NEW RULES MAKE COUNTY BEACHES NOT QUITE SO FRIENDLY

By Juan Montoya
Saying that the lack of comprehensive golf-cart-use, parking and towing regulations in place at Isla Blanca and Andy Bowie Park and other public beaches, Parks Department director Javier Mendez wants the county commissioners to approve new rules saying their absence "constitute a threat to the health safety and general welfare of the citizens of Cameron County."
The request before the commissioners to approve the new rules governing the operation of golf carts, parking and towing on the county's beaches must first be cleared by the Open Beaches and Dune Protection Acts and get approval from the commissioner of the Texas General Land Office before they can be implemented.
The item will come up during the meeting of the court Thursday starting at 8:30 a.m. on the second floor of the Dancy Building.
South Padre Island has already approved the operation of golf carts on city streets and the new rules will allow their use inside the parks, Mendez states.
But beside setting speed limits and permitted and designated parking places, the new rules require golf cart owners to carry liability insurance, drive during daylight hours only, wear seat belts (driver and passengers), have a valid Texas driver's license, prohibits passing a vehicle in the same lane, operate it between lanes, and have valid handicapped plates, and tags or stickers.
 If you think that's kind of strict, get set for the rules that will govern towing.
Parks department administrators have long complained of recreation vehicles from Winter Visitors overstaying past their rental period preventing them from leasing the spaces to other potential clients.
The new rules say the parks department rangers will be authorized to tow "without notice" "any vehicle, boat, camper, or trailer parked on the premises without payment of all required permits, authorizations, licenses or fees."
If any of these are found parked in a designated fire lane or other areas designated as "NO Parking Zones" they will also be subject to towing "without further notice."
The same applies to double-parking, parked behind parked vehicles, or in an unauthorized area is also subject to towing without notice as will be those parked or placed so as to block other vehicles from entering  any camp space, carport or driveway.
Should a vehicle be found parked in a designated camp spaces area carport without the authorization of the registered guest or camp user to whom that space is designated will also be towed without notice.
Further, vehicles, boats, campers and trailers can be stickered and tagged for a variety of reasons that, if not remedied for the offense within 48 hours will be subject to towing. These offenses are:
a. not properly registered or authorized to be on the premises
b. not displaying a valid, current valid registration
c. vehicles that are not "street legal," inoperable, leaking fluids, or which are abandoned, junked or under any stage of repair.
Additionally, the new rules will prohibit storage of "boats, trailers, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, moving trucks or any other item in an unauthorized area.
Further, in case the vehicle or boat is towed by a licensed towing company in a licensed storage facility , it will be the owner's responsibility to pay for the charges. The fine for the first citation will be more than $50 and less than $100; $100 to $200 for the second conviction; and not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 or confinement in the county jail for not more than 60 days or both.
Coincidentally (?), at Thursday's court meeting, Mendez will ask commissioners to approve a license agreement between the Parks Department and Cantu's Wrecker Service from Laguna Heights to lease a 60' by 80' plot of property at Isla Blanca Park behind the Parks Department barn for a temporary vehicle impoundment facility at $400 a month.
A staffer at Cantu's wrecker said that the fees for towing is $185 and the initial impoundment fee is an additional $20. Additionally, there is a further storage fee of $20 per day after that.
"What business is it of the county if I have an old car that leaks a little bit of oil or has a a water leak?," asked a man reading the proposed regulations at the Dancy Building. "And what if I forgot to renew my registration and it expired on the weekend when the courthouse is closed? This is just another power grab by the county to make money off of poor residents. Pretty soon no one is going to want to go to the beach."