HACKED BY CYBER-ATTACK - ALPERENBTN

[Johnny French]

It's refreshing not to see any name-calling in the Caller-Times re the beach closures for a change. Before going further, let me put to rest any semantic antics about what we mean when we say beach closures. Rather than say "closures of the beach to vehicles, but not to the people in them if they want to get out and carry their gear up to half a mile roundtrip," we'll just keep saying beach closures.

Can't imagine why safety requires a total beach closure to protect pedestrians, when the bollards have been shown to work just as well. To those few for whom the bollards somehow would never suffice, such as those living or staying behind the seawall, I'd say go visit one of the other beaches in this area that are already totally closed to vehicles.

That stretch of beach in front of the seawall was open to vehicles long before the land for the seawall and the buildings just behind it was taken from the people. The situation's like having someone try to pick your pocket for thirty years, then complain that you should hold still so he can finish.

Closing a residential street in Corpus Christi so that the people living there could get their exercise w/o looking out when they crossed it makes about as much sense as closing the beach in front of the seawall. When you stop to think about it, putting a row of bollards parallel to the seawall would create a situation identical to that along most residential streets: two sidewalks for pedestrians on either side of parking and driving areas. Many of us live with that situation every day; why can't the folks living at the seawall?

Granted for the sake of argument that safety demanded a 4200-foot closure, why was that suddenly not enough? Remember the promises, verbal and written, that said no more beach would be closed? Is it possible that safety was always a smoke-screen for development?

Many of us do not anticipate that the City Council will close 7400 feet of beach, but we'll certainly petition for a referendum to overturn that move if it does. What's at stake this time is not just access to the beaches, but to the south side of Packery Channel and to the dunes on the two remaining tracts of publicly-owned beachfront between the Channel and Padre Balli Park. Look out for these anticipated land grabs in 2006.
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Letters to the Editor: 01.01.06
January 1, 2006

Small is better

I live on the island and checked Intrawest Corp. after it was revealed they were the investors involved in the proposed island development. Here is a quote from the salary comprehension surveys regarding Intrawest: "Wages are well below industry standards - across the board for hourly and salaried employees in supervisor and below positions - use this company for experience and then get out to make a living."

These are the wonderful jobs we are hoping for? Many people living on the island have low water pressure now. Our roads are blacktop on sand and every rainstorm creates huge potholes. We can't have sidewalks (the city says there is no money, even though I paid $4,700 this year in property taxes for a half-duplex I own), and our own citizens get hit by cars and killed when the City Council is "concerned" about people's safety on the beach.

Infrastructure will not support this development, and I can't afford to pay for new infrastructure. All those wanting this resort built are business people with their own pockets in mind. The mayor of Corpus Christi lives on the island, but his property taxes are frozen, and he pays a fraction of what I pay.

Keep the island for all the people of Corpus Christi and those living on the island. Quit trying to use the island for a cash cow for a few individuals.

Sue Christiansen

Embrace change

I attended Tuesday's City Council meeting and am pleased that, after much confusion and drama, the ordinance was rescinded. I reside 300 feet from the beach, and do so because I'm on the beach just about every day either running or playing with my 6-year-old daughter.

I wholeheartedly support the extension of the pedestrian beach to 7,500 feet so that I can relax with no fears of my daughter being hit by a passing vehicle.

While listening to area residents voice their concerns about prohibiting vehicles from less than 10 percent of city beaches, there were a couple of misconceptions that stood out to me.

One, the beach is not being closed to the public, just to vehicular traffic.

Two, the ordinance is not just about development, but about concerned parents having a choice when they visit the beach.

Also, I walk to the beach from my apartment complex all the time, so I really don't understand the resistance people have about having to walk from a parking lot. If carrying assorted beach gear is difficult for some, perhaps there can be some sort of cart system (like the grocery store) to assist in the transfer from car to beach.

Change does not have to equate with disaster, big money interests, or loss of control. Change can equal positive progress, which I believe is the case with the pedestrian beach.

Laura Wavell



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George Gongora/Caller-Times

Naval Station Ingleside is a base-closure casualty but the land will revert to the Port of Corpus Christi for redevelopment.

2005: Goodbye Navy base, hello development
January 1, 2006

Island Development


The Texas Department of Transportation in February completed its 3-year, $39 million John F. Kennedy Causeway project, making for a quicker jaunt between the mainland and Padre Island.

Property values on Padre Island continued to soar as the Packery Channel project neared completion. Vacant dry lots doubled in value since 2004, following a trend that began roughly seven years ago. The channel will provide long-sought boat access through the island to the Gulf of Mexico. Its jetties are expected to kick up some nice waves for surfers. And the dredge provided nourishment for an eroded beach.
$500 million question: One of the expected payoffs of the Packery Channel project is developer Paul Shexnailder's proposed $500 million resort. He says it won't happen unless 7,400 feet of beach is closed to vehicular traffic. City Council approval is anticipated. So is a petition drive to undo it.

Compiled by Fanny S. Chirinos and Nick Nelson

[Crhfish]

Johnny
Ive been reading your posts on a regular basis and appreciate the information. I did want to add some personal insight.

My family grew up in Alabama and we had relatives that lived in Mary Ester near Navarre. I remember many years ago when Sandestin was built, The original builders were not this group. I went there on family vacations for nearly 10 years straight but quit going after this group took over. In short, in my opinion they ruined the place. If they act they way they do in Florida, any beach next to the resort will be like it is the resorts personal property. Just try and take your umbrella out and set next to their rental umbrella's. Fishing, forget it.
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Catch, Release, Catch, Release

[Johnny French]

Thanks for the insight, Crhfish. I'll forward the link to my brother and his family in Navarre.

[Dexter]

I have been informed several times that the Texas beaches are the same as a Texas highway. How can a city council close a Texas highway?

[Johnny French]

All it takes to close a beach is for the city to pass an ordinance consistant with its beach development plan, and for the Commissioner of the General Land Office to approve both the development plan and the ordinance. In this case, fewer than 8 people can bring about the closure, whereas it might take as many as 8000 people to sign a petition for a vote to overturn it. Even then, only the signatures of Corpus Christi registered voters count. If it sounds like the deck is stacked against the majority of Texas citizens, write your state representatives and senators and tell them to change the Texas Open Beaches Act so the name of the statute has meaning.

[jerry]

Johnny you hit the nail on the head again, this is not just a Corpus Christi issue it is a TEXAS issue. All the people of TEXAS that come down here to enjoy the beachs will loose them. The camel is coming in the tent and the people of TEXAS will be pushed out. This is set up to be as one indivdual put it ice chest discrimination.
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Broken or not fix it!
NRA Life member
CCCTKF

[tyler]

[Big John]

Will we each get our turns in the counsels' pent house condos?

I could not even think about turning around on my WORD like they did. Must be some really shiny pennies they are getting to do that.

corpus Christi has an average household income of around $38,000, way below the national and state averages of $48k and $45k. So the counsel is trying to better it by giving away valuable land for a ton of minimum wage jobs.
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Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, he'll be broke and hungry the rest of his life!

John Sullivan
Native Corpus Christian
Currently Displaced in San Antonio