05/12/2007 Corpus Christi voters elect 5 new members to the City Council. In particular, voters elect all 4 candidates endorsed by the Beach Access Coalition, including Mike McCutchon, 2006 spokesperson for the Beach Access Coalition (and TXCBC member), and Mike Hummell who, in 2006, filed a lawsuit against the city to protest the language in Charter Amendment 1. John Marez, the sole City Council member who was against closing the beach to vehicles is easily reelected. Only one member of the original City Council member who voted for restricting vehicular access to the south side of Packery is reelected.
11/07/2006 Corpus Christi voters vote 54.6% to 45.4% against charter Amendment #1 and 71.2% to 28.8% in favor of charter Amendment #2.
08/29/2006 The Corpus Christi City Council rescind the ordinance past in March to ban vehicles from 7,200 feet of beach from the south side of Packery channel to Padre Bali Park, yet again nullifying a petition with over 12,000 signatures requesting the right to vote on the issue. The City Council creates a charter amendment (charter amendment 1 that) that (1) would give the City Council the power to create a city ordinance that will ban vehicles on the 7200 feet of beach from the south of Packery Channel to the north entrance of Padre Bali Park and (2) would deny voters the right to petition such ordinance in the future. The City Council also votes to move elections on both amendments from April 2007 to November 2006.
Below are the wording on the two amendments:
- Charter amendment 1:
- Ballot language: Providing for a public pedestrian-safe beach limited to the approximately 7,200-foot area between Packery Channel and the north boundary of Padre Bali Park.
- Full amendment: A public pedestrian-safe beach area is authorized on the Gulf beach extending approximately 7,200 feet from the south jetty of Packery Channel southward and along the seaward side of the Gulf seawall to the northern boundary line of Padre Bali Park. The City Council is authorized to adopt ordinances restricting vehicular traffic on the public pedestrian-safe beach, except for emergency vehicles, vehicles used to maintain the beach or other authorized vehicles, and establishing the conditions required before the creation of the public pedestrian-safe beach. The ordinance effecting the creation of a public pedestrian-safe beach is not subject to initiative or referendum.
- Charter amendment 2:
- Ballot language: Prohibiting any restrictions on vehicular access in order to create vehicle-free beaches unless approved by a majority of qualified voters of the city who vote at an election held for that purpose.
- Full amendment: Vehicular access to and on the Gulf beach may not be restricted unless approved by a majority vote of qualified voters of the city, voting at an election duly called for such purpose. Thereafter, the City Council may take appropriate action to restrict vehicular access to and on specific portions of the Gulf beach and comply with all other requirements necessary to implement the result of the election. The approval at election requirement shall not apply when vehicles are restricted from access to areas of the Gulf beach for public necessity. "Public necessity" shall be limited to environmental emergencies, public health and safety emergencies, and government functions whose importance justifies the restriction of vehicular access. The restriction of vehicular access for public necessity shall be limited to the smallest possible area and for the shortest possible duration.
08/22/2006 In early August, the Beach Access Coalition turned in another petition (the "blue" petition) to the city of Corpus Christi and the petition was verified on August 17. The petition calls for a city charter amendment that will require the city of Corpus Christi to submit to a public vote any proposed vehicular restrictions on Corpus Christi beaches. Simply put, the amendment would make it impossible for the Corpus Christi City Council to pass a city ordinance restricting vehicular access on Corpus Christi beaches. Any such restriction would have to be approved by the public first. Corpus Christi voters will get to vote on the amendment either this November or in April 2007.
06/29/2006 The Beach Access Coalition, with the help of hundreds of volunteers and small business owners, has collected over 12,000 signatures in order to give citizens of Corpus Christi the opportunity to vote on the City's ordinance banning vehicles on the beach from Packery Channel to the Padre Balli County Park.
Thanks to all the citizens who collected signatures at the Courthouse, on the beaches, in their neighborhoods, and at their businesses and thanks to all the citizens who signed the petition!
The Beach Access Coalition and the thousands of citizens who signed the petition represent a broad cross-section of the community. This group is not opposing economic development and believes that open beaches are one of our greatest tourism resources. The continuing development of Padre and Mustang Islands proves that maintaining vehicle access is not incompatible with development.
04/30/2006 On April 13, the Beach Access Coalition (BAC) started circulating 2 petitions: the first would allow voters to decide on whether or not to overturn the latest ordinance closing 7200 feet of public beach to vehicles south of Packery Channel on Padre Island. The second would allow voters to decide about adding a charter amendment that would require any future beach closures to be decided by the voters. If you only signed the original petition back in late 2005, your signature will not be counted. Please make sure you sign the new petition so that your voice can be heard.
All four Texas chapters of the Surfrider Foundation support both petitions and the efforts of the BAC to repeal the current ordinance. We asked that you please sign both petitions. For an FAQ on the petitions and a list of locations where you can sign the petitions, click here.
Thanks to all businesses and organizations who are supporting the effort to keep the beaches open by allowing you to sign the petitions at their location.
At some locations, the petitions were vandalized (for more information on this, click here).
03/28/2006 Tuesday March 28th, the City Council voted 7 to 1 to prohibit vehicular traffic on 7,200 feet of beach starting at the south jetty of Packery channel. The only dissenting voice was John Marez. In doing so, the City Council has also eliminated a public park next to the south jetty that the citizens of Corpus Christi voted for when they voted for Packery Channel. The City Council refused to consider repeated recommendations from local organizations to adopt a bollard system similar to the one used in Port-Aransas and at Bob Hall Pier. A bollard system would provide a safe beach for pedestrian while still allowing full vehicular access to the beach and the south jetty (click here for a picture of the bollard system at Bob Hall Pier). The City Council has not once provided a realistic reason why bollards could not be adopted on these 7,200 feet of beach. Many thanks to John Marez for being the only City Council member to keep his word and vote against the ordinance (for more information on how all other 7 City Council members who voted on the ordinance broke a promise they made to the public in the fall of 2005 click here).
The citizens of Texas should have the right to decide whether Texas public beaches should be kept fully accessible to all. Corpus Christi residents have consistently expressed strong feelings about the closure of beaches and should be allowed to vote on such an ordinance.
The Caller Times started a poll on March 29, asking "Do you agree with the City Council's decision to close 7,200 feet of Padre Island beach to traffic?" As of March 30, of 662 responses, 65.0% said "No", 31.4% said "Yes" and 3.6% said "Don't care". We believe this ratio to be representative of the public's sentiment and we are committed to fighting to restore the public access that the City Council has taken away.
03/11/2006 Tuesday March 21 & 28, the City Council will introduce a new ordinance to prohibit vehicular traffic on Padre Island from the south jetty of Packery channel to at least the south end of the seawall and possibly further. If this ordinance passes, access to this public beach on the island at best will be severely restricted to the public and at worst will be blocked altogether. We need every one who opposes such restriction to come to the City Council and fight for our (the public's) right to access this public beach. Please come and show your support. We need every one's help. If you cannot come, please call or send an email or letter to all City Council members. You can find their contract information here.
01/07/2006 - The agenda for the City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 10th does not include a proposal for a new ordinance with an expanded vehicle ban on the beach on the South side of Packery Channel. It is unknown why the proposal was not included. What is known is that the City Council must amend the Padre-Mustang Island Development Plan and obtain GLO approval before they can pass such ordinance. TXCBC is keeping a watchful eye on the issue and will update this site as more information becomes available.
12/20/2005 - The City Council voted in favor or rescinding Ordinance No. 026526 (the ordinance was passed on Tuesday 10/18/2005 and called for the elimination of vehicular traffic on the beach in front of the Seawall between Whitecap Boulevard and Padre Balli Park). The City Council made it clear that the reason for rescinding the ordinance was to replace it with one that will prohibit driving on the beach from the south side of Packery Channel all the way to Padre Balli park. It took 2 votes for the Council to succeed in rescinding the ordinance: on the first vote, the Council voted 4 to 3 in favor of rescinding the ordinance, hence, falling one short of the required majority (of 5). Mayor Garrett then asked to reconsider the original agenda item and the Council unanimously voted to bring it back up. On the second vote, the Council voted 5 to 2 in favor of rescinding the ordinance.
Here's how each member of the City Council voted:
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1st vote |
2nd vote |
| Garrett | For | For |
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| Scott | For | For |
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| Cooper | For | For |
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| Garcia | For | For |
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| Chesney | Against | For |
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| Noyola | Against | Against |
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| Marez | Against | Against |
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| Kinnison | Absent | Absent |
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| Kelly | Abstain | Abstain |
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Some important take-away points:
By voting for rescinding ordinance No. 026526, the Mayor and four Council members have taken a step toward breaking the promise they made to the public 2 months ago that they would not close any more stretch of beach to vehicular access (see below for an extract of the ordinance itself).
The current petition to repeal ordinance No. 026526 is now null and void. The City Council decided to nullify 8,300 signatures that had been gathered so far. The petition would have allowed Corpus Christi residents to vote on the issue.
TXCBC, the local chapter of the Surfrider foundation, will continue to monitor the situation and to provide information on this web site as it becomes available. TXCBC will continue to work with City officials and local organizations to ensure unrestricted access for all people to all Texas beaches in accordance with the Texas Open Beaches Act.
The City Council will most likely vote to pass the new ordinance expanding the no-vehicle zone at next City Council meeting. We will post the date of the meeting as soon as it becomes available.
In the meantime, please send emails to the mayor and the City Council members to voice your opposition to this new proposal. You can find a template letter and contact information for the mayor and City Council members here.
Many, many, thanks to everyone who has send letters to the Corpus Christi Caller Times. These letters are very important in the fight to keep Corpus Christi beaches open and accessible to the public. Please keep sending your letters. You can write and send your letters on line on the Caller Times' web site here.
Extract of ordinance No. 026526 (from page three of the ordinance itself):
WHEREAS, with the exception of beach seaward of the seawall, it is the policy of the City of Corpus Christi, as adopted in Policy Statements B.33 and C.13 MUSTANG-PADRE AREA DEVELOPMENT PLAN, adopted by City Council Ordinance #025725 on April 20, 2004, an element of the City's Comprehensive Plan, to maintain vehicle access along the Gulf beach unless necessary for an overwhelming public safety concern;
WHEREAS, the City of Corpus Christi does not intend to close any other stretches of beach within its jurisdiction to vehicular traffic, other than the temporary public safety closures authorized by$10-81. Code of Ordinances, for period of extremely high water;
WHEREAS, by the adoption of this ordinance the City Council is directing the City Manager not to process any requests for the closure of the beach to vehicular traffic that may be submitted by a littoral property owner;
10/18/2005: Today, the City Council voted in favor of closing the beach in front of the seawall to vehicular traffic. 17 people showed up to talk against the ordinance and 16 people showed up to speak in favor of it. Council member John Marez was the only dissenting vote, and Bill Kelly abstained.
Allowing the city to close the beach in front of the seawall to vehicular traffic would set a dangerous precedent that could eventually lead to the effective privatization of most beaches in the Corpus Christi area. The Surfrider Foundation advocates the beach plan used in Port Aransas, in which 75% of beach space is vehicle-free, but north-south access is maintained on all public beaches.
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