The Fort Bend County Commissioners Court met Tuesday and allocated funding for a feasibility study to examine Barker Reservoir improvements, approved a tax abatement agreement and authorized applications for grant funding to benefit the county’s clinical health services. 1) Barker Reservoir The Court allocated $67,200 to fund a study exploring the feasibility of building a levee on the back side of the Barker Reservoir to keep water from flowing to homes in future flooding events. The potential levee would largely benefit residents of the Cinco Ranch, Kelliwood and Canyon Gate subdivisions, Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert said. The reservoir is located off of Hwy. 6, south of Hwy. 10. Engineering firm AECOM Technical Services, Inc. will perform the study. 2) Tax abatement Commissioners approved a tax abatement agreement between the county and solar utility company Bronson Solar, LLC, which will be located in Reinvestment Zone 20 at the intersection of Hwy. 90A and FM 1875. “Reinvestment Zone 20 was created for Bronson Solar, LLC,” Hebert said. “It’s my understanding they’re building a solar power farm there…It’s a clean energy facility.” Bronson Solar is required to complete facility construction no later than Dec. 31—a project to cost a minimum of $12 million, according to meeting documents. The agreement extends 10 years and will be terminated Dec. 31, 2028. The project will increase assessed value for the property, Hebert said. 3) Clinical health services The court authorized applications for grant funding to benefit the county’s clinical health services. An application to national nonprofit AIDS United requests $25,000 to be used for HIV-related services—prevention education, testing and counseling. The county also applied to philanthropic organization Kresge Foundation for grant funding to support public health activities. If selected, the county may receive up to $125,000, according to the Kresge Foundation. 4) Animal shelter expansion The county allocated $1.07 million for the construction of the its animal shelter by Broaddus Construction, LLC. Preliminary designs indicate the nearly-6,000-square-foot building will feature 35 total kennels and space for field officers, veterinary services, surgical procedures, food preparation and storage, bathing and grooming, and animal intake, according to meeting documents. Including design and preconstruction services, the project’s total cost is approximately $1.14 million.