More Beach Giveaway In The Works?

Will The Corpus Christi City Council Give Away More Beach?

Led by City Council member Mark Scott the city recently passed an ordinance banning vehicular traffic in front of the sea wall on Padre Island. About 1,200 feet of beach would be shut off to traffic. A Parking lot is to be built behind the sea wall. This was much protested by many in the community but to no effect.
In response several local organizations and individuals joined efforts to circulate a petition putting this action on the ballot for the voters to decide the issue. The drive to gather enough signatures needed is well under way and should have no trouble in getting the sufficient number required. Many of those supporting this drive cited the beach ban as a bad precedent to establish. “If one beach developer gets their private beach others will want theirs too!” they said.
Little did they know in how short a time they would be shown to be right!
Now Mark Scott has said that another 4,000 plus feet of beach should be closed because developer Paul Shexnailder wants that area for his “world class” beach resort he plans to build in that area adjacent to the sea wall and the Packery Channel. Scott now claims he made a “mistake” in supporting the original traffic ban. He says he will try to correct that mistake by rescinding that ordinance and passing another to include the extra beach front. Scott said “It is painful to admit to making a mistake.”
Shexnailder has said it was necessary for the traffic ban to be passed or he would not build his project. This is a form of extortion, in other words “If you don’t do it my way I will not build my project.” He uses the lure of “ tax revenues, jobs and development” which makes his proposal send most of our local politicians into gleeful convulsions!
No matter that nearly all of them said “If we close this section of beach(the original 1,200 ft.) we will not close other sections. This is a safety issue.”
The effect of writing and passing a new ordinance would be to shut down the present petition drive, making it a moot issue. You can’t vote on an ordinance that has been rescinded.
This is in, effect, changing the rules of the game in the middle of the contest. It is also a test of credibility. Will the Mayor and the other council members live up to the statements they made just a few weeks ago or will they say “Oh we made a mistake!” and proceed with this new proposal.
Whatever they do, the petition drive will go on unabated, it may have to be started over but that will not stop the petitioners from gaining the requisite number of signatures.
Now is the time for all those who value our freedom to enjoy the beaches as we have done for all of our lives to come to the aid and support of the Beach Ban Petition. Now is the time to tell greedy developers and politicians “Not on my beach!” Now is the time to encourage your friends, family members and associates who feel as you do to get out there and do their part.
The powerful politicians and wealthy developers will spend thousands of dollars and exert as much pressure on the public as they can to get their way.
Be a Sonofthebeach! Help Save Our Beaches!