Nueces County Capital Improvement Program for North

Providing Packery Channel Shoreline Protection, An Island Community Center, Packery Nature Park Improvements, and Rescue-Rehabilitation Facilities for Sea Turtles, Marine Mammals & Birds

September 2009 1 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. SAN PATRICIO COUNTY

EDROY TAFT

234 35 ODEM 181 631 GREGORY

INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY T.P. McCAMPBELL 1069 ARANSAS 624 AIRPORT

PASS CHANNEL ANN LYDIA

TEXAS PORTLAND ARANSAS 361 CHANNEL Facilities to Serve Eastern Nueces CountyINGLESIDE HAZEL BAZEMORE COUNTY PARK Nueces Bay

77 BANQUETE Corpus Christi Ship Channel IB MAGEE COUNTY PARK MUSTANG HORACE CALDWELL PIER CORPUS BEACH AIRPORT NUECES COUNTY CHRISTI RMB FAIRGROUNDS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PORT 44 CORPUS ARANSAS NUECES CHRISTI COUNTY Corpus Christi Bay AIRPORT ROBSTOWN 286 TEXAS 361 Gulf of TEXAS A&M 358 UNIVERSITY - CORPUS CHRISTI Mexico N.A.S. CORPUS CHRISTI S. Padre IslandOso Dr. Bay Nature Park & Wildlife DRISCOLL STATE PARK Rescue Center

FLOUR BLUFF JFK CAUSEWAY Packery Channel Shoreline NUECES Padre Protection Isles PACKERY COUNTY CHANNEL BISHOP

Laguna Madre PADRE BALLI COUNTY PARK BOB HALL COUNTY PIER

PARK RD 22 NORTH Island PADRE ISLAND Padre Island Drive and KLEBERG Community Highway 361 provide COUNTY Center convenient access to proposed facilities from N.A.S. KINGSVILLE the mainland, Flour Bluff and Mustang Island. SCALE IN MILES INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL 0 5 SEASHORE Rodman Co. 9/09 Rodman Co. 2 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. MALAQUITE BEACH VISITOR CENTER

Alazan Bay Addressing Needs of a Growing Community

Packery Channel Gulf of Jetties Mexico Newport Pass North Padre Island Flood Habitat Protection and Environmental Preserve Restoration Project

Packery Island Channel Community Shoreline Center TEXAS Protection 361 Site

Bob Hall Pier Packery Channel County Park Whitecap Blvd

Padre Island Drive Padre Balli County Park

Padre Isles Golf Course Packery PARK RD Nature Park 22 & Wildlife Rescue Center

JFK Causeway

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway 3 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. Packery Channel Shoreline Stabilization

Current Packery Channel Shoreline

Intracoastal Waterway

Possible Stabilization Packery Channel Techniques County Park Ebb & Flood Tidal Currents

4,200± Feet Project Limits Concrete Bulkheading

TEXAS 361

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Nueces County in 1998 seeking federal authorization Since the opening of Packery Channel in 2006, for Packery Channel anticipated the potential for erosion significant shoreline erosion has occurred along the and proposed shoreline stabilization in this area. It was south bank in the area west of the State Highway 361 not included in the eventual Corps of Engineers flood bridge. Scouring of channel banks is the result of higher protection project. Nueces County is seeking funding Articulating than expected current velocities generated during ebb assistance for approximately 4,200 feet of shoreline Revetments and flood tides. Currents have undermined channel stabilization from the SH 361 bridge to the western edge banks and impacted docks and piers that line a portion of Packery Channel County Park. of the channel. The original documents produced by Estimated Project Cost: $4,750,000

4 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. A Multi-Purpose Community Center SITE PLAN Park Road

Wetlands Pond

Parking Padre Island Dr. Padre Balli Park

PROJECT DESCRIPTION seminars, educational activities, senior gatherings and During the past 30 years the Padre Island-Flour Bluff area dances, recitals and corporate meetings. It would include has seen steady residential and commercial growth. a banquet hall seating up to 1,000 plus several smaller With the exception of the aging Briscoe King Pavilion, meeting and conference rooms. There would be a there are no public facilities on the island to host public library and a full service kitchen. It would have adequate events and community activities. parking, a wetlands reflection pond and an outdoor courtyard. Nueces County is proposing to build a new 25,000 sq.ft. Island Community Center just off Padre Island The Community Center would be built as a Green Drive in the county’s Padre Balli Park. It would be Building with special emphasis on energy conservation designed to accommodate public meetings, exhibits and compatibility with the natural island setting. and shows, banquet events and receptions, training Estimated Project Cost: $5,500,000

5 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. Packery Nature Park Improvements

Texas Coastal Wildlife Future Nature Rescue Center Park Expansion Kayak Staging Area & Launch Area Packery Channel Existing Native Hospital Water Grassland Habitat Medical Birds Treatment Clinic Dolphins Native Service Drive Landscaping Butterfly/ Hummingbird Padre Island Drive Sea Garden Turtles Freshwater/Brackish Oak Motte in Park Observation Wetlands Visitors Pavilion to be Created Interpretive Exhibits Center Walkway Boardwalks Parking & Amphitheater Research Walking Paths Center Parking Elevated Park Drive Observation Deck Entrance Drive Park Boundary Water Drip Station Parking Parking

Audubon Club Oak Motte Audubon Sanctuary Sanctuary

PROJECT DESCRIPTION and mammals. The small area near the Nature Park is home to This project includes improvements that will increase public access the only such habitat remaining on the island. The project will to the county’s Packery Nature Park with amenities providing include addition of native plants, an irrigation system, freshwater nature appreciation, birding, and environmental education ponds, water drip stations for birds, observation decks, wetlands outreach opportunities. A significant goal is the creation and boardwalks, walkways and interpretive exhibits. The Park will restoration of ecologically important oak motte woodland habitat host the proposed Texas Coastal Wildlife Rescue Center. which is critical to migratory and resident birds, insects, reptiles Estimated Project Cost: $1,500,000

6 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. Wildlife Rescue Center at Packery Nature Park

Padre Island is a primary nesting area for the endangered Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

VISITORS CENTER CONCEPT

PROJECT DESCRIPTION and groups including the University of Texas Marine There is a need for a major facility in to Science Institute, the Texas A&M Center for Coastal support rescue and rehabilitation of sea turtles, marine Studies and the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of mammals and important bird species. The Texas Mexico Studies. The wildlife rescue center will provide Coastal Wildlife Rescue Center will meet this need hands-on educational and research opportunities for while providing valuable educational experiences faculty and students associated with those institutions. for researchers, volunteers, students and visitors. The Estimated Project Cost: $21,000,000 center will be operated by a non-profit community Phase One: $7,500,000 organization in partnership with other institutions

7 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc. Capital Improvement Program Summary Packery Channel Shoreline Stabilization $4.75 million

Multi-Purpose Community Center $5.5 million

Packery Nature Park Improvements $1.5 million Shoreline Stabilization Community Center Wildlife Rescue Center Phase 1 $7.5 million

Estimated Total $19.25 million

Rescue Center Phase 2 $13.5 million

Overall Total $32.75 million

Nature Park Wildlife Rescue Center 8 Nueces County Capital Improvement Program Naismith Engineering Inc.