Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Presenter: Jason Estrella
Action
Grant of Valve Station Easement – Nueces County
Approximately 0.1 Acre at Mustang Island State Park
January 21, 2021
I. Executive Summary: The City of Port Aransas (City) requests an easement on Mustang Island State Park (SP) for the installation and maintenance of a valve station.
II. Discussion: Mustang Island SP consists of 3,954 acres of coastal sand dunes, marshes, and approximately five miles of beachfront. The SP serves as significant habitat for resident and migratory bird species including waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds. The SP was acquired from the Wilson family in 1972 and opened in 1979. Mustang Island SP sits on Mustang Island, a coastal barrier island which provides protection to Corpus Christi Bay and the mainland from hurricanes and storm surges. Ten miles northeast of the park sits the city of Port Aransas.
The City requests a 30-foot-by-50-foot easement adjacent to State Highway 361 (which runs through the park) for the installation and maintenance of a high-pressure gas main valve station to service the residents of Port Aransas. A 50-foot-by-50-foot easement granted to Southcross Energy for similar purposes sits just southwest and adjacent to the requested easement tract. The City requests a separate easement in order to maintain its own valves and tie-in to the privately-owned Southcross line. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff are working with the City’s consultant to lay out the easement in such a way as to minimize the City’s footprint and avoid wetlands. The station will be a pressure regulating station, constructed of 4-inch coated steel piping, valve, fittings, and appurtenances. The station will be above ground and supported by pipe supports, while the connection to the transmission main will be underground. The station will be concealed by a wooden privacy fence.
III. Recommendation: The staff recommends the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts the Resolution attached as
Exhibit A.”
Attachments – 4
Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit A
A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Regarding the Granting of an Easement Covering Approximately 0.1 Acre of Real Property in Nueces County for the Installation and Maintenance of a High-Pressure Gas Main Valve Station
Resolution
Whereas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) owns and operates Mustang Island State Park (SP) for a variety of recreation and conservation values, including restoration and management of coastal prairies, sand dunes, and marshes that serve as significant habitat for a number of resident and migratory species, including waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds; and,
Whereas, the City of Port Aransas (City) is seeking to install a high-pressure gas main valve station to service the residents of Port Aransas; and,
Whereas, the City requests an easement on Mustang Island SP for the installation and maintenance of said high-pressure gas main valve station; and,
Whereas, the City has requested the easement on a plot of land 30’ x 50’ along the north side of State Highway 361; and,
Whereas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) finds that as required by Texas Parks and Wildlife Code (PWC) chapter 26, notices of today’s hearing of this matter were published at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in newspapers of general circulation which are published at least six days a week in the communities nearest to the SP in which such newspapers are published (the Corpus Christi Caller Times in Nueces County), with the last day of publication being not less than one week or more than two weeks before the date of today’s hearing; and,
Whereas, the Commission finds, in accordance with PWC chapter 26, that (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use or taking of such land (Easement); (2) the program or project that requires the use of an Easement includes all reasonable planning to minimize harm to the land; and,
Whereas, the Commission finds that the grant of an Easement subject to conditions that will minimize harm of the Easement to the SP is in accordance with section 11.301 of the PWC; and,
Now, therefore, the Commission authorizes the Executive Director to take all necessary steps to negotiate terms and conditions under which an Easement may be granted, and to grant an Easement to the City for the purposes and subject to the conditions described herein and in the motion approved in this Resolution.
Adopted and approved this 21st day of January, 2021.
S. Reed Morian, Chairman
Arch “Beaver” Aplin, III, Vice-Chairman
James E. Abell, Member
Oliver J. Bell, Member
Anna B. Galo, Member
Jeffery D. Hildebrand, Member
Jeanne W. Latimer, Member
Robert L. “Bobby” Patton, Jr., Member
Dick Scott, Member
Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit B
Location Map for Mustang Island State Park in Nueces County
Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit C
Vicinity Map for Mustang Island State Park (SP),
10 Miles Southwest of Port Aransas
Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Exhibit D
Map of the City of Port Aransas’ Requested Easement in Yellow
Mustang Island State Park Boundary in Red
