Almost five miles of prized coastline is for sale by the state, and controversy over access and development is well under way.
The Texas General Land Office owns the land adjacent to the Padre Island National Seashore. The parcel is part of the Texas Permanent School Fund. The 3,680 acres are regulated under a no-development clause, which states that the land should only be used as a park.
Original plans were to sell the property to The Nature Conservancy, which in turn would donate it to the National Seashore. Some officials fear that would mean no roads. It would certainly mean no development. The land would be left in its natural state, but open to the public.
That idea was put on hold in November to address concerns by Nueces County Commissioner Joe McComb and State Representative Todd Hunter. They would like to see vehicles allowed. Beach access roads could connect Park Road 22 to the Laguna Madre, allowing the public to bring in kayaks, canoes and other equipment for recreation, Hunter said. Both officials promised that rumored plans for condominiums, wind farms and off-road-vehicle tracks were not true.
Vehicle access is the biggest issue. National Park Service officials recently wrote a letter saying that federal regulations would not restrict cars or trucks from driving along the coastline, as allowed almost everywhere else along Padre and Mustang islands.
The Nature Conservancy has left its offer on the table in hopes a decision can be reached soon on the sale.
