[ChickFilet]

Retreating Beaches Put Some Coastal Homeowners On Public Land

POSTED: 6:22 am CDT June 2, 2006
GALVESTON -- Beachfront residents whose homes have ended up on public land as a result of shifting sands face an uncertain future when a moratorium limiting state action against them expires next week.Affected landowners said they haven't heard from the Texas General Land Office and don't know what to expect.

A land office spokesman said what, if any, action the state will take will be announced next Tuesday in Austin. "I just wish they'd leave us alone," said Bernadene Lumpkin, 82, who has owned a raised beachfront cottage on Galveston Island since 1977.

State officials have determined that 116 homes in Galveston and Brazoria counties violate the Texas Open Beaches Act because they're located seaward of the natural vegetation line and block public beaches. The law requires owners to move or lose their homes if they end up on the open beach. But the Texas Legislature in 2003 passed a two-year moratorium on state action to allow time to see if the vegetation line shifted back to the beach side of some of the homes.

The state probably won't file lawsuits to seek the removal of the homes because it would be inefficient to do so, according to General Land Office documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle under the Texas Public Information Act.

Sam Webb, the land office's deputy commissioner for coastal resources, said in a Nov. 30 letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that the land office would seek a way to remove the houses that is "more cooperative and cost-effective," the newspaper reported. Webb told federal officials that the land office might use funds normally allotted for coastal preservation projects to reimburse owners for removing their homes from public beaches, the newspaper reported.

Real estate agents have been required for almost 20 years to tell homebuyers about the Open Beaches Act and the possibility of losing or having to move their homes if the structures end up on the public beach. Jerry Mohn, president of the West Galveston Island Property Owners Association, said he hopes the land office will allow the homes to stay unless they completely block the beach or endanger public safety. He said all parties involved are in favor of a state-funded program to stabilize the beach, which can be eroded by major storms.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been searching for offshore sand deposits along Galveston County's coast that could be pumped ashore, he said.

 

[WT427]

Galveston Yankee should run.

 

[stargazer]

I know if I did, there would be 116 people that would not like me:wink:.

 

[MEGABITE]

Why should the public foot the bill to remove those beach houses??!!

 

[Mrs Backlasher]

Of course, everyone involved is in favor of using government funds (uh, that's OUR money, folks!) to move their PRIVATE homes.

Excuse me, was there not a beach there when they built those homes??! DUH!

Let them get a "home improvement loan" to move their houses to a new location.

I'd tell them "Move it, or lose it!" (Aren't I cold-hearted?!)

 

[stew1tx]

I Do I Do!!!!

 

[Rainy]

State law requires them to move or lose, it's part of the sales contract they signed.

But, our current Land Commissioner, Jerry Patterson doesn't want to enforce the laws. Tom and I met with the GLO just a month ago in Austin over this issue. We were quite aware he would look for any way around enforcing the law. More rules are bent by the Land Office than enforced it seems. I don't know many hard working Texans that want to give our taxdollars to help vacation/second home or commerical property owners move! The lady in the article owns a resort home. Her "real" home is in Temple! How dare they expect us to help while the don't wish to honor their agreements they signed!

There is another candidate that was approved in the primaries to run against Patterson. Her name is Valinda Hathcox. She is from Sulphur Spings.It may help if people would email her their thoughts and opinions of what they see happening along the coast. She needs to hear from public citizens that are not beachfront owners. I spoke with her at length yesterday and she has many concerns about the numerous operations of the Land Office including the power program, school fund program,etc. List your concerns, all of them and email her. A link is posted with her email address and her discussion of the different issues. Check out the issue of open beaches. I am not sure just what she could accomplish, but it couldn't be as poor a job as we see being done now. http://www.valindahathcox.com/issues.html

It also wouldn't hurt to email Patterson and tell him what you think. [email protected]

 

[sqwaby]

Clear them off the public beach, those people knew what the law was when they built or bought. I've fished and surfed this coast since 1965, I'm sick of seeing the public beach disappear for private use. If this trend isn't stopped in another 20-30 years our children will have no access. If the GLO helps these individuals it will only encourage others to keep building in this area, and the cycle will continue.

 

[Argo]

dont they have dozers up there that clear all the seaweed? use them to clear the beach. pile it up and make it into a dune seed project.

 

[Rine_Everett]

Of course, everyone involved is in favor of using government funds (uh, that's OUR money, folks!) to move their PRIVATE homes.

Excuse me, was there not a beach there when they built those homes??! DUH!

Let them get a "home improvement loan" to move their houses to a new location.

I'd tell them "Move it, or lose it!" (Aren't I cold-hearted?!)

I actually agree with MRS B. You built within 100 miles of the coast. Now you are beach front property, move yer house.

 

[Crab_n_Fisher]

Why should the public foot the bill to remove those beach houses??!!

Forget the general public and tax dollars spent, Megabite...That's free firewood for us beach bums! There aint nothin' like an abestos/wood combination to roast a hot dog and a few marshmellers over.

 

[Stealth Mode]

There are many ways to look at this problem. Smarter people than I have pondered it. For many years, Texas has let the shoreline erode with little to no action taken. On the east coast, some of those states have been replenishing beaches with Gov`t. money(our money) for years. Is that the answer? A major part of the problem is manmade. Daming of the rivers and jettying the channels have stopped or altered the migration of sand onto and down the beach. In La. they`ve built some parallel to the beach jettys west of what used to be Holly Beach. I don`t know if they`ve helped or survived Rita. If it keeps going, the intracoastal will be in the gulf in more places than it is now. Many people remember years ago when the beach along the coast was alot further out than it is today. Our bay shorelines are retreating also. I see it on the south shoreline of East Galv. Bay in just 10 years. They put concrete mats along the intracoastal banks awhile back. But, they may be undermined from the north side.The mouth of Big Pasture bayou is opening more and more due to erosion. Grasses are being planted along some areas and may help. On the north shoreline at the Wildlife Refuge there are a couple of failed erosion control projects visible out from shore.

Yes I do own a place at the beach. Its not front row but may be in the future. I wouldn`t want a beach front knowing that it may not be there in a few years. I saw what the hurricane did to the dunes a few years ago and it went into La. Toward Rollover Pass, a "geotube" has been constructed to protect the beach and property. If it weren`t for that, those homes would be in the gulf already. And it was built 6 or so years ago.
Homes in flood plains have been bought out for a long time now. And some weren`t in flood plains when built. You may not agree with it unless you`re happen to own one. I don`t pretend to know what the answer is. They could do and are doing alot worse things with our tax money.

 

[stargazer]

Well said Stealth Mode, and point taken, But i do believe that if Texas would take a couple of hints from some of our east coast neighbors they could actually grow our beaches and not create a bulkhead with Geotubes. Move the tubes off shore and the natural wave action will create beaches. This is and has been studied by the A&M @Gal folks, and proven as a method to increase the size of the beaches.

 

[Drew_Smoke]

If any of you thought Patterson would enforce the OBA you are....sadly mistaken. I flat out asked in an e-mail HOW MUCH to pay you off to enforce the law? Mr. Patterson never replied.

When he ran for re-election, one of my customers had a "Vote For Loser" sticker on his truck. I asked why he supported him. He said "Jerry and my son are good friends and were pilots together." I went on to tell him my opinion (nicely) and he said he did not believe the Jerry he knew was like I described. Guess what? I am still right and I hope that fella followed up as he said he would.

 

[Gary]

Geotubes. Pfft! You can NOT put a hard structure on the beach. It doesnt stop erosion, it increases erosion. And I have done my homework, trust me.

 

[Gary]

Why should the public foot the bill to remove those beach houses??!!

Of course you allready know this, but it is FEMA that is directing the funds for Geotubes and the sand replenishment. I guess its a Federal Emergency!

 

[sqwaby]

Keep throwing money at it if you want, but your not going to stop mother nature. Does anyone remember the massive bulkhead that was built around five beach houses about 1970-72 down by the old arcadia ship wreck. One storm, and all that was left was some deadmen pilings and one toppled house, not even any debris from the others. Its a losing battle. Wait till this coast gets hit by 2 major storms in 1 season. 20'+ surf will take care of those geo tubes.

 

[Stealth Mode]

I`m not for geo tubes either. But its the latest and greatest. And it is keeping that shoreline semi-intact. But it was damaged by the stairways people built to access the beach, among other things. Is there an answer? You`re right Sqwaby. You can only fool mother nature for so long. New Orleans is a prime example.