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Task force recommends Blue Water construction be top priority for CMP Cycle 31 submissions
Summary
At its May 13 meeting the South Padre Island Coastal Management Task Force voted to recommend ranking Blue Water Circle construction first for the Coastal Management Program Cycle 31 submittals, with engineering for four beach accesses second and land-acquisition for conservation third.
The South Padre Island Coastal Management Task Force on May 13 voted to recommend that the City Council submit ranking priorities for Coastal Management Program (CMP) Cycle 31 with construction for Blue Water Circle (Beach Access No. 9) as the top choice, engineering for four other accesses as second, and a land-acquisition project for conservation as third.
Task force members debated priorities before the vote. One group argued that engineering work for multiple accesses should be prioritized so projects would be shovel-ready when construction funding becomes available; another argued that prioritizing Blue Water’s construction would avoid leaving the city without active construction work after the current access project is finished. Task force member Todd moved to rank Blue Water construction first; the motion passed by voice vote after a second. A roll-call tally was not recorded in the transcript; meeting minutes reflect a voice vote with “Aye” and no recorded opposition.
City staff reviewed grant timelines and funding sources during the discussion. Staff said CMP funding derives from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and GOMESA, and that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) typically makes about $1,800,000 available annually for related grants. Staff described two funding categories discussed in the meeting: NOAA-funded projects (engineering requests under the CMP) and GOMESA-funded projects (projects of special merit). According to staff, awards would be announced in the fall if the city is successful; projects funded through GOMESA would be able to begin in April 2026, and NOAA-funded engineering awards would begin in October 2026.
Staff also summarized typical request sizes and match requirements as discussed in the meeting: state construction projects under certain categories were described as having maximum typical requests of about $400,000 with a minimum 40% local match; GOMESA projects were described as eligible for requests from about $200,000 up to $5,000,000 with no local match required and a three-year completion window. Staff said the city plans to request the full $5,000,000 for the land-acquisition proposal and estimated Blue Water construction at roughly $1,800,000 based on current construction estimates from the city’s engineer, Rolando Rubiano; engineering requests would be on the order of “a couple hundred thousand dollars.”
The specific sites discussed for engineering included Gulf Circle, Surf Circle, Treasure Island and Poinsettia Circle; construction discussion focused on Blue Water Circle (Beach Access No. 9). Staff noted Surf Circle requires near-term repairs to an ADA boardwalk that has been partially buried by dunes and could be raised in-house using shoreline funds; amenity improvements such as restrooms and ADA pathways were discussed as possible additions to future construction or engineering scopes.
The task force will forward the recommended ranking to the City Council for final approval and submission to the CMP program; grant applications must be finalized and submitted by the early-June deadline noted by staff. The task force did not approve funding itself; the recommendation is for City Council consideration and for staff to prepare applications.
