(A) Residential and commercial development of the area adjacent to the public beach in Port Isabel North is inevitable. At some point in the future, continuation and proliferation of vehicular traffic on some or all of the beach located within the city may pose a substantial risk to the health, safety and welfare of citizens and visitors to the beach. If and when the danger and adverse effects of continuing vehicular traffic outweigh its utility, the City Commission will prohibit vehicular traffic in some or all areas of the affected area. The prohibition of vehicular traffic will be coordinated with the county which presently controls vehicular access to the beach. In the event of closure of any part of the beach to vehicular traffic, all areas in which vehicular traffic is allowed shall have vehicular access from Park Road 100.
(B) In anticipation of long-range future development and the possibility of closure of all or part of the beach fronting the development to vehicular traffic, the city shall require that all large development projects, such as hotels and condominiums, make provision for vehicular parking for the general public, over and above that amount of vehicular parking which is required by the city's zoning ordinance for the size and nature of the development project. The parking shall be separately designated with adequate signage for beach user parking and shall provide a minimum of one parking space for every 15 feet of beach frontage of the development. The city's preferred location for parking shall be a cul-de-sac design leading from Park Road 100 to the beach area, such as Access Point No. 4, which provides parking and also serves as a pedestrian access to the beach. The city shall encourage developers to provide preferred parking locations wherever it is feasible.
(C) In addition, each development shall provide an easement, no less than ten feet in width, for pedestrian traffic from the public parking area either directly to the public beach or to the nearest public pedestrian access to the public beach. Where access requires dune walkovers, developers shall provide same for beach access. Parking areas and beach access points which are designed to accommodate access for persons with disabilities shall provide appropriate parking spaces and signage for same. To the extent practicable, all parking areas and beach access for pedestrians shall be designed for persons with disabilities and all facilities shall be designed, constructed and maintained in conformity with the appropriate federal and state laws and regulations for the facilities.
(D) In the event of closure of all or part of the beach to vehicular traffic, the city shall require equivalent or better public beach access and vehicular parking. Beach Access points No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 shall remain as access points. Access points No. 5 and No. 6 shall have vehicular parking areas near the beach. The city shall provide or require provisions for parking which will accommodate one car for each 15 linear feet of beach closed to vehicular traffic. In areas where vehicular traffic is prohibited, the city shall provide or require provisions for public pedestrian access ways to and from the beach which are no farther than one-half mile apart. It shall be the policy of the city to encourage, facilitate and require public pedestrian access at more frequent intervals if the access would be beneficial for public beach access. The city shall adopt uniform signage requirements and shall provide an adequate number of readily legible street signs, visible from both directions, for vehicular parking and pedestrian access passage.
(E) Prior to closure of any area of beach to vehicular traffic, the city shall submit the details of closure to the General Land Office as a plan amendment. The amendment shall specify the area of beach to be closed, the existing vehicular access points before and after closure, the locations for public parking, the number of parking spaces for each location, the locations of public access easements and the details of all other requirements set forth above herein. The amendment shall certify that the requirements set forth herein and the Beach and Dune Rules currently set forth in Tex. Administrative Code Title 31, Part 1, Chapter 15, Subchapter A, § 15.7(h) have been provided for and will be implemented prior to closure to vehicular traffic. Upon review and verification that the requirements have been met, the General Land Office will approve the amended vehicular control plan.
(Ord. 663, passed 2-22-2005)