North Beach News
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NNorortthh BeacBeachh NNeewwss Monthly Newsletter of the Corpus Christi Beach Association September 2009 City steps up efforts on North Beach © thirdcoastphoto.com © thirdcoastphoto.com Code Enforcement erected notices in August warning The City assigned Parks Enforcement Officer property owners that they are Todd Jensen to patrol bay beaches. not in compliance. Mayor Joe Adame’s top priorities include restoring civic pride and Next meeting reducing litter in Corpus Christi. With Thursday that in mind, the City’s Parks & Recre- Sept 17, 2009 ation Department has increased the 4:30 pm frequency of trash pickup on North Beach, which has made a dramatic Lanai Room at difference in the appearance of not The Breakers only the beach but the entire neighbor- hood, as workers often pick up trash © thirdcoastphoto.com Speaker: that has blown from the beach inland. Dr. Wes Stafford & Parks & Recreation Department increased The department also assigned a full- trash pickup on the beach and nearby fields Clean Economy time Parks Enforcement Officer, Todd from twice weekly to daily which has made Coalition Jensen, to patrol North Beach and a dramatic improvement in appearance and cleanliness of the beach and neighborhood. Speaking in opposition other bay beaches in a blue and white to proposed Las Brisas pickup truck, maintaining a presence. Beach of overgrown fields and overflowing pet-coke power plant Another department, Neighborhood dumpsters by erecting notices and notifying (see article page 3) Services, has been working to rid North property owners that are in non-compliance. Agenda: North Beach on cover Pledge of Allegiance Social Hour Menu Food by Sami Cameron The cover story of Speaker ($5/person donation) the June 2009 Reading of Minutes • Old-fashioned Potato Soup issue of Texas Treasurer’s Report maga- • Ham Croutons Highways Old/New Business zine featured • Oven roasted pork tenderloin with Social Hour Corpus Christi and roasted red bell pepper, Havarti cheese, focused especially fresh basil & herb mayonnaise on rolls North Beach on North Beach. • Antipasto Pasta Salad The reporter lives News Editor: • Nutty Bacon Cheese Ball Carrie Robertson in Austin but was • Frog Eye Salad Contact her to submit raised in Corpus • Cookies by Herb "The Cookie Man" info so brought some 361-883-7245 • Fresh Strawberries with Kahlua Dip June cover of Texas local knowledge Highways featured [email protected] • Wine to the article. the Lexington. Page 2 - September 2009 - North Beach News CCBA members sit on new North Beach Task Force CCBA President Tom Reilly was one of several people asked by Mayor Joe Adame to serve on a new North Beach Task Force made up of City staff and North Beach stakeholders. Another CCBA member, Beachcomber Cottages developer JoAnn Gilbertson, is also on the committee but was unable to attend the first meeting held August 17. During the first North Beach Task Force meeting, City Manager Angel Escobar introduced City staff members including Acting Police Chief Emily Martinez, Director of © thirdcoastphoto.com Economic Development Irma Caballero and Director of Parks & Rec Advisory Committee discusses North Intergovernmental Relations Rudy Garza. Beach issues at the north end pavilion on Aug 1. During the meeting, the attendees each presented Parks & Rec Advisory their views of problems on North Beach that need attention. Reilly noted problems such as trash manage- Committee tours beach ment, enforcement when dealing with polluters and Members of the City’s Parks & Recreation Advisory unkempt properties. Others pointed to unclear and Committee (PRAC) took a 30-minute tour of North Beach insufficient signage, which became apparent on July 4 on August 1. It was the second stop on a multi-park tour when an estimated 15,000 people came for the fireworks the group made that day, which included the area at the celebration and police dealt with problems such as traffic north end of the beach and a brief stop in the commer- jams, motorists parking on the Harbor Bridge and people cial district near the Lexington. parking in the “greenbelt” area. Another person talked While at the north end of the beach, PRAC members about the need for 24-hour police presence on North sat under the aging wooden pavilion, viewed the new Beach. playground and walked down to the water’s edge. They Reilly reported that the top issues discussed were: discussed development of the new playground, the City’s 1. Trash control, particularly the west side area increased trash pickup schedule, security issues at the 2. Police coverage after hours north end bathhouse and upcoming Bond improvements 3. Signage including extending the beach sidewalk to the north end. 4. Lighting and seating along the Beachwalk sidewalk During the tour, Parks & Rec officials responded to The group suggested that, as a short-term solution, issues that some North Beach residents have proposed volunteers assist with trash pickup until a plan can be for North Beach. One issue is installing wooden bollards developed with the help of entities such as Texas Dept of on City-owned property on the north end, allowing what Transportation and Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries is now a large dirt field to revegetate and restricting Program to maintain the areas along Highway 181 traffic from driving on a road that was officially closed by access roads. City Ordinance years ago. Director Sally Gavlik said that Reilly told the group about the January 2009 “Turn- her department considers the entire dirt area on the Around Cleanup” organized by CCBA which cleaned up north end a parking area and therefore has no plans to the north area underneath the Highway 181 expressway. restrict or direct traffic there. North Beach Task Force members include: When asked if trash cans could be placed closer to the • Tom Reilly, Corpus Christi Beach Association water where most beach users congregate, staff mem- • JoAnn Gilbertson, Beachcomber Cottages ber Stacie Talbert said that having trash cans closer to • Mike Austin, Pier 99 the beach would not help the trash issue. If people are • Steve Bonillas, Blackbeards going to put their trash in a can, it doesn’t matter if it’s • Rocco Montesano, USS Lexington Maritime Museum 20 feet from them or all the way back in the parking lot, • Tom Schmid, Texas State Aquarium she said, explaining that solving the littering problem is • Rickj Patel, Radisson Hotel more a matter of education than of trash can placement. • Judy Hawley, Port of Corpus Christi Responding to requests to paint the bathhouse another • Mark Schaberg, Concrete Street Ampatheater color, Talbert said that since the building is made of • Regan Brown, Peterson Development stone it is not advisable to paint it, but that the trim • Lee Jordan, Captions Inc. would continue to be painted white. Upon inspection, • David Loeb, Landloard Resources North Beach News discovered that the building is not • Rich Tuttle, Flint Hills Resources stone but a mix of combed concrete and concrete block. North Beach News - September 2009 - page 3 Doctor, others to speak to CCBA on Las Brisas issue © thirdcoastphoto.com CCBA member JoAnn Gilbertson presents her idea, the Corpus Christi Beachwalk, to City Manager Angel Escobar, center, and Parks & Rec Director Sally Gavlik, right, on June 29 at City Hall. © thirdcoastphoto.com Corpus Christi Beachwalk Dr. Wes Stafford (right) and others with the Clean Economy Coalition provided information at a idea spreads through city recent health fair held in Corpus Christi. CCBA member JoAnn Gilbertson first proposed her idea Members of the Clean Economy Coalition (CEC) will be of creating a tourist-friendly route called the “Corpus the speakers for the CCBA’s Sept 17 meeting. The CEC is Christi Beachwalk” in November 2007. a grassroots organization based in Corpus Christi that Since then the idea, which would provide a pedestrian- provides information online and at events about the friendly waterfront route connecting Corpus’ main tourist negative health, environmental and economic impacts attractions, has gained support and is in the process of that the proposed Las Brisas pet-coke plant could bring moving through various committees in the city govern- to Corpus Christi. For more information, visit the CEC ment. This summer, she proposed her idea to the City online at www.cleaneconomycoalition.org. Manager, the Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History. Come Discover Corpus Christi Beach The Beachwalk would connect Corpus Christi Beach, the Lexington, the Texas State Aquarium, the Harbor http://discoverccbeach.com/ Ferry, the Water Gardens and the two bayfront museums together in one package to market Corpus Christi as an all-in-one attraction – much like how San Antonio markets its Riverwalk. Marketing would begin with Corpus Christi Beachwalk brochures placed in airport kiosks and visitors centers next to Riverwalk brochures. Although the Beachwalk proposal received unanimous support from three different Parks & Recreation advisory committees, a variation in the route has been proposed, so the idea must be brought back to the committees for On North Beach approval before it can go before City Council. Therapeutic Massage Under scrutiny is whether the Beachwalk should be in studio or in your home • Photography restricted to only CC Beach or if it should include the • Web design Harbor Ferry, Water Gardens, CC Science & History Pete Meyer Museum and the Art Museum of South Texas. At a recent Licensed Massage Therapist • Computer Watershore & Beach Advisory Council meeting, Michelle assistance Thomas of Parks & Rec reported that her department’s 361.815.9754 On North Beach stance is that the Beachwalk should be only on North www.gbmassage.com Beach, since the water taxi is not year-round. Gilbertson 361.442.0628 maintains that encompassing all the attractions in one 4401 Gulfbreeze Blvd. www.thirdcoastphoto.com package would be more effective.