I opened this link to see the ferry cams and all I get is other information???? read more ...

I really think this project is going to change this island for the best! all I got to say is ITS ABOUT TIME WE HAVE REAL MASTER PLANNED COMMUNITIES HERE! what took so long for real developers to come and do a project like this!

And um... what is the person above talking about "changing the beach" sorry, but they must have no clue whats going on. maybe they are talking about the boardwalk??? idk.


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what a crock of crap! the nafta highways are designed as a step toward relinquishing the sovereignty of the usa to a north american union, then in time to a world union. did you know that the contract to collect tolls on the superhighways was awarded to a mexican firm with no limits on how much it can charge? whoever controls the highways controls whether and where you can travel. we are screwed. get ready for martial law, people read more ...

Phase II homesites are now on sale for $80k. read more ...

Nice article.The idea of painting water tanks is not a new one. Some communities have chosen to paint the city's name. read more ...

It all looks good but you fail to say where this is located in Corpus Christi. I can't imagine where it is located.

Lucy Lee read more ...

This home looks like the most beautiful home I've seen ad I will hope to keep in contact! read more ...

Broke ground August '08 / Move in Spting '09 read more ...

Sorry! I erred in referring to Mr. McComb's possible bayside condo complex as Las Palmillas
when, in fact, he has named it The Palmilla. Perhaps my error is understandable. Palmilla is a Spanish word for the innersole of a shoe and
is colloquially used for comfort and relief from
pain in general, but especially for relief from
foot pain. It has nothing to do with palm trees.
In the colloquial sense, for comfort or relief,
IT IS ALWAYS USED IN THE PLURAL, hence my
confusion. Offering a Spaniard one palmilla would be like offering one crutch to a man without legs.



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Grandiose plans on Mustang Island come on strong
and frequently, but usually die with a whimper.The
essential flaw with Las Palmillas is that it is on the
wrong side of the road. To pay this much money
for a condo, one should have an ocean view and
be soothed to sleep by the sound of the waves.
But I wish Mr. McCombs well. Anyone who is still
kicking life hard at eighty-plus deserves a big
hand. read more ...

deseo informacion por favor de los distribuidores de botes y veleros usados en ese puerto, les agradeceria su informacion ya que deseo visitar ese lugar con mi familia  read more ...

Easily the most distinctive new community on the Texas shore, The Palmilla of Port Aransas is a welcome ray of sunshine for those seeking resort-style condominium living on Mustang Island.

Imagine your day in the sun beginning aboard your fishing boat waiting in its own private slip just steps from your door.

Or perhaps you’re content to catch a few rays instead while lounging in and around the lush resort-inspired pool with a cool tropical beverage.

Then again, there’s nothing quite like a tranquil stroll on the easily accessible beach for a spectacular South Texas sunset. Or you can simply admire it with family and friends from your large private balcony.

Afterwards, a leisurely trip into town for some shopping or an intimate dinner might be fun. And then back to your spacious designer-appointed condominium to relax and prepare for yet another sun-filled day in paradise. Palmilla style. read more ...

I am looking for a project manager position. I have owned and operated a high end custom home company in Austin Tx for over ten years now. I would like to re-locate to the coast. read more ...

O.K. here it goes, this property (Porto Villageo) is being traded for a property in Nicaragua by the owners of the lots of Porto Villageo. The other party with the property in Nicaragua are from Las vegas. It sounds so silly because I heard the people of the Nicaraguan property are so not getting the deal they deserve because they are being low balled. Oh well, such is life. I wish I had something to trade for the nicaraguan property and than donate it to the charity for conservation as the property in Nicaragua has Cocobolo with is a rare type of highly exotic timer.  read more ...

In my opinion, there are much better deals on the island than these. I'd suggest that you do a lot of research on the H.O.A. and ask around before you buy. read more ...

I went to Porto Villageo for a tour and it's an awesome location, beach is so calming and relaxing not to mention the "million dollar" view. Just being there, hearing the waves crash and the fresh smell of the water was amazing. I wish some day I will be able to live there.  read more ...

Worse place to live in the world! Worst design and contruction!  read more ...

Mustang Island offer views of the Gulf of Mexico and Corpus Christi Bay.

The Island is also home to Mustang Island State Park which protects miles of the natural surroundings.

Beachfront real estate is considered a sound investment because it always retains value, even in economic downturns, and rebounds quickly even after natural disasters.

Mustang Island has the Natural beauty of the Gulf of Mexico, the Corpus Christi Bay and includes our large state park that preserves the natural landscapes.

The new developments in the area are considered upscale and ideal for retiring baby boomers, vacationers and second-home buyers.

While most people come to Mustang Island to enjoy the beach and bay for boating, fishing and swimming -

We also have bird watching, horseback riding, hiking, golfing, gulf cart riding, kiting, scuba diving, tours, off-shore gambling and more.

Located just outside of Corpus Christi, Mustang Island Texas offers the appeals of oceanfront paradise with proximity to a big city.

You have the best of both worlds and easy access to big city cultural events, shopping, dining, galleries and more.

Mustang Island has a subtropical climate and the waters remain warm and the temperatures here are warm to mild throughout the entire year.

The large bodies of water on both sides of us, provide the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets and make us the envy of beach-front property owners worldwide. read more ...

An Upscale Luxury Town Homes with spectacular views from your roof terrace from the morning sunrise to the evening sunsets.

Elevator, energy efficient construction, storm windows & doors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, jacuzzi tub, custom cabinets, inter-com, lagoon pool with hot tub, cabana and cooking stations.

Gated entry with stained concrete driveways. read more ...

anyone know who the gen. contractor is for this project? read more ...

BUILD YOUR NEW HOME WITH APEXBLOCK THE ANSWER TO STORM RESISTANT AND ENERGY EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION , DIRECT FACTORY MATERIAL CONTACT AND ICF BUILDING COMPANY. LET US PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT. 832- 247- 4187 read more ...

land available, beachfront lot over 1.5 acre private beautiful unobstructed view call 832-247-4187, principals only. read more ...

Convention & Visitors Bureau Tourism Luncheon is happening Wednesday May 14th at the Bayview Ballroom at the American Bank\Center. It'll be happening at Noon.

See Video kiiitv.com/news/local/18857249.html read more ...

If you've not seen Village Walk lately you should. We have a place there and the first section is nearly built-out, with construction just starting on the second section. The place looks better than the preliminary drawings. read more ...

The Eight ponds on the golf course will be stocked with fish including tilapia, bass and catfish.

Opportunities to fish in the ponds will be selling points for people considering moving into the Newport development.

Four to twelve homes are expected to be built in Phase I of the development by early 2009.

Phase I eventually will include 95 single-family residences and 500 multi-family units, plus some commercial space. read more ...

Are these zoned for ST and LT rentals? read more ...

My parents are in RCI and would like to purchase an additional unit: please send me info as I am going to do it for their upcoming anniversary. Thank you read more ...

I love the Tortuga Dunes Project!!  read more ...

I was wondering if you were gonna offer BBQ Grills? Either on the individual patio's or in the common area? I would love to send you some literature or would be happy to come visit your project and talk with whoever can make that decision. 800-442-7207 read more ...

There are several successful developments in non-FEMA coverage areas. It simply means that the Government "Insurance of last resort" coverage is not available.

There are plenty of private insurance companies to choose from and they are more than willing and capable of providing affordable coverage.

Plus todays more stringent building codes produce a coastal home product that is much more resistant to storm damage and is therefore even more insurable - at less risk. read more ...

Explain to me how you can be "in" Tx -15p and also be "in" an otherwise protected area. You can either get TWI or you can't. My reading is you can't at Tortuga Dunes. Enlighten me please. read more ...

Here is a link to the CBRS Map for TX-15P Mustang Island, if you are inside the red lines, you cannot get FEMA or TWI.

The CBRS maps can be confusing, because they mark the areas that are excluded from Federal Insurance.

So if you are in a number area, like TX-15P - that means you are indeed excluded.

www.glo.state.tx.us/coastal/maps/cbrs/pdf/36_TX-15P.pdf

It looks to me that Tortuga Dunes is within that red section? read more ...

Very helpful for me, I must walk from 361/Ave G.
would be very interested  read more ...

Arnold Palmer at the Newport Dunes Golf Course at Newport Beach and Golf.

The 18-hole links style golf course will be an Arnold Palmer Signature course, which means the world-famous pro golfer personally is overseeing decisions involved in how the course is designed and built.

Craig Millard, a former president of Merrill Lynch Real Estate and a principal in Texas Gulf & Harbor, Ltd. with Sunny Castor of Port Aransas, said Palmer was "ecstatic" about the progress of the course.

The course is under construction on both sides of State Hwy. 361 on more than 200 acres south of Beach Access Road 1A.

Meeting with members of the design, construction and landscape teams, Palmer was asked if he has ever seen a course like Newport Dunes. His reply was, "Not in America."

The course will: be a par 71 course with more than 7,000 yards of fairways and greens. The lengths of various holes are not set in stone, but the longest hole right now is the 10th hole, at 590 yards.

Golf great Arnold Palmer was in Port Aransas to meet with the design, construction and landscape teams involved with the Newport Dunes golf course that will bear his signature.

Links courses can vary some in appearance, but a traditional links course likely will be seaside, with sandy soil, a natural layout, natural seaside grasses, few if any trees, and many small, deep bunkers.

Palmer's signature on the course is significant in the world of golf. He owns 92 professional championships, 62 of them on the PGA Tour.  read more ...

I've got a lot reservation down there, so I checked this issue out for myself as a result. I found that they are building in an "Otherwise Protected Area", on the Department of the Interior official map TX-15P. They are not in a CBRA area. Competing developers have been keepin that rumor alive, apparently, and now this article and website contributes to keeping the inaccurate information alive by repeating it without checking the accuracy of the statement. Of course it is just the internet where anyone can print anything. But the OPA status can be verified with the local U.S. Fish and Wildlife office if anyone else cares. read more ...

Since the property is located in a Coastal Barrier Resource Act (CBRA) designated area, that indicates Federal - (FEMA) Flood Insurance and State - (TWI) Texas Windstorm Insurance will not be available.

Only private insurance would be applicable.
Which could be two - three times the price of the Government backed policies.

And could be subject to cancellation, leaving the homeowner without insurance or with insurance that is not affordable, but required by their mortgage company. read more ...

so ur all 4 the tortuga dunes?  read more ...

Amazing views over the state park. Great fishing on the beach next to the fish pass jetties. Whats not to like drive your golf cart to the beach. read more ...

Project is on-hold - looking for investors. read more ...

Construction Update: Site preparation work continues. In the next few months, construction will begin on: Phase I home sites, 10 townhomes, Three model homes, Community amenities, Streets and utilities
 read more ...

A new boat ramp constructed on the Freeport Ship Channel and very popular with coastal anglers will see improvement in amenities thanks to a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a staff recommendation to pass along $125,174 to the Village of Surfside Beach as a grant to fund improvements in the newly constructed ramp.

The money represents 75 percent of the cost of constructing a new restroom, fish-cleaning station, security lighting and expanding the parking area at the new ramp.

The Village of Surfside Beach will provide the other 25 percent of funding for the project.
The $125,000 grant was part of a package of more than $1.1 million in grant money TPWD issued for projects which improve boating access across the state.

Funds for the grant program are generated through the federal Sport Fish Restoration Act, more commonly called the Wallop-Breaux Act after its Congressional sponsors.

The Wallop-Breaux Act collects federal excise taxes on boats, motors, fishing tackle and other fishing/boating-related equipment, then distributes those funds to the states through a formula based on fishing license sales.

Federal law mandates those funds be spent only on fisheries-related programs, and apportions 15 percent of each state's Wallop-Breaux funding for projects improving boating access.

TPWD administers the program, which provides as much as 75 percent of a boat ramp project's funding. Local government entities — cities, counties, water districts, etc. — apply for the grants and are required to provide at least 25 percent of a project's costs.

Operation and maintenance of boat ramps constructed through TPWD's boating access grant program are the responsibility of the government entity sponsoring the project.
Local governments apply to TPWD for boating access funding, and the agency ranks the applications according to a standardized process.

In this latest round of boat ramp funding grant dispersals, TPWD received six applications and had funding for four.

In addition to the Surfside ramp expansion, TPWD approved a half-million-dollar grant for a replacement and expansion of a ramp and parking area on at the confluence of the Bosque and Brazos river in Waco, a $403,000 grant for rehabilitation of a large boat ramp on Lake Buchanan and a $112,000 grant to renovation of the Municipal Harbor Ramp in Port Aransas. read more ...

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in cooperation with the City of Port Aransas and other partners, will receive more than $366,000 and match that amount with more than $200,000 to construct 16 slips for visiting boaters in the Port Aransas Municipal Harbor.

The proposed visiting facilities are part of a larger marina renovation project that also includes providing dockside utilities, sewage pumpout facilities and other improvements.  read more ...

Great location.
Tell me more!! read more ...

You forget to inform people of the mounds of sea wead and the garbage on the beach. read more ...

This is a great place. You walk out the front driveway right to the beach. Not as big as the high rise condos so it just seems easier and more friendly. read more ...

Schexnailder has hired a Florida consulting company called i.d.e.a.s. to help him work with the community and develop a plan for his property. He has conducted several economic and tourism studies since 1999 to determine the best use for his land. About 16 other projects he envisions fit into three main districts of his island master plan -- the resort district, beach district and marina district.

I.d.e.a.s. owner Bob Allen said the company helps with the envisioning of large developments by helping write what the company calls the "story." The story creates a sense of place, character and direction for a project.

I.d.e.a.s. conducted the first step of the process last October, when two consultants visited with focus groups about Corpus Christi's economy, assets and vision. The focus groups included residents on both sides of the beach access debate and gave consultants a general idea of the area.

The second part of the process, called "story jam," is today and tomorrow, when i.d.e.a.s. consultants meet with about 25 people Schexnailder has chosen to help shape the development. The third step will be to take the ideas from story jam and put them into an actual concept, keeping both residents and tourists in mind, Allen said.

Then i.d.e.a.s. will work with a travel marketing company to test the resort's feasibility and refine plans according to those results. A plan could be presented to the public this summer, Allen said.

Schexnailder, who lives in Austin but has worked for about 12 years on the Corpus Christi project, said he realizes the importance of working with the community and other land owners.

"I know we are not all of like mind about how to move Corpus Christi forward, but I believe we can all agree that moving forward is important," he said.

Schexnailder asked the council to move forward with three plans he says enhance or allow for some of his other projects. One was a bridge on Park Road 22 that was included in the 2004 bond issue but has yet to be built. Another was island canal patrols the city agreed to when it annexed the island but hasn't started. The third was including island issues from the Mustang-Padre Island Area Development Plan, most notably a waterline to the island, in the 2008 bond proposal. read more ...

Progress update from Cinnamon Shore!

We now have beach cottage homes available for purchase priced from $399,000-$499,000, and legacy custom homes from $579,900-$1.5 million!

Our homes feature incredible views of the Gulf of Mexico and Corpus Christi Bay offering unbelievable sunrises and sunsets!

Heading to the beach in your Cinnamon Shore Golf Cart is now a reality! Our dune crossover is currently under construction with completion expected in the next few weeks!

Construction of our Phase 1 pool is scheduled in March! Be watching for updates!

Call now for your appointment to discover Cinnamon Shore and see what all the excitement is about!

Our sales center is open seven days a week.

Terry & Lee Ann Peters
Cinnamon Shore Sales Team read more ...

I guess they didn't have time to make it all the way down to South Padre Island. Texas would have had another beach on the list. read more ...

I hate that tortuga dunes is getting built. i think you should leave our beach the way it is. im very dissapointed in this project what about the animals that live back there? read more ...

I personally toured the site, and was in awe of the structural architecture. The interior features and well as the exterior features are noticeably of high quality, emphasizing the builders obvious attention to detail and quality. The balconies were breathtaking and inviting to relax in. The pool with the entertaining areas provide a great atmosphere for summer evenings with friends and family. Of all the homes in the area, Las Palmas stands out as a unique community, one that will not only fulfill needs but desires.  read more ...

me and my soccer team came here for a vacation/training week
and it was FANTASTIC... the rooms come with everything you could possibly need.. space, kitchen, beautiful bathrooms and bedrooms, tv's etc..

It is easy access to the beach ..a few steps and you are there. These houses are also 2 minutes away from the town so its incredibly convenient.

I am visiting there again and i can't wait.
I WOULD Recommend it to EVERYONE!!!! read more ...

In response to rkw who said, "As a "tourist" who has faithfully brought my family and my money to Corpus Christi for over 30 years, I am more than disappointed that CC voters didn't have the vision to support a $1.5 billion development. Corpus Christi people don't seem to want to change -- and that is not a good thing. Cars shouldn't be on that stretch of beach anyway. The proposed phased-in public parking was more than adequate. I will enjoy future vacations (and buy a condo) on someone else's beach. The last idiot off the beach should pick up the beer bottles and trash left behind because the city is too poor to pick them up."


You don't live here and we don't need you or your opinion! Stay in Dallas where you belong.

MW read more ...

My family & I have been going to the island for over 20 years. I have seen this site and it looks like the developers have done a good job staying out of the actual wetland areas. It looks like a beautiful place. If the developers will continue to take the wetlands impact into account this should be a very nice place.  read more ...

What a rape of the wetlands! With no buyers in a negative RE market plus M.U.D. accessments --this ill-conceived project is doomed to a early and well deserved BK.  read more ...

I think this is a great idea. Instead of following the "bigger is better" philosophy, getting back to a more simple and relaxing time would appeal to a lot of persons I think. Some persons that live in cities, don't want more cities - they want to be able to relax and take it easy. read more ...

When do they expect to break ground on this project? I'm inerested in pricing and more details. read more ...

Tortuga Dunes is nestled on the southernmost tip of Corpus Christi's Mustang Island, where the warm Gulf water meets classic Texas beachfront. This is your opportunity to secure your hideaway in one of most exquisite communities in South Texas.

Minutes away from world-class Arnold Palmer Signature Golf and championship fishing , your new home will provide you the privacy and seclusion that you need.  read more ...

The future looks bright for the Port of Corpus Christi. That's the message from Port Commission chairman Ruben Bonilla who spoke at a rotary club luncheon Thursday.

He said the port will see a lot of growth and new job opportunities over the next decade. Bonilla said there will be new waterfront development that will include a retail and business district.

"We believe that Port Avenue will be expanded, LNG plants are gonna come online, the container terminal will be built, and the port will begin the development and management of Naval Station Ingleside," Bonilla said.

Bonilla also said the Joe Fulton Trade Corridor, which opens next month, will also create new development opportunities including a power plant and a coal gasification plant. read more ...

We Texans are so lucky to have a beautiful beach where we can unwind and relax without the hustle bustle of the city. I am not against development. I am for smart, intelligent growth. We must at all costs keep our dunes free from any kind of development. WE can have economic growth and protect the environment if our city leaders and the developers use common sense. Please keep the beauty and the serenity of the coast as a priority when approving any kind of developments.  read more ...

A steady increase in the real estate market since 2003 isn't too shabby in today's world. A lot of places would kill to be in your shoes. Glad to hear some good news amidst the constant bad that gets thrown in your face. read more ...

A plan to implement a priority boarding system for the Port Aransas ferry system has been canceled.

The plan received Texas Department of Transportation approval in February 2006 and would let ferry riders skip ahead in line if they purchased a $250 annual pass. But 500 applications with a $50 deposit were needed before the project could begin.

Applications first were accepted in April 2006, but never got to the required 500 mark.

According to a state news release, only 160 applications were received for the Port Aransas system and 225 for the Port Bolivar system near Galveston.

Refunds are available by filling out an online form at www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxforms/ap-152.pdf and mailing it along with a written request for a refund to the Corpus Christi office, 1701 S. Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78469 or the Houston office, 6810 Old Katy Road, Houston, TX 77024.

By:Beth Wilson
Caller.com read more ...

The U.S. House on Tuesday approved $750,000 to help Texas pay for a $4 million Port Aransas ferryboat that would shorten delays by carrying more vehicles.
The funding, a part of the annual Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, would be used for the construction of a new 28-car ferryboat. The bill now must go before the Senate for consideration.
The federal funding would help offset the cost for state transportation officials, who have already budgeted for the project in the 2008 fiscal year, said ferry operations manager Howard Gillespie.
The ferryboat could be ready for operation by late next year, Gillespie said. The project's design phase will likely begin next month.
"The seventh vessel will help support the traffic demand we have now," Gillespie said. "It'll be a little longer and a little wider but will still fit the existing ramps."
The Port Aransas ferry service, which operates continuously, provides a link between the mainland and Mustang Island. Each of the six ferryboats can carry about 20 passenger vehicles per trip across the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
On average, the ferry service carries 4,000 to 6,000 vehicles a day, but during holidays and spring break additional traffic can delay the wait for a ferryboat by more than an hour.
"During peak times it can easily be nine- to ten-thousand vehicles a day, so we really need the additional vessel," Gillespie said.
Earlier this month, transportation and city officials launched another project aimed at helping prospective riders avoid long lines at the ferry landing.
Links to footage from four Web cameras -- three on the Port Aransas side and one on the Harbor Island side -- were posted on the city's Web site at www.cityofportaransas.org. The images, which come from the ferry's security camera system, refresh every five to 10 seconds.
BY MARY ANN CAVAZOS
Caller-Times
 read more ...

The U.S. House on Tuesday approved $750,000 to help Texas pay for a $4 million Port Aransas ferryboat that would shorten delays by carrying more vehicles.

The funding, a part of the annual Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, would be used for the construction of a new 28-car ferryboat. The bill now must go before the Senate for consideration.

The federal funding would help offset the cost for state transportation officials, who have already budgeted for the project in the 2008 fiscal year, said ferry operations manager Howard Gillespie.

The ferryboat could be ready for operation by late next year, Gillespie said. The project's design phase will likely begin next month.

"The seventh vessel will help support the traffic demand we have now," Gillespie said. "It'll be a little longer and a little wider but will still fit the existing ramps."

The Port Aransas ferry service, which operates continuously, provides a link between the mainland and Mustang Island. Each of the six ferryboats can carry about 20 passenger vehicles per trip across the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

On average, the ferry service carries 4,000 to 6,000 vehicles a day, but during holidays and spring break additional traffic can delay the wait for a ferryboat by more than an hour.

"During peak times it can easily be nine- to ten-thousand vehicles a day, so we really need the additional vessel," Gillespie said.
Earlier this month, transportation and city officials launched another project aimed at helping prospective riders avoid long lines at the ferry landing.

Links to footage from four Web cameras -- three on the Port Aransas side and one on the Harbor Island side -- were posted on the city's Web site at www.cityofportaransas.org. The images, which come from the ferry's security camera system, refresh every five to 10 seconds.

BY MARY ANN CAVAZOS Caller-Times
 read more ...

A shuttle bus designed to get workers from the Port Aransas ferry landing to job sites will begin Monday, July 23. The shuttle, an idea of the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), will be free for the first two weeks; after that, a fee of 25 cents a trip will be charged. read more ...

I found your website that captures my interest while searching the internet for particular keywords related to real estates. This is a very informative blog of yours. Keep up the good work. You may also check Real Estate Investments and TIC Investments if it interest you for additional information's. Thank You... read more ...

The lots start at $109K read more ...

How much read more ...

All of the buildings are standing! The roofs are on and finish work has begun! Reserve yours today! read more ...

New Web Giant Launches Portal Site – Plans on Dominating Web-based Real Estate Sector

04/12/2007
Chicago, IL based Profertee Realty Group, inc launches its much anticipated real estate portal site (www.profertee.com) Monday morning. Partnering with Melville, NY based American Home Mortgage(NYSE: AHM) and Home Buyers Marketing inc, Profertee’s site is boasting access to over 3.6 million real estate listings nation wide, as well as various premium new construction developments located in Orlando, Las Vegas, and Chicago, just to name a few. Profertee’s mission is to offer a free, user-friendly real estate shopping experience, while also providing additional value-added features such as investment groups, home-valuation tools through Zillow integration, useful real estate investing strategies, and free mortgage quotes through American Home’s retail channels. “We are truly a one-stop-shop”, says Profertee CEO Rhoniel Daguro. “The site has everything a user could want, but we really wanted to feature the premier new construction developments. That is something that no one is really organizing online, and we’ve taken things one step further by forming buyers into investment groups, giving them access to considerable savings at the various developments.”

Profertee also provides local one-on-one services through the thousands of realtors approved with Home Buyers Marketing, inc. Users can create an account on www.profertee.com to search over 3.6 million listings for a home anywhere in the US and still deal with a local partner agent once they are closer to buying. It is in this way that Profertee is providing the best of both worlds: the power of the internet + traditional local realtor partners. Navigate to www.profertee.com today and test drive their site. Also stay tuned for our follow up segment on Profertee in June.

Profertee – Prosperity in Property: Exclusive New Developer Condos http://www.profertee.com


 read more ...

love love Corpus!! I lived there for years great city!! I used to work for Bay Coffee company, loved it!!!
I was also the UNknown DJ on KMXR radio for a bit as a morning co-host and I worked for KCTA and C101 as well....I loved that city it will always be very special to me great people!!great food and really such a wonderful place to live!!!! '-) read more ...

On March 10, 2007 two Gulf Front seawall hotel/condo sites were auctioned off for $4 million each in the first 4 minutes of the auction. The buyer of these two lots did not want to give his name, his information will be available once the title work is done and it becomes public record.

Other waterfront lots available sold from 250K to 285K in the next five minutes. In less than an hour the whole package was sold bringing in 10,635,000 to Schexnailder. The least expensive lot was sold for $50,000.

Many of the area's developers were present during the auction, since the results affected their investments.  read more ...

New Urbanism Community of Cinnamon Shore Announces Three Exclusive Homebuilders

Principals of Cinnamon Shore, the first master-planned New Urbanism development on Texas's Coastal Bend, announced today that Bart Braselton, Gregg Turicchi and Thaxton Kypke have each signed a formal agreement to join the development's exclusive Builder's Guild. The announcement follows news that infrastructure construction has begun on the 64-acre, mixed-use property that combines diverse housing, work places, and retail and recreational amenities into one walkable, beachfront resort community.

With the City of Port Aransas on Mustang Island approving Cinnamon Shore's final plat (map of a subdivision of land) on February 15, the three homebuilders will begin construction this March on residences ranging from small beach cottages to large custom homes. While each home will vary in
type and size, all will feature Cinnamon Shore's signature Gulf Coast architectural style, plus adhere to a strict design and building code that ensures quality, integral construction for the community.

"These builders are renowned for their superior craftsmanship, attention to detail and experience in the nuances of coastal construction," said Jeff Lamkin, CEO of the Sea Oats Group, developer of Cinnamon Shore.

"We are proud to have them on our team and look forward to the unique talents they each bring." Braselton, a third-generation builder who was honored by the Greater Corpus Christi Business Alliance as an emerging young business leader with a "Top 40 Under 40" award, is vice president of his family business, Braselton Homes. Begun in 1945, the firm is the Corpus Christi area's leading residential builder and developer, earning The Corpus Christi Caller-Times "Best of the Best Award" annually since 1995.

Keystone Company, Turicchi's firm, and T. Kypke Builder, Inc., founded by Kypke in 1976, are both based in Port Aransas and specialize in upper-end, custom home construction. Keystone Company has been building Texas homes for 30 years, including within award- winning projects on Mustang Island. T. Kypke Builder is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and previous recipient of the "Star Award for Excellence."

Cinnamon Shore features 1,200 feet of beachfront on Mustang Island, Texas, a Gulf Coast barrier island located 30 minutes from Corpus Christi.

When complete, the community will comprise approximately 250 homes and condominiums, a town center with shops, estaurants, hotel and office space; numerous parks and recreational amenities; and a traditional grid of pedestrian-friendly streets that interconnect the entire community. read more ...

As a "tourist" who has faithfully brought my family and my money to Corpus Christi for over 30 years, I am more than disappointed that CC voters didn't have the vision to support a $1.5 billion development. Corpus Christi people don't seem to want to change -- and that is not a good thing. Cars shouldn't be on that stretch of beach anyway. The proposed phased-in public parking was more than adequate. I will enjoy future vacations (and buy a condo) on someone else's beach. The last idiot off the beach should pick up the beer bottles and trash left behind because the city is too poor to pick them up. read more ...

They're off! The slabs are formed, landscaping is going in, these places will be ready for summer - AND NICE! read more ...

I am thrilled that Corpus and Port A are trying to prevent this beautiful area from becoming another Florida. Slow growth is much better than hasty growth. read more ...

City wants to preserve its control over dune permitting

Message to Nueces County from Port Aransas: Respect our authority.

Port Aransas has asked Nueces County to insert language in its beach management plan to exclude the city.

The move would make it harder for the county to revoke Port Aransas' power to regulate dune permitting. Under state rules, counties have the authority to regulate dune permitting but can delegate it to cities. The county delegated its authority in Port Aransas' city limits to that city in 1994. The county has declined Corpus Christi's request for the same authority.

The county can revoke Port Aransas' authority with 30 days' notice.

Dune permitting authority is a hot issue as Nueces County is taking steps to increase the beachfront construction setback to 350 feet. Port Aransas maintains a beachfront dune setback to 200 feet, the standard on most of the Texas coast. Corpus Christi officials also oppose the 350-foot setback.

In November, Port Aransas officials were called to a Nueces County Beach Management Advisory Committee meeting at which the committee was scheduled to discuss revoking the city's dune permitting authority. The committee ultimately decided against the action.

The issue has put County Commissioner Chuck Cazalas, whose precinct includes Padre and Mustang island beaches, in a tough spot with politicians in Port Aransas. Cazalas holds considerable sway in appointing the committee's members.

Cazalas said he supported the dune committee's having the discussion, but had not made a decision on whether to support revoking the city's authority. He has guaranteed that the issue is off the table.

Port Aransas isn't satisfied. For the past three months, city officials have objected to amendments to the county's beach management plan because of the possibility the county still could revoke the city's authority.

Port Aransas City Manager Michael Kovacs said having a shorter setback suits Port Aransas, because many of its beaches are slowly gaining in size. Other beaches in Nueces County are eroding, a factor many on the committee cite as a rationale for increased construction setbacks.

Amending the county's plan would require a vote of the Nueces County Commissioners Court.

Contact Dan Kelley at 886-4316 Caller-Times  read more ...

A $500 million Padre Island resort deal that the landowner said would die without a pedestrian-only beach appears dead.

Gulfshores Joint Venture announced Friday its negotiations with resort builder Intrawest have terminated and a letter of intent will expire Wednesday. Intrawest had been signed on to build the $500 million first phase of developer Paul Schexnailder's proposed $1.5 billion resort community.

City voters Tuesday turned down a vehicle ban sought by Schexnailder for 7,200 feet of beach south of Packery Channel.

In a prepared statement, Gulfshores said the letter of intent would be terminated because an inability to meet specific requirements of that agreement. The statement did not specify the unmet requirements. Kyle Garrison, an associate of Schexnailder in Gulfshores, confirmed the statement but would not comment further. Schexnailder declined to comment.

Intrawest, a Vancouver-based international resort development firm, signed a letter of intent Nov. 30, 2005, to build the resort on Padre Island.

Gulfshores will seek meetings with the city of Corpus Christi, Packery Channel TIF District and Island Action Committee, "to discuss future opportunities and the commitment of all parties to various planning and zoning initiatives," the Gulfshores statement said.

Packery Channel was a silted-in pass until it was dredged to provide convenient access for pleasure boats to the Gulf of Mexico. The channel project, championed by Schexnailder, has been described as a key to encouraging significant development on Padre Island.

Schexnailder has said he envisioned a planned resort community rather than piecemeal projects, but that he would parcel the land out for sale if he were thwarted from developing his vision. That vision, he has said, would require the vehicle ban.

"Gulfshores and Intrawest would like to thank the Mayor, Council and staff for their support in the effort to achieve the requirements of the LOI (letter of intent)," the statement said. "Gulfshores is especially grateful to all the 'It's About Time' participants for running an informative and honest campaign." It's About Time Corpus Christi was a group that campaigned for the vehicle ban.

Mayor Henry Garrett, a proponent of the vehicle-free beach and the proposed development, said he spoke with an Intrawest official Friday who told him vehicles on the beach did not fit in the company's plan and that Intrawest would pull out of the agreement.

"I asked if there was anything to do to change his mind and he said no," Garrett said. "He said he felt like the area was valuable, but the plan they had was to have a pedestrian-only beach."

Garrett said Intrawest might reconsider if an opportunity arises to develop in front of a vehicle-free beach.

"I am disappointed. I think we had an opportunity to create a development that would bring jobs over a long period of time, a destination that people would enjoy coming to," Garrett said. "I thought all along that it would be a good thing for the community and a tremendous boost for the economy. The voters have spoken and they are loud and clear on what they wanted."

Mike McCutchon, a spokesman for the Beach Access Coalition, which petitioned successfully for the referendum that turned down the vehicle ban, said the group had no comment on the Gulfshores announcement. Previously McCutchon said he was not opposed to the development and that development could occur with or without a vehicle ban.

"Our only comment today is no comment," McCutchon said.

Calls to Intrawest officials were not returned Friday evening.

Ref: Corpus Christi Caller-Times read more ...

The reason (Maravilla Del Mar) is going up is, they're also including a lot of amenities outdoors that take up space, so they had to build up in order to allow that

They have three different swimming pools, one has a (large) slide for the kids, there's a big deck that goes along with those pools, places where you can sit outside and eat. This is a five-star resort, and it's meant to be a place where people can go, and they don't have to leave while they're there. There'll be spas, exercise rooms, restaurants, little shops where you can buy groceries, corner store-type shops.

The Developers still must obtain a dune permit from the county and a building permit from the city, according to county and city officials. The developer is seeking a building permit from the city of Corpus Christi because the development is planned for a portion of Mustang Island that is inside the Corpus Christi city limits.

The developers are in the feasibility portion of the project. They are trying to make sure there are not bugaboos, no fatal flaws that will prevent them from developing. They're looking at permitting, how they can use the land, any constraints to that usage."

The developers are expected to close on the property in December. Construction likely will begin in mid-2007. Project officials hope to open the development for business in summer 2009, but sales of condo units might take place before that.

The development will include one- two- and three-bedroom condominiums. Total value: About $350 million. Market studies have shown one-bedroom units could be "in the $400,000 range" and penthouses about $1.5 million. Plans for the development are much more than just talk.

The Nueces County Commissioners Court is scheduled to consider a dune permit for the development during the court's regular meeting scheduled for Nov. 15. Asked about his opinion of the planned Maravilla Del Mar, Commissioner Chuck Cazalas said, "I am hopeful that a reasoned development will occur on the island without developing into a Miami Beach or unduly disturbing wildlife habitat." Cazalas represents Precinct 4, which includes Port Aransas and the area where Maravilla Del Mar is planned. Asked whether he thinks Maravilla Del Mar will be good or bad for Mustang Island, Cazalas said, "I think it's a huge development, and it will have an impact."

Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District No. 4 met with the developer earlier this year, said Mary Moss, district manager of the agency. The district has ample water and sewer services for the development, Moss said.

Ref: Port Aransas South Jetty read more ...

The 500-unit high-rise condominium near Mustang Island State Park will be called Maravilla Del Mar, said Pat Walters, managing partner of Mustang Island Investment, LLC, a group of Wisconsin mortgage brokers who are the developers on the project. Plans call for the development to include three buildings, each more than 30 stories high.

Reserve the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets that one can imagine at your own condominium resort on Mustang Island. Miles of gorgeous, private beach frontage and incredible panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico await you.

As envisioned, Maravilla Del Mar will consist of three buildings on about 23 acres of land just north of Mustang Island State Park, Underbrink said. The tallest building is expected to be 34 to 36 stories high, and the buildings on each side of that structure will be 32 to 34 stories. That would make all three buildings higher than any building in Corpus Christi or the surrounding area.
Ref: Port Aransas South Jetty read more ...

I bet the landowners who are all aginst the windfarms were not offered a land lease and now they are mad!!! read more ...

City hopes to control dune permits
BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

City council members are cautiously optimistic about statements that Port Aransas might continue to operate its own dune permit program, exempt from a proposed Nueces County amendment that would move building construction 350 feet back from the vegetation line.

County commissioners sent the proposed amendment to the Texas General Land Office (GLO) late last year. If the GLO certifies the amendment, habitable buildings – homes, businesses, and the like – could no longer be built 200 feet from the vegetation line as they can be now.

Under state law, the county operates the dune permit program. The GLO can only refuse to certify a dune ordinance if it conflicts with state law. Since 1994, the county and Port Aransas have had an interlocal agreement that allows the city to operate its own dune permit program.

Last month, Commissioner Chuck Cazalas – whose Precinct 4 includes Port Aransas and Mustang and Padre islands – told the South Jetty that the county had never intended to extend the 350-foot amendment into Port Aransas, and that the interlocal agreement would continue.

None of the three other commissioners has returned phone calls seeking comment on their positions on the matter. Peggy Banales is commissioner of Precinct 1, which is the Annaville area; Betty Jean Longoria is Precinct 2 commissioner in western Nueces County; and Oscar Ortiz has Precinct 4, with Robstown, Driscoll and Bluntzer.

Newly-elected County Judge Loyd Neal has said he hasn't had time to study the matter and form an opinion, but Neal is thought to be sympathetic GOOD

The city has sent the GLO a letter outlining its position on the amendment. The public comment period on the proposal closed Dec. 10.

“The county now seems inclined not to include Port Aransas in the 350- foot limit,” City Manager Michael Kovacs told the council at its Dec. 21 meeting.

“I kind of see a pattern of coherent thought that we should rest on our laurels,” Councilman Keith McMullin commented.

Jim Urban, Port Aransas city engineer and a property developer himself, told the council, “I think what's going to happen is that the county's trying to find a way to say we're not going after Port Aransas, even though they really were.”

Urban said he doubted the GLO would refuse to certify the Nueces County proposal, which would give the county the strictest dune protection laws in Texas.

“There may or may not be people over there (at the county courthouse) you do or don't like, but for the long haul the people we need making our decisions are the people in this room,” he said.

The GLO is not expected to have a response to the Nueces County proposal until February, according to Jim Suydam, a GLO spokesman.  read more ...

please let me know when the units will be for sale, or when floor plans will be available. thanks. read more ...

Dune permitting on forum agenda

Meeting set to review the 350-foot rule
By Dan Kelley Caller-Times

The Coastal Bend Bays Foundation will hold a public forum Monday on dune permitting and island development at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Nueces County is in the late stages of turning its guideline of keeping development 350 feet away from dunes into a rule, the most restrictive in Texas. Developers and city officials say the rule would wipe out millions of dollars in property value and potential job-creating projects. County officials say the rule protects the environment and simplifies the permit process.

The rules have been enforced through bureaucratic means and a lengthy permitting process by the Nueces County Beach Management Advisory Committee since 2000.

Engineer John Michael, one of the authors of the policy, said the new rules will streamline development on Mustang and Padre islands by removing two strict regulatory hurdles mandated by the state.

Port Aransas officials also oppose the plan because they fear their authority to issue dune protection permits could be stripped in an unrelated action. That city has jurisdiction over dune permits in its city limits but Nueces County refused to cede the same power to Corpus Christi.

County Commissioner Chuck Cazalas, who has pushed the 350-foot limit and whose precinct includes Padre and Mustang island beaches, said the county will not encroach on Port Aransas' authority.

"I don't see it coming up," he said, "not while I'm commissioner."

The Texas General Land Office intends to hold a public meeting on Nueces County's plan amendments this month. A date has not been set.

The forum is expected to review the roles of state and local agencies in dune permitting, the status of master planned developments, permitting requirements, and an overview of dune protection rules.

Contact Dan Kelley at 886-4316 or kelleyd@ caller.com read more ...

A new line in the sand

Nueces County's plan for state's strictest limit on beach developers angers landowners

By Jaime Powell and David Kassabian Caller-Times

Nueces County officials have worked for more than a year to implement the strictest development limit on the Texas coast, an effort that until last month escaped the attention of landowners, developers and city officials in Corpus Christi and Port Aransas.

The rule, if certified by state officials currently reviewing it, would push most construction 350 feet behind the beach vegetation line. That's 150 feet farther inland than along the rest of the Texas coast.

County officials say they are protecting a unique environment on the county's 21 miles of beach from potentially ruinous development motivated by greed. City officials in Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, and some island developers, say the rule would stifle job creation, lower taxable property values and cheat private landowners of income potential. They also say the state's 200-foot guideline is sufficient to protect the environment.

If the Texas General Land Office certifies the plan, which it is reviewing, Nueces County will have the toughest rule on coastal development in the state, land office officials said.


What would be allowed

# Any existing structures closer than 350 feet from the beach vegetation line would not be affected by changing the setback line.

# A variance obtained through the dune permit process would be needed for development in front of the line or partitioned by the line. A builder would have to show there are no dunes on the lot, or because of the way the lot is platted, there is no other way to build an otherwise prohibited structure.

# Certain non-residential or non-commercial structures in front of the line still could be built.

Where to find the Texas Register
To read the most-recent issue of the publication released by the Texas Secretary of State’s office, visit www.sos.state.tx.us

Mail-order subscriptions also are available by contacting the Secretary of State’s Office at (512) 463-5561. There is a fee for mail-order subscriptions.

Nueces County is making a prudent and farsighted decision to protect dunes from development, said Nueces County Commissioner Chuck Cazalas, whose precinct encompasses the county's Padre and Mustang island beaches.

Members of the county's dunes committee developed the amendment and the Nueces County Commissioners Court approved the 350-foot limit on Dec. 7, 2005.

Developers and city officials in Corpus Christi and Port Aransas say the county's proposed new rules would amount to a colossal, potentially illegal land grab that would make some of the most valuable, developable privately owned land in Texas worthless.

"You talk about hogwash," Port Aransas developer Buster Hoffmaster said of the county's plan. "It's not cogent, and it's not well thought out. They did not indicate any science behind this.

"This is private property they are designating this rule for. There are a lot of platted, legal lots that exist presently in that 350 feet - subdivisions that have already been approved where people planned to build their dream home. All of the sudden they wave this big powerful hand and say you cannot build on your lot. That's a real travesty."

Jennifer Smith-Engle, the county's consultant on dune protection and a professor of environmental science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, said Nueces County has well-developed dune ridges that offer a lot of protection from hurricanes. The 350-foot rule offers further protection to those dunes, she said.

"We feel very strongly about dune protection in Nueces County, and short-term development interests shouldn't stand in the way of protecting our community," she said.

State law already requires the two cities and the county to protect critical dunes between the 200- and 1,000-foot marks, developers and city officials said. Those dunes, which offer hurricane protection, must be identified and avoided, if possible. If builders damage any dunes, they must mitigate that damage by building other dunes.

State officials are reviewing public comments, including opposition letters from the City of Corpus Christi, the City of Port Aransas and developers, and will rule in January whether the plan is consistent with state law, said Eddie Fisher, a coastal resources attorney for the state. He wouldn't say which way the state agency would be inclined to decide.

"In general," the City of Corpus Christi's opposition letter says, "we believe the proposed rules, if adopted, will have a devastating effect on development on North Padre and Mustang Islands. (It) will adversely affect our local economy, severely impact local employment, in both the short term and the long term, violate Chapter 2007, Texas Government Code and otherwise negatively affect both the City of Corpus Christi and the City of Port Aransas."

The actual value of the land that would be affected has been estimated to be in the range of $50 million to $70 million, according to the letter, signed by Corpus Christi City Manager Skip Noe.

"That is land value alone, with the potential for development value to be many times the actual land value," the letter says.

The developable land on the east side of State Highway 361 already is limited because development is not allowed on the dunes and because of the necessity for drainage retention areas, according to the City of Corpus Christi. The city asserts that the county's new plan amounts to an illegal seizure of private property.

"The proposed 150-foot exaction represents a significant portion of the developable property and very significantly the most valuable portion of that property," Noe wrote. "In some cases, platted lots will no longer be developable if these planned amendments are approved; therefore a taking will occur."

Smith-Engle disputes that the new rule constitutes taking.

"No, it isn't," she said. "There are things people can do between the vegetation line and 350 feet that are quite enjoyable. People can still build boardwalks, bird looking towers, small gazebos they might use."

Cazalas said the opposition is motivated by "greed and big money."

Hoffmaster, who owns one lot that would be affected and who builds for other lot owners, countered that many owners spent their life savings buying property with the understanding that the 200-foot rule was in place.

"I know the world does not revolve around economics, but people have invested hundreds of millions in this land and if you say you cannot develop on your best property, the economic impact is huge," Hoffmaster said. "If you lop off 150 feet of the best real estate in Texas and the value is zero, there goes your tax base."

If the land office signs off on the amendment, the proposal is also retroactive, dating to May 2000, because the county has assured the state that developers have complied with the 350-foot rule voluntarily since then. One example occurred earlier this month, when the county approved a 35-story resort on Mustang Island that will be behind the 350-foot line. The county initially held up the permit because the developer planned a boardwalk to the beach that would have included a bar, food service area and bathrooms. The county approved the project after the developer removed those extras from the boardwalk.

The dune permitting process usually starts with the Nueces County Department of Public Works and is followed by a meeting with the County Beach Management Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Commissioners Court. The Commissioners Court decides whether to grant the permit after weighing the land office's comments.

County Judge-elect Loyd Neal said this week that although he has not been a part of the official discussion and has not seen the proposal, he has discussed the county's plan with city officials from Corpus Christi and Port Aransas after they called him with concerns.

"I certainly could not support this until I had been given the opportunity to review the reasoning behind this and the compensation to a landowner who bought the land based on an assumption found in the current plan that 200 feet is what he was working with in developing the land," Neal said.

Smith-Engle said developers supported the county's adoption of the 350-foot line as a guideline in 2000 and it has worked well protecting the dunes. She doesn't understand the objection to making it mandatory.

"Let's . . . put it in the rules," she said. "It allows one to read the beach management plan and allows one to know what all the rules are and not have to ask what are the guidelines."

Cazalas said the plan, "was a reasonable and prudent request of people developing, and all have voluntarily agreed to it."

Jim Urban, an engineer involved with development on the island, said that's not really the case. The county has held developers hostage, he said, by withholding permits until developers agreed to the 350 feet.

"The county commissioner may try to hide it," Urban said, "but I made it clear to Cazalas that this was being extorted from us."

Contact Jaime Powell at 886-3716 or powellj@ caller.com. Contact David Kassabian at 886-3778 or kassabiand@ caller.com

Copyright 2006, Caller.com. All Rights Reserved. read more ...

Corpus Christi finds itself in a familiar situation these days: waiting.
Last month residents voted against closing to auto traffic a portion of the beach near the Packery Channel boat pass, effectively scuttling plans for a large resort planned for Padre Island.

Now no one knows what the area's biggest private landowner will do.

Paul Schexnailder, who owns more than 1,000 acres on Padre Island, including about 200 acres immediately adjacent to the channel, has remained mum on his plans since the vote.

"This is the million-dollar question," said John Trice, a surfer and Frost Bank executive who favored creating the pedestrians-only beach that Schexnailder envisioned.

Packery Channel provides quick boat access between the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico. Before it was opened, it took Corpus Christi boaters an hour to reach Port Aransas and its ship channel to the north.

Schexnailder had planned to bring in resort developer Intrawest and said development costs for the land near Packery would top $1 billion.

But Schexnailder and Intrawest's vision did not include pickups and cars parked in the sand between a luxury hotel and the Gulf of Mexico. Immediately following the decision to keep cars on the beach, Intrawest pulled out.

The new concern for Corpus Christi officials is that Schexnailder will sell off his property in parcels, because other resort developers might be difficult to lure.

"His land is worth more in small pieces than it is in a big tract," Trice said. "This guy will make more money if he breaks his holdings up."

City Manager George "Skip" Noe said the city has offered to meet with Schexnailder regarding options for the property. But Noe doesn't expect that to happen until after the first of the year.

"The nature of the project is going to be something different," Noe said.

At Schexnailder's request, the City Council this year had agreed to close 7,200 feet of beach to traffic. But many residents chafed at the idea, and they gathered enough petition signatures to force an election.

The Beach Access Coalition, a new citizen's group, fought the city and Schexnailder's efforts with this message: "Don't let them steal our beach."

"It got at one of the fundamentals of the community, which is 'I drive on the beach, I drink beer, I do doughnuts in the sand,'" Trice said. "I grew up here and I knew it was gong to be a difficult struggle. When you talk about the complexity of the issue and the benefits to the community long term, there's no sound bite that sums that up."

But Frank Floyd, owner of Wind and Wave Water Sports, called it a moral and ethical issue to make beach access as easy as possible for those who can't afford to stay in a pricey resort.

"Texas is supposed to have an Open Beaches Act," Floyd said. "It was going to be too much hassle to get there."

The Packery dredging was paid for with federal and local tax dollars.

The vehicle ban would have placed the closest public parking about 1,500 feet from the south jetty, considered a prime fishing and longboard surfing spot.

Real estate agent Gene Guernsey said supporters of the resort development assumed that creating a pedestrian beach was a no-brainer.

"The business community is shocked that it didn't go through," he said. "What you're going to see is nothing happening for at least a few years."

A few years is a short time in the long history of Packery Channel, which silted shut in 1923 and was reopened recently by the Army Corps of Engineers to the tune of $30 million.

Over the years, other developers have come and gone, hoping to dredge the channel and turn the property into a destination. Schexnailder has held the land for about 12 years.

City officials latched onto his ideas and created an island overlay district with more stringent zoning.

"The entire master plan for the island was done with the idea that we would have a world-class resort," Noe said.

Coalition members don't oppose such development, but worry that if one portion of the beach becomes pedestrian-only, it would set a precedent. Beach driving is something of a tradition in Corpus Christi, where it's possible to travel miles on the sand.

"As far as developers go, it's a prime spot," Floyd said. "Someone will come up with another plan."

Coalition member Hal Suter said the group will stay organized at least through the city election in May, but is likely to be around for much longer.

"Once the people decided to go and open Packery Channel, people like myself figured this was the opening salvo," Suter said. "You just don't go through the trouble to dredge Packery just for fishermen."

Although environmentalism and restoring sand to an eroding beach were cited in the channel dredging, local officials made no bones about economic development being their prime motivation.

Hal's mother, Pat Suter, the chairwoman of the local Sierra Club, hopes a state lawmaker will sponsor a bill requiring a statewide vote for any future beach restrictions.

In Corpus Christi, 55 percent cast ballots against closing the beach to car traffic; 71 percent voted to require that future beach bans win local voter approval.

But supporters of the resort and Beach Access Coalition members agree it's hard to know what to do for now.

"We're all kind of hinged on what Paul does, and he ain't talking," Trice said. "This is private land. Nobody controls it but him."

Jennifer Hiller Express-News Business Writer
 read more ...

350-foot change excludes Port Aransas

200-foot set-back still in effect for buildings in Port Aransas city limits

BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER
A Nueces County proposal to extend dune building requirements an additional 150 feet from the vegetation line on Mustang and Padre islands will not affect Port Aransas, county commissioner Chuck Cazalas said. read more ...

The state will certify Nueces County's plan for Texas' most stringent beachfront construction limit unless it doesn't comply with the law, and an initial review shows that it does, a state official said Monday.

The Nueces County Commissioners Court has approved a limit on construction within 350 feet of the beach vegetation line. That's 150 feet more than the rest of the state.

The plan, approved by commissioners in a public meeting more than a year ago, escaped the notice of its opponents until about a month ago. By that time it had been in the hands of the Texas General Land Office for three months.

Those opponents include landowners, developers and the city governments of Corpus Christi and Port Aransas. They say the 350-foot limit will prevent development of some of the most valuable private beachfront land in Texas, which stifles job creation and cheats landowners of their investment's income potential.

County officials say the rule will protect dunes, which are a natural barrier during hurricanes, from potentially ruinous development pushed by greedy developers.

The land office has completed an initial review of the plan, submitted in August, and it appears to comply with state law, said General Land Office spokesman Jim Suydam.

"They seem to go above and beyond what the law requires," he said. "The state law would allow you to build a lot closer to the dunes than that."

The land office will have a public meeting here in January to hear comment from stakeholders on whether it is consistent with state law before making a final decision. The date and place haven't been chosen.

If the plan meets the legal test, the county can implement it because dune regulations fall to local control, Suydam said. Once the law is in place, Nueces County will have the strictest rule on coastal development in the state.

The county has 21.11 miles of beach frontage from the Kleberg County line to the jetties in Port Aransas. The county has delegated dune permitting authority within Port Aransas city limits to that city. That leaves 13.5 miles of beachfront facing the 350-foot limit. The county is seeking to rescind Port Aransas' dune authority and apply the 350-foot rule there, in an action separate from the one under land office review.

Island developer Buster Hoffmaster said he will attend the hearing to protest the rule because a lot of the property along State Highway 361 has come into development play based on rules that developers and landowners thought were in effect. He does not buy the argument from the county that protesting the rule is the work of greedy developers.

"For them to come in and say you are greedy and you have to give up that 150 feet of your land, they don't know anything about the development process," he said. "Without developers there would not be homes, shopping centers and a post office."

A majority of the Corpus Christi City Council, including Mayor Henry Garrett and council members Brent Chesney, Rex Kinnison, Mark Scott, Melody Cooper, Bill Kelly and Jerry Garcia, said Monday that they are against the proposed rule. It means potential development losses, a degradation of the tax base and the loss of individual property rights, council members said.

"It's just unfair," Garcia said. "If you want to stymie growth and development, do this. We have proper laws in effect with the (General Land Office) and the state of Texas."

Councilman John Marez said he supports the setback. Councilman Jesse Noyola could not be reached.

County Commissioner Oscar Ortiz, the only commissioner who could be reached Monday, said he still supports the new setback line and doesn't think it will rescinded. The Commissioners Court vote was unanimous.

"When this was presented to Commissioners Court, contrary to what I've been hearing, it was not presented in such a way that we're going to make it hard for development or make it burdensome," Ortiz said. "It was presented so it was going to preserve our sand dunes and there wouldn't be any encroachment on it while protecting residents in Nueces County from storms."

Ortiz said people who buy land near the beach of a barrier island have to take the unexpected into account.

"One of the first tenets in dealing with real estate is 'buyer beware,' " Ortiz said. "I don't think this has been a secret - it's information that's readily available. Certainly if they would have contacted the commissioner from that area going back to year 2000, or any of the county commissioners, they would have informed them this is the case."  read more ...

SKYSCRAPER TO MOUNT MUSTANG
CORPUS CHRISTI (Corpus Christi Caller-Times) – Mustang Island is about to land its first skyscraper.

A planned 35-story, 500-unit resort will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom condos starting at around $750,000. The complex will include tennis courts, a children's water park, health spa and boardwalk.

The $350 million project's dune protection permit had stalled because of concerns over the development's raised boardwalk, which included food stands and bathrooms less than 200 feet from the water. Currently, all condo structures on Mustang Island are more than 350 feet from the water. Locally based Naismith Engineering Inc. and Wisconsin-based developer Pat Walters resubmitted the permit application without the bathrooms, bar and food service area on the boardwalk.

Construction could begin this summer and be finished in 2009.
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Participating at today’s ribbon cutting ceremony officially launching Corpus Christi’s city-owned wireless broadband network, Tropos® Networks, the market leader for metro-scale wireless mesh network systems, announced that Corpus Christi has built the world’s largest multi-purpose Wi-Fi network. The ceremony marks the final phase of the project, bringing coverage to more than 100 square miles of the city with multiple applications and public and private users, including residents, businesses, visitors, public safety officers, utility workers, and all departments of city personnel.

Tropos teamed with prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide the Tropos MetroMesh Wi-Fi networking system to Corpus Christi’s wireless broadband network.

Initially begun to create a cost-effective and efficient automated meter reading (AMR) system for gas and water services, the wireless broadband network unveiled today supports a multitude of cost saving applications in all city departments as well as community broadband wireless services for its residents and businesses. These include vehicles equipped with mobile computer systems for police, fire and other public safety officers, mobile desktops for field supervisors and managers, and open access for residents, businesses, and visitors to city resources. The metro-scale Wi-Fi network provides coverage to 90% of the city’s population of about 277,000 residents across more than 100 square miles of the city.

“The infrastructure that makes possible the twenty plus applications that we are showcasing today is the Tropos Networks MetroMesh Wi-Fi networking system,” said Leonard Scott, Business Unit Manager, Municipal Information Systems Department for Corpus Christi. “The metro-scale mesh network and its innovative multi-application support advance communications for city employees, businesses and residents.”

Multi-Use Capability Key to Corpus Christi’s Success

The foundation for the multi-purpose Corpus Christi network is the multi-use capabilities of the Tropos MetroMesh™ architecture. MetroMesh enables multiple user groups to run and manage separate, secure networks on a single metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh infrastructure. MetroMesh’s multi-use capabilities are implemented in the MetroMesh OS and Tropos Control. When combined with Tropos MetroMesh routers, the multi-use capabilities allow each group of users on the Corpus Christi Wi-Fi mesh network to have its own virtual network with its own address space, security encryption mechanisms, access control and classes of service, all administered independently from other user groups. All aspects of each virtual network are centrally monitored and managed using the Tropos Control element management system.

“As the city broadened the scope and diversity of users and applications, our metro-scale MetroMesh systems enabled them to do so without compromising the integrity of the network,” said Ron Sege, president and CEO of Tropos Networks. “Now, thousands of city workers, residents, visitors and business can benefit from the pervasive broadband network thanks to the multi-user innovations of our metro-scale, MetroMesh system.”

Public Technology Institute (PTI) provided early planning and consultation on the network. Northrop Grumman provided design, installation, integration and support services.

About Tropos

Tropos® Networks is the market leader in delivering metro-scale Wi-Fi mesh network systems. Our systems have been selected to unwire more major league cities than all competitors combined and are installed in 30 countries. The patented Tropos MetroMesh™ architecture delivers the ultimate scalability, high capacity at low cost and great user experience demanded by carriers, municipalities and network users. Our unique expertise includes high-performance mesh software development, mesh RF engineering, metro-scale network planning, deployment and optimization, and navigating the municipal approval process. Tropos Networks is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, please visit www.tropos.com, call 408-331-6800 or write to info@tropos.com.

Tropos is a registered trademark of Tropos Networks, Inc. Tropos Networks, MetroMesh, PWRP, AMCE and Metro-Scale Mesh Networking Defined are trademarks of Tropos Networks, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holder(s).

About PTI

The Public Technology Institute is a national member supported organization based in Washington, DC. As the only technology organization created by and for cities and counties, PTI works with a core network of leading local government officials– the PTI membership – to create technology research, best practices, consultancies, and pilots, to promote development initiatives and enhance educational programming. Officials from PTI member governments participate in Councils and Forums that address specific technology areas. Through partnerships with the technology industry, federal agencies, and other governmental organizations, PTI shares the results of these activities and the expertise of its members with the broader audience of the more than 30,000 cities and counties across the United States.

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Here is a quick update on the Village Walk development. The roads will be paved in the next few weeks and AEP will connect the electrical service later this month. As soon as that takes place, construction on 5 spec homes and the model home will begin. The project will officially kick off in mid-January.


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Corpus Christi finishes wireless network

In Corpus Christi, it is now possible to surf the Internet while sitting on your sailboat or dove hunting on the outskirts of town.

The coastal city of 293,000 is boasting that it has completed "the single largest municipal-scale wireless network anywhere in the world," covering 147 square miles.

"It is the largest at this point," said Leonard Scott, business unit manager for Corpus Christi. "Other cities are in the process of deploying their networks, but we're one of the first to get ours completed."

The service won't be free to Corpus Christi residents, though many have had free Internet access while it was being constructed.

City residents must pay for service through an Internet provider.

"We're wholesaling the excess bandwidth to the community," Scott said.

It took 18 months to build the $7 million system, which brings wireless broadband from the bay front to farmland within the city limits. City officials may eventually change their minds on how they provide Wi-Fi to residents.

For visitors, there are free hot zones at the bay front and airport. They can also access the system by paying a daily fee.

"I know a lot of cities are planning on offering Wi-Fi for free," Scott said. "It's going to take time for the market to shake out. But we know the real money to be made is not from Internet services, it is from advertising. The interesting thing is, advertising can be local. If I'm in the vicinity of a specific store, it may alert me to a sale at that store. That's where there's an opportunity to be made."

Though it is a boon for residents and businesses, the network was erected for the city. It allows police and fire department computers to connect anywhere in the city. Police officers can write paperless reports.

It also allows wireless meter reading.

"It means you can get information from anywhere around the city," Scott said. "We saw this is as quickly becoming new infrastructure for cities and counties. We're one leg up with economic development."

According to the Web site, MuniWireless.com, 306 cities and counties across the United States either have running networks, are in the process of deploying wireless systems or are in serious discussions.

Eight greater Northeast Tarrant County communities provide hot zones or some form of Wi-Fi service: Bedford, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Haltom City, Keller, North Richland Hills, Roanoke and Southlake.

Granbury's wireless network provides free access for city departments and for some city employees from home. Residents can buy Web access. Burleson is also planning a network, and Arlington has had discussions about building one.

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Cars on Beach vs. Grow Economy

The name for "It's About Time Corpus Christi" came about during a meeting last spring, when members were discussing strategies to promote a resort planned for Padre Island.

"We were in the meeting saying, 'It's about time we did this,' and 'It's about time we did that,' " group co-chairwoman Gail Hoffman said.

The committee came together just as simply, Hoffman said, with engineers, contractors, financial institutions, Realtors, worker unions and other businesses joining the fight by donating time and money.

"We've never really had to call somebody and say, 'Will you help us?' " Hoffman said. "They call us. The business community has stepped forward to say we've got to do this to help Corpus Christi thrive."

The group has hit the streets with signs, bumper stickers and more than 60 speaking engagements to ask voters to support Charter Amendment No. 1, which members say is necessary to attract a $1.5 billion resort.

The quest started a year ago, with a smaller group called Just Feet on the Beach that formed to dissuade residents from signing a petition against the city's proposal to ban traffic on the 4,200 feet in front of the Padre Island seawall. Then, developer Paul Schexnailder told the City Council a resort would come if they enacted a vehicle ban on 7,200 feet, stretching from the Packery Channel south jetty to the northern boundary of Padre Balli Park.

The council rescinded the first ban and approved one in March for 7,200 feet, invalidating the petition Just Feet on the Beach was fighting. The group's opposition mobilized again for another petition, and Just Feet changed its focus and its name.

"We thought Just Feet on the Beach was real cute, but we realized that our message was far more than just getting cars off the beach," Hoffman said. "It's about the job development. It's about time Corpus Christi took control."

The petitions forced the ban on the ballot, along with Charter Amendment No. 2, which would allow voters to decide all future vehicle ban proposals. Now, It's About Time Corpus Christi is working hard to promote Amendment No. 1, but it hasn't taken a position on No. 2.

Although Hoffman said she is disappointed the petitions were successful, she understands it is part of the democratic process.

"I have a degree in government," she said. "To me, this just is fun."

Hoffman, like many of the group's leaders, has experience in similar fights - she was co-chair of the committee that successfully campaigned for voters to finance Packery Channel in 2001. Realtor Gene Guernsey said he's been involved in every pro-growth vote in the past 20 years.

"For me, it's all about trying to help this community move forward and create prosperity for members of the community," Guernsey said. "It's part of my civic duty to help grow the economy in Corpus Christi."
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A survey conducted by university students shows most respondents would vote against closing a stretch of Padre Island beach to vehicle traffic, a statistical dead heat in the county judge's race and the Republican candidate slightly leading the sheriff's race.

Bob Bezdek, a Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi professor whose campaign politics class interviewed Nueces County residents, said the survey is a snapshot of voter intentions. However, he pointed out the data wasn't entirely reflective of likely voters.

The survey, which was conducted by telephone from Oct. 9 to Oct. 24, included results from 450 Nueces County residents who voted in the 2006 primary.

He said the survey could be skewed because respondents were older than likely voters, primarily because younger people are not easily interviewed.

"(Older voters) are the ones at home," Bezdek said. "They're the ones who answer the phone. Young people have cell phones; we can't reach them."

The average age of voters in 2004 was 50, Bezdek said, while respondents to the survey were on average 61. He said the survey also included slightly too many females and too many respondents with high incomes.

The survey has a margin of error of 5 percentage points.

County Clerk Diana Barerra said records are not kept on the demographics or economic status of registered voters.

The survey, conducted mostly by political science majors, asked respondents who they planned to vote for in some county elections. In the Nueces County judge's race, respondents selected Republican Loyd Neal over Democrat Larry Olivarez 50 percent to 40 percent, with 10 percent undecided.

More respondents - 50 percent - picked Jim Kaelin over Jimmy Rodriguez, who garnered 35 percent.

A survey released Thursday by Mikal Wattss Good Government political action committee shows slightly different results. That survey, conducted by phone from Oct. 1 to Oct. 3, contained 400 respondents and had a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

Watts' survey indicates Neal and Olivarez each have about 41 percent of respondents' votes, while Kaelin has about 38 percent and Rodriguez has about 36 percent.

"We've run three polls in the county judge's race," Watts said. "All of them have been a statistical dead heat. It's a tie."

Regarding the city's beach issue in Bezdek's poll, 53 percent of respondents would vote against Charter Amendment No. 1, 28 percent would vote for it and 19 percent of were undecided.

Charter Amendment No. 1 would authorize the City Council to ban vehicles from 7,200 feet of beach, from the Packery Channel south jetty to the northern boundary of Padre Balli Park. Developers and amendment supporters have said that the pedestrian-only beach is necessary to attract a $1.5 billion resort.

The survey did not contain a question about Charter Amendment No. 2, also on the city ballot, that would allow residents to vote on all future vehicle ban proposals. Bezdek said the question was hard for voters to understand and had not received as much publicity.

The charter amendment survey question could contain some people who live outside the city limits, Bezdek said. That's one of the reasons Colleen McIntyre, spokeswoman for It's About Time Corpus Christi, which is supporting the ban, said the survey is flawed.

"This is not a representative sample and cannot be taken seriously," McIntyre said. "Bob Bezdek has no credibility on this issue."

McIntyre also took issue with the wording of the beach question, which differs from the ballot language.

The students asked the question: "Do you plan to vote for or against the proposition to close 7,200 feet of beach to vehicles on Padre Island?" The ballot language asks voters whether they are for or against an amendment "providing for a public pedestrian-safe beach limited to the approximately 7,200-foot area between Packery Channel and the north boundary of Padre Balli Park."

"I like our wording better," Bezdek said. "It's simple and easy to understand."

The charter amendment question had two parts. Students first asked respondents whether they planned to vote in the city election. About 90 percent said yes, which is far greater than the number that would be expected to vote, he said. Only those who said they planned to vote were asked their stance on the charter amendment.

Mike McCutchon, spokesman for the anti-ban Beach Access Coalition, said the survey numbers did not surprise him.

"I have a lot of people tell me that they registered to vote just so they could vote on the issue," McCutchon said.  read more ...

A very innovative concept for the Texas Coast. read more ...