographic and Natural Features: This map was created to illustrate the ecological diversity of the BCCP permit area with reference to the BCP lands. Endangered Species Habitat: This map was created to illustrate the known habitat of the federally listed endangered species that are specified in the BCCP with reference to the BCP lands. Built Environment: This map was created to illustrate the transportation systems network to serve as a reference of existing development with reference to the BCP lands. Municipal Jurisdictions: This map was created to illustrate the numerous municipal jurisdictions in the BCCP permit area with reference to the BCP lands. City of Austin Current Annexation: This map was created to illustrate the current annexation jurisdictions and potential growth of the City of Austin. The categories represent the City of Austin s jurisdictional influence over the annexation areas: Full Purpose annexation is the process by which cities extend municipal services, voting privileges, and full regulatory and taxing authority to new territory; Limited Purpose annexation extends the City's ordinances and regulations, including building and zoning codes without assessing taxes and does not require the City to provide full municipal services; and The Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) is the unincorporated land within five miles of Austin s boundary that is not within the city limits or ETJ of another city. It is the territory where Austin alone is authorized to annex land. The ETJ enables the City to extend regulations to adjacent land where development can affect quality of life within the city (City of Austin: Annexation Terms). Census Population Density: This map was created to illustrate the population density by Census block group level for 1990 and 2000 with reference to BCL lands. 12

13 Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Study Area Location Travis County, Texas Travis County Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area City of Austin Major Arterials Water Bodies Colorado River Texas Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: City Limits City of Austin: Water Bodies TNRIS: State of Texas Counties Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Miles 13

14 Protected Lands and Preserves Travis County, Texas Ownership City of Austin LCRA Potential Future Preserve Private Land Management The Nature Conservancy Travis Audubon Society Travis County State of Texas Parks 71 Texas Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Travis County Water Bodies Arterials Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: Travis County Boundary City of Austin: Arterials and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Miles 35 14

15 Lake Travis 71 Texas Lake Austin Geographic and Natural Features Travis County, Texas 290 Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves 290 Natural Regions Balcones Canyonlands Blackland Prairie Live Oak-Mesquite Savanna Water Bodies Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: Travis County Boundary City of Austin: Arterials and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area TNRIS: Natural Regions of Texas Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) 35 Colorado River Rivers Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Travis County Major Arterials

16 Endangered Species Habitat Travis County, Texas Texas Black-Capped Vireo Habitat Karst Zones Golden-Cheeked Warbler Habitat 290 Balcones Canyonlands Preserve BCCP Participation Permit Area Travis County Water Bodies Major Arterials Arterials Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: Travis County Boundary City of Austin: Arterials and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: Species Habitat, BCP, and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Miles 35 16

17 Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Built Environment Travis County, Texas Texas Major Arterials 290 Regional Roads Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Travis County Water Bodies Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area CAPCOG: Regional Roads City of Austin: Arterials and Water Bodies Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Miles 17

18 Municipal Jurisdictions Travis County, Texas 71 Texas 35 Municipality AUSTIN BEE CAVE BRIARCLIFF JONESTOWN LAGO VISTA LAKEWAY LEANDER POINT VENTURE ROLLINGWOOD SUNSET VALLEY THE HILLS VOLENTE WEST LAKE HILLS 290 BCP Lands BCCP Participation Permit Area Travis County Major Arterial Arterials Water Bodies 35 Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: City Jurisdictions Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area City of Austin: Arterials and Water Bodies Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Miles 18

19 71 Texas City of Austin Current Annexation Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves 290 Full Purpose Limited Purpose Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Miles 35 Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: Travis County Boundary City of Austin: Annexation, Arterials, and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Travis County Water Bodies Major Arterials Arterials

20 Census Population Density Travis County, Texas 1990 Density by Block Group 0-1,000 1,001-3,000 3,001-5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-25,000 Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies Miles 2000 Density by Block Group 0-1,000 1,001-3,000 3,001-5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-41,000 Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: City of Austin: Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area U.S Census: Population Data Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) 20

21 Construction Growth Indicator Analysis The following maps represent an analysis of the construction growth in the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Permit Area and Travis County: Census 2000 Year Structure Built: This map was created to illustrate the average year in which the structure owned by the Census SF3 Sample Survey participant responded was built aggregated by Census block group level with reference to BCP lands Residential Building Permits: This series of maps represents the value of the City of Austin residential building permits from with reference to the BCP lands. 21

22 Census 2000 Average Year Structure Built Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Average Year Built by Block Group Prior to Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: City of Austin: Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area U.S. Census: SF3 Data Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

23 Residential Building Permit Value Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Average Value by Block Group $1- $75,000 $75,001 - $150,000 $150,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $350, Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area City of Austin: Building Permits, Arterials, and Water Bodies Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) $350,001 - $780,000 No Permit Value Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

24 Residential Building Permit Value Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Average Value by Block Group $1 - $75,000 $75,001- $150,000 $150,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $350, Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: City of Austin: Building Permits and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) $350,001 - $1,700,000 No Permit Value Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

25 Residential Building Permit Value Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Average Value by Block Group $1 - $75,000 $75,001 - $150,000 $150,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $350, Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: City of Austin: Building Permits and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) $350,001 - $11,000,000 No Permit Value Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

26 Residential Building Permit Value Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Average Value by Block Group $1 - $75,000 $75,001 - $150,000 $150,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $350, Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: City of Austin: Building Permits and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) $350,001 - $7,600,000 No Permit Value Balcones Canyonlands Preserve BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

27 Property Value Indicator Analysis The following maps represent an analysis of the Travis County Appraisal District s (TCAD) property value data from 2005 in the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Permit Area and Travis County: Single-Family Residential Market Value in 2005: This map was created to illustrate the average single-family residential market property value of TCAD parcels in 2005 by Census block group level with reference to the BCP lands. Single-Family Residential Land Value in 2005: This map was created to illustrate the average single-family residential land property value of TCAD parcels in 2005 by Census block group level with reference to the BCP lands. Single-Family Residential Property Value Proximity Buffer Analysis: This map was created to determine the approximate property value in proximity to the BCP lands. The map illustrates the buffers created at distances of 100 feet, 500 feet, 1000 feet, ½ mile, and 1 mile from BCP lands to calculate the average singlefamily residential market and land property. The following table and graph display the findings of the Proximity Buffer Property Value Analysis: Table Three: Single Family Travis County Appraisal District Residential Value Distance to BCP Lands 100 Feet 500 Feet 1000 Feet 1/2 Mile 1 Mile Average Market Value $424,939 $388,241 $372,875 $377,787 $381,130 Average Land Value $115,203 $105,488 $105,896 $109,755 $107,306 Value in Dollars $450,000 $400,000 $350,000 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 Graph Two: Single Family TCAD Residential Value 100 Feet 500 Feet 1000 Feet 1/2 Mile 1 Mile Distance to BCP Lands Average Market Value Average Land Value 27

28 Market Value for Single-Family Residences Travis County Appraisal District Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves 2005 Average Value by Block Group $1 - $75,000 $75,001 - $150,000 $150,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $350, Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: TCAD Parcels City of Austin: Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) $350,001 - $11,500,000 No Value Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

29 Land Value for Single-Family Residences Travis County Appraisal District Travis County, Texas Proximity of Development to Balcones Canyonlands Preserves Average Land Value by Block Group $1 - $75,000 $75,001 - $150,000 $150,001 - $250,000 $250,001 - $350, Miles Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: TCAD Parcels City of Austin: Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) $350,001 - $2,300,000 No Value Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Water Bodies

30 Single-Family Residential Property Value Proximity Buffer Analysis Travis County, Texas 71 Texas 100 Feet Buffer 500 Feet Buffer 1000 Feet Buffer 1/2 Mile Buffer 1 Mile Buffer 290 Balcones Canyonlands Preserves BCCP Participation Permit Area Travis County Water Bodies Major Arterials Arterials Author: Date: December 8, 2008 Data Source: CAPCOG: Travis County Boundary and TCAD Parcels City of Austin: Arterials and Water Bodies Austin Water Utility: BCP and BCCP Permit Area Projection: Texas Central State Plane (Feet) Miles 35 30

31 VII. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION The collection of Study Area and Travis County Characteristics, Construction Growth Indicator Analysis, and Property Value Indicator Analysis maps are introduced in Section VI. The Study Area and Travis County Characteristics maps represent the geographic, ecological, built, municipal, and population characteristics of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP) Permit Area and Travis County. The Protected Lands and Preserves map illustrates the inventory of existing protected lands of all types including City of Austin Preserves, Water Quality Lands, and State of Texas Parks, Travis County, and City of Austin Parks with a hatch overlay indicating specific areas designated for the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves in the BCCP permit area. There are many large tracts of land in the BCCP Permit Area that are not specifically designated for the BCP lands or endangered species habitat conservation. The Geographic and Natural Features map illustrates the ecological diversity of the BCCP permit area with reference to the BCP lands. The BCCP Permit Area is located in western Travis County within the natural regions of the Balcones Canyonlands and the Live Oak-Mesquite Savannah. Lake Travis and Lake Austin both formed by the Colorado River are located with the BCCP Permit area. The Endangered Species Habitat map illustrates the known habitat of the federally listed endangered species that are specified in the BCCP with reference to the BCP lands. The habitat locations of the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo are shown throughout the BCCP Permit Area. The majority of the Black-capped Vireo habitat is captured in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves. The karst features which are the terrain formed from the dissolution of limestone, dolomite or gypsum and characterized by caves, sinkholes and underground streams are the habitat of numerous cave dwelling endangered species (City of Austin: BCP Protected Species). There is some overlap between the habitat locations of the endangered species and many of those areas are BCP land parcels. The Built Environment map illustrates the transportation systems network to serve as a reference of existing development with reference to the BCP lands. Within the regional road network, subdivision and municipalities can be identified due to road network clusters. Some subdivisions can be seen located directly adjacent to BCP lands. I included the regional roads to display the built environment outside of the City of Austin that is not captured in the Austin building permit data. The Municipal Jurisdictions map illustrates the numerous municipal jurisdictions in the BCCP permit area with reference to the BCP lands. I included this map to demonstrate the numerous municipalities located within the BCCP Permit Area. The largest municipalities outside of the City of Austin include Bee Cave, Lakeway, Lago Vista, and Jonestown. Many of the BCP lands are not situated within a municipality. 31

32 The City of Austin Current Annexation map illustrates the current annexation jurisdictions and potential growth of the City of Austin. The City of Austin defines annexation as the process by which cities extend their municipal services, regulations, voting privileges, and taxing authority to new territory (City of Austin: Annexation and ETJ Planning). The categories represent jurisdictional influence the City of Austin has over the annexation areas. Most of the BCP lands are located within the Limited Purpose and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction of the City of Austin. Within the Limited Purpose annexation area, the City of Austin regulates ordinances and regulations, including building and zoning codes without assessing taxes and does not require the City to provide full municipal services (City of Austin: Annexation Terms). The Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) area is the unincorporated land within five miles of the City of Austin s boundary that is not within the city limits or ETJ of another city. Within the ETJ, no city taxes are collected and the City of Austin regulates land subdivision or platting and has limited authority over the creation and expansion of special districts, such as municipal utility districts (City of Austin: Annexation Terms). The annexation categories have a significant effect on development growth in the area depending on the category designated by the City of Austin. The Census Population Density map illustrates the population density by Census block group level for 1990 and 2000 with reference to BCL lands. The population density growth between 1990 and 2000 reveal a strong north/south pattern of growth for the areas of the City of Austin and Travis County. There is no significant change in the areas around the BCP lands. The Construction Growth Indicator Analysis maps represent an analysis of the construction growth in the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Permit Area and Travis County. The Census 2000 Year Structure Built map illustrates the average year in which the structure owned by the Census SF3 Sample Survey participant responded was built aggregated by Census block group level with reference to BCP lands. The average year structure built analysis demonstrates a much older construction for homes within the core of the City of Austin. The areas around the BCP lands are in the most recent construction year category of , indicating the relatively new construction in western Travis County. The Residential Building Permits series of maps represent the value of the City of Austin residential building permits from with reference to the BCP lands. The limitation of this series of maps is that the building permit data is limited to within the City of Austin. Thus, data is not available for the entire area of Travis County. The Residential Building Permit Value map reveals the highest value of residential permits to be located to the north of west of the City of Austin. The Residential Building Permit Value map reveals the highest value of residential permits once again located to the north and west of the City of Austin. The Residential Building Permit Value map reveals the highest value of residential permits to the west of 32

33 the City of Austin with isolated high values along the boundary of the City to the east and north. The Residential Building Permit Value map reveals the highest value of residential permits to the west of the City of Austin along the BCP lands with additional high values to the east of the City. The Property Value Indicator Analysis maps represent an analysis of the Travis County Appraisal District s (TCAD) property value data from 2005 in the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan Permit Area and Travis County. The Single-Family Residential Market Value in 2005 map illustrates the average single-family residential market property value of TCAD parcels in 2005 by Census block group level with reference to the BCP lands. The highest values for market value are located in downtown Austin, the area directly to the west of the City of Austin, and the areas around the BCP lands. The Single-Family Residential Land Value in 2005 map illustrates the average single-family residential land property value of TCAD parcels in 2005 by Census block group level with reference to the BCP lands. The highest values for land value are located in downtown Austin and the area directly to the west of the City of Austin along the Colorado River. The Single-Family Residential Property Value Proximity Buffer Analysis map demonstrates the approximate property value in proximity to the BCP lands. The map illustrates the buffers created at distances of 100 feet, 500 feet, 1000 feet, ½ mile, and 1 mile from BCP lands to calculate the average single-family residential market and land property. The buffer analysis reveals that the areas within 100 feet of the BCP lands have a higher market and land value than areas at 500 feet, 1000 feet, ½ mile, and 1 mile. The higher values fell within Crompton s study that demonstrated that the proximate effect is substantial up to feet away from the park. In conclusion, the analysis does not reveal a clear deduction that the land adjacent to preserves has a greater value or attractiveness than other locations in Travis County. My analysis reveals the demonstration of greater values of property value and building permits in western Travis County. My hypothesis was that single-family residential home property value adjacent to the BCP lands would be higher due to the desire to live next to land that will never be developed. My research questions of whether it is more attractive to live closer to BCP lands and whether growth in western Travis County is occurring closer to BCP lands could not be determined. My final research question of whether development increased overtime with the creation of the BCP lands could not be analysis due to the limitation of data for property value in additional years. It is not definite from the research to conclude that the decrease in average market and land value with the increase in distance from the protected land of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserves can be attributed to proximity to the preserves. There are numerous additional contributing factors of property value not analyzed. Multiple other features such as proximity to the lake, quality of schools, or larger subdivision lots could 33

34 be contributing to the attractiveness of the area. There were several limitations of analysis due to spatial data limitations such as building permit data only for the City of Austin and proximity measure of market and land values does not take into account any factors utilized in the proximity principle with multiple regression analysis. More variables should be researched to determine contribution of the preserves on attractiveness to the area. The City of Austin and Travis County still have plans to acquire more land for habitat conservation purposes to meet compliance of the BCCP. Conversely, implications for continued development and unavailable open space due to the attractiveness of the properties could make it more difficult to acquire additional land for acquisition. Population growth and development in western Travis County should be closely monitored due to the presence of endangered species and continued attraction of growth to the area. 34

35 VIII. REFERENCES City of Austin: Annexation Terms. (2008). Retrieved December 13, 2008 from City of Austin: BCP Protected Species. (2008). Retrieved December 13, 2008 from City of Austin: Demographics, Ryan Robinson. (2008). Retrieved November 28, 2008 from City of Austin: (2008). History of Balcones Canyonlands Preserves. Retrieved December 13, 2008 from City of Austin and Travis County, Texas (1996). Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from ironment_impact_statement.pdf. Crompton, J.L. (2005). The Impact of Parks on Property Values: Empirical Evidence From the Past Two Decades in the United States. Managing Leisure 10, Crompton, J.L. (2007). Chapter One: The Impact of Parks and Open Space on Property Taxes The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation. The Trust for Public Land. Retrieved December 10, 2008 from Duerksen C. and Snyder C. (2005). Nature-Friendly Communities: Habitat Protection and Land Use. Washington, D.C.: Island Press. Friends of Balcones Canyonlands. (2008). Retrieved December 13, 2008 from Irwin, E.G. (2002). The Effects of Open Space on Residential Property Values. Land Economics 78 (4), Nelson, Arthur. (April 1985). A Unifying View of Greenbelt Influence on Regional Land Values and Implications for Regional Planning Policy. Growth and Change, 16 (2), Stenhouse Otto, Seth. (2005). It s Not Just Species Anymore : A Qualitative Evaluation of the Balcones Canyonland Conservation Plan at Ten Years. Professional Report, University of Texas at Austin, Community and Regional Planning, Austin, TX. 35

36 Travis County Transportation & Natural Resources (July 2007). Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan: Public Participation Process. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (1973). Endangered Species Act of Retrieved December 13, 2008 from 36

37 APPENDIX 37

38 DATA SOURCES Austin Water Utility: Balcones Canyonlands Preserves and BCCP Participation Permit data. (2008). Austin, TX: Austin Water Utility Available: Dolph Smith, Austin Water Utility [November 1, 2008]. Capital Area Council of Governments: country boundaries, lakes, rivers, TCAD property value, and regional roads. [Computer file]. Austin, TX: CAPCOG. Available: [October 29, 2008]. City of Austin GIS: annexation history, COA parks, community registry, arterials, and building permits (2008). Austin, TX: City of Austin GIS. Available FTP: ftp://coageoid01.ci.austin.tx.us/gis-data/regional/coa_gis.html [October 29, 2008]. ESRI: Travis County census block groups. (2008). [Computer file]. Redlands, CA: Environmental Science Resources Institute. Available: [October 29, 2008]. Texas Natural Resources Information System: major and minor natural resources and State of Texas parks. [Computer file]. Austin, TX: TNRIS. Available: [October 29, 2008]. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. (2008). Austin, TX: TPWD Available: Cynthia Banks, TPWD GIS Data Librarian [October 25, 2008]. U.S. Census Bureau: Census 1990 SF1 and SF3 data and Census 2000 SF1 and SF3 data. Available: [October 29, 2008]. STEPS TO DEVELOP MAPS Format Data Projection used is Texas Central State Plane (NAD83, survey feet). Data obtained from Austin Water Utility, CAPBOG, and the City of Austin are defined and projected in Texas Central State Plane (NAD83, survey feet). Define Census Block Group shapefiles from ESRI to Geographic coordinates NAD 83 and then project into Texas Central State Plane (NAD83, survey feet). Project data from TNRIS into Texas Central State Plane (NAD83, survey feet). Clip all data sets to Travis County boundary. 38