Brought to the attention of ACVC on November 15, 2020, the Port of Corpus Christi Authority (the Port) seems to have decided they need to do as they please with respect to building and zoning codes within the various municipalities in which it owns property. The Port has filed draft legislation for the 87th Texas Legislature which, in essence, would allow the Port to exempt themselves from following local standards they find “inconvenient”. Enactment of this legislation would give the Port complete control of everything within their domain with very minimal local oversight.
As stated in this The Southside Light News article, “The draft of the legislation would allow the Port of Corpus Christi to lease their real property to another entity and in essence end up exempting that entity from local regulations just because it is built on Port of Corpus Christi property.”
The good news is local leaders are not taking this lying down. Ten of the eleven members of the Coastal Bend Mayors Association have signed a letter to the Port Commission stating the proposed amendments to Title 5, Chapter 5016 “can only be interpreted as an attempt to preempt cities from their right to govern within their corporate boundaries.”
This letter also informs the Port Commission Chairman, Charles Zahn, “the Texas Municipal League, …, has made opposition to this Draft Bill a primary goal as it erodes the authority of local communities.”
We at ACVC commend the actions of the Coastal Bend Mayors Association and the Texas Municipal League in taking opposition to this draft bill.
Please consider contacting your State Representative and State Senator to add your voice to denouncing the Port Commission’s attempt to remove Port properties from local building and safety codes.
State House Representatives https://house.texas.gov/members/
Counties: Aransas, Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Refugio, Victoria
Geanie Morrison, District 30
Mail: 1908 N Laurent St. Victoria, TX 77901
Victoria Office Phone: (361)-572-0196
Part of Nueces County
Todd Hunter, District 32
Mail: 15217 SPID Suite 205 Corpus Christi, TX 78418
Corpus Christi Office Phone: (361)949-4603
Part of Nueces County
Abel Herrero, District 34
Mail: 101 East Main Avenue Robstown, TX 78380
Robstown Office Phone: (361)387-0457
State Senators https://senate.texas.gov/members.php
Counties: Aransas, Calhoun, Goliad, Matagorda, part of Nueces, Victoria, among others
Lois Kolkhorst, Senate District 18
Mail: 2000 S Market St Suite 101, Brenham, TX 77833
Brenham Office Phone: (979)251-7888
Counties: Part of Nueces among others
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, Senate District 20
Mail: 1508 S Lone Star Way Suite 6A Edinburg, TX 78539
Edinburg Office Phone: (956)318-0725
Counties: San Patricio among others
Judith Zaffirini, District 21
Mail: 1407 Washington Street Laredo, TX 78040
Laredo Office Phone: (956)722-2293
As a resident of Port Aransas I am pleased to see that this group exists, and that the focus is on putting up opposition to the POCC, and presumably their cousin, the City of Corpus Christi. Those two are promising to wreak havoc in our city. There is Total Industrial Expansion taking place in this area as we speak and proposed in large doses for the near future. Can I join?
Barney – welcome aboard! We are trying here at ACVC to get the maximum information to the public to keep things like this from slipping by. Please join us on facebook @aransascountyvc, use #ACVC on Parler and MeWe, we have a group on MeWe (https://mewe.com/group/5fa5ea31c0deed0032850e12). If anything comes your way that would benefit everyone to know, please email us at [email protected]
I am so thrilled to so another group speaking up about the gross abuses of power the Pork of Corpus Christi continues to displays. Contrary to the pork’s PR, they are not a good neighbor.