BEACH NOURISHMENT

The EDC's principal ongoing project is Beach Nourishment. Working in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office, the EDC ensures the use of beach‑quality sand dredged from the Brownsville Ship Channel is placed on the Towns beaches to combat erosion. Beaches are widened and additionally, an offshore berm has been created to reduce future erosion by minimizing wave action during stormy weather. The shoreline depth is monitored on a regular basis using various surveys. The Beach Nourishment process occurs every two years. The most recent nourishment was placed on the beach January 2005.

The Corps of Engineers has performed three emergency dredges for the Port of Brownsville which have resulted in the dredged sand being disposed offshore and not being placed on the Town's beaches.  There is currently an offshore sand search investigation underway to locate a supply for beach nourishment since we can no longer rely on the Corps maintenance dredging.

 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND BIRDING & NATURE CENTER

The South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center will be the location for the South Padre Island site of the World Birding Center and several other important destinations. Located on Laguna Madre waterfront, this facility will connect with the existing Laguna Madre Nature Trail.  With over 306 recorded species, and the convergence of neo-tropical songbirds that occurs during the spring and fall migrations, the Island has become one of the premier birding locations in the western hemisphere.  Groundbreaking for the facility occurred in August 2007.  Construction is underway with a scheduled opening date of fall 2008.

If you would like to make a pledge of support for this project download the pledge form and fill it in.  Then mail or bring it to the EDC office at 600 Padre Blvd.

Pledge Form (Microsoft Word format)
Pledge Form (Adobe Acrobat format)

For information on how you can participate please call the EDC office.

 SECOND CAUSEWAY

The consulting firm of Wilbur Smith Associates was retained by the EDC in February 1999 to provide a feasibility study for a much‑needed second causeway toward the north end of town, near the Convention Centre. The Queen Isabella Causeway, the only access to our island, is often crowded and congested, and is the only evacuation route in the event of a hurricane. Authorizations of Cameron County, The Texas Turnpike Authority, and the Texas Department of Transportation are needed to begin construction of a toll way. Cameron County has formed a Regional Mobility Authority to study a second causeway to the Island  The EDC will continue work on this very important project.

For more details, read the Position Statement, supporting the need for a second causeway.  To show your support, fill out the Support Petition and submit it directly to the EDC.  You may cast a single vote of support using this on-line support form. 

 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The EDC, along with the Town, is in the process of developing a Comprehensive Plan. The comprehensive plan will establish a long‑range vision for the future of South Padre Island, and ensure its economic growth and management of tourism for the next twenty years. The plan will include land use, business mix, and tourism product/infrastructure needs. Consultants from Wallace Roberts & Todd have been chosen to develop the plan.

Phase 1 - Vision Statement, complete.  View the Summary of the Vision Statement here. If you would like to read the full Vision Statement click here.  Be advised, the full statement is an eleven (11) page document.

Phase 2 - Community Enhancement Plan, complete.  If you would like to read the entire Community Enhancement Plan, click here.  Please be advised, this report is 65 pages long (38 mega bytes).  Depending on your Internet speed, printing or downloading a copy of this report may take more than a few minutes.   In addition, separate entries have been prepared for the reports Table of Contents, and Cover Page.

 COMPLETED PROJECTS

Completed projects include the bay front Tompkins Channel which allows small craft to safely and comfortably navigate from its point of origination along the Queen Isabella Causeway alongside the Laguna Madre to the north of Town and also the Randall Travel Marketing comprehensive travel and tourism study.