Special to El Rrun-Rrun
To add insult to injury, not only is Cameron County and City of Brownsville commissioners in the process of helping SpaceX take total control of Boca Chica by encouraging homeowners of Kopernik Shores to accept the company's offer for their houses, but now it's making it will be more expensive to visit the county's beach parks.
Starting October 1, beachgoers will have to pay higher fees to visit Cameron County coastal parks.
The Cameron County Commissioners Court voted to increase beach user fees for coastal park improvements during a meeting held this past week to pay for $24 million of park improvements.
The new fees will be enacted at all Cameron County coastal parks, which include Isla Blanca Park, Andy Bowie Park, Beach Access No. 3 and Beach Access No. 6 and E.K. Atwood Park, which is also known as Beach Access No. 5.
Day use fees per vehicle will cost $12 and day use fees for buses will cost $30; a 30-day pass will cost $30 and annual passes will cost $100.Those who purchase 30-day or annual passes will receive a sticker to place on their windshield.
“We’re very excited about the new improvements,” Parks Director Joe Vega said. “There are beautiful amenities that we’ve built at Isla Blanca Park and we want to continue improving our coastal parks here on South Padre Island.”
Th company said it hadn't expected its operations to be "disruptive" to the point where it could shatter the windows of the homes less than a mile away or start a grass fire that burned up 10 100 acres during a "Hopper" test.Some, like Terry and Bonnie Heaton, originally from Michigan, and who live year-round in the unincorporated hamlet with about 35 houses near Boca Chica Beach told the Brownsville Herald they've lived there 18 years. During the winter when the neighborhood fills up, it’s a real community where everyone helps each other, Terry told the daily.
“It’s almost like we’ve got an extended family here, because of the closeness of this neighborhood,” he said. “We’ve got a tight bond.”
SpaceX, in a letter dated Sept. 12 and sent via FedEx, is offering the Heatons three times the appraised value of their home, they say the offer isn’t close to what they’d need to sell. The appraisal conducted by SpaceX is several thousand dollars less than an appraisal the Heatons got through their bank five years ago, Terry said.
“I sent them an email the day after we got this letter, not being sarcastic or anything else,” he said. “I just told them the facts, that (their) appraisal is extremely low.”
SpaceX said the offers are not negotiable and gave the homeowners two weeks from the date of the letter to respond.
“It’s just big money bullying little people,” Terry said. “That’s really what it is.”
The couple told the Herald's Steve Clark said they have no idea where they would relocate, that Boca Chica is unique in the United States and that finding a suitable similar setup would be impossible with what SpaceX is offering. Terry said he’d take $1 million for the property, though Bonnie isn’t sure she’d be willing to leave even then.
Left unsaid is what effect the "disruptive" sound waves from explosions or the burning of the wetland vegetation has upon the endangered species that live on the sand dunes and use the beach for nesting such as the Kemp's Ridley sea turtles and the ploving piper.
If, like the Heatons, others in Kopernik Shores decline SpaceX offers, will the county and/or state run interference for billionaire Elon Musk and find a way (health hazard, eminent domain on economic development grounds, etc.) and give them the boot?
In combination with the hiking of the coastal park fees, this would seem the county - and the state - are severely restricting the public's access to our coastline and beaches with a city commissioner or two (Rose Gowen) cheering them on from the sidelines..
In combination with the hiking of the coastal park fees, this would seem the county - and the state - are severely restricting the public's access to our coastline and beaches with a city commissioner or two (Rose Gowen) cheering them on from the sidelines..
This story is far from over.
10 comments:
Article I. § 17 of the Texas Constitution was amended after a Supreme Court decision to make it easier for the city to take land and then give it to a private company. the case was Kelo v. City of
New London, 545 U.S. 469 (2005). Texas then really limited the taking of land by private companies rebuffing the US Supreme COurt decision. Space X may be in for a battle. I hope a national organization will come in and help these people. Thanks for keeping us informed.
Speaking of higher fees at the island entrances, when Judge Dancy had the old causeway built, he promised the people to drop the $1.00 toll fee once the bridge was completed. They did! Is South Padre a National Park? Do not all National Park allow Senior Citizens to enter free? I have been to many National Parks and I have never paid a fee. What is the difference down here? The cronies who pocket the money? Down here we behave like our baby boy
President behaves - above the law and talking stupidities. We don't impeach him and neither do we remove dirty officials down here. What the hell is going on with this country. We were the greatest but this red-capped idiot that comes out on TV is messing our country up so bad, I am hoping to leave soon. I've got my bags packed and ready to go. I am tired of listening to all these idiotic things that he does and says - all lies. Imagine if he were Pinochio?
Fight SpaceX. They will pay you more
EDDIE LUCIO AND SON LOL ARE TO BLAME.
Valley lawmakers: We should involve Elon Musk in our light rail project
“Getting Elon Musk involved would be awesome. Obviously he is a world-renowned figure and he is doing things to revolutionize how we live and travel,” said state Rep. Eddie Lucio, III, of San Benito.
Asked if leaders in the Valley know him well enough to engage with him on the topic, Lucio said: “I would say we have a connection with him.”
Environmental Summit to be held in Brownsville"
Is that puppet from the port and the board going to this summit and the county elected officials
That chisquiada going to attend this summit? THEY ALL SHOULD!!!
WE NEED CLEAN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPANIES TO COME AND SETUP SHOP HERE NOT POISON THE ENVIROMMENTAL OF THIS AREA...
I want to send you a document.
The Lucios are pocketing big bucks from Musk. More crooks enriching themselves while we the people suffer and lose our land rights.
WHERE ARE ALL THE ENVIROMENTAL CONCERNED GRINGAS WHAT HAPPENED? ITS NOT A MEXICAN ITS A GRINGO THAT'S WHY!
Yea some poor guy wanted to built a toilet on his back yard and all the white females jumped up and down and stopped this poor guy from builting a toilet outside.
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