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PORT ISABEL, TEXAS

 City of Port Isabel, Modern Venice, Texas

  A scene at Point Isabel
The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, Image RUN08724, Courtesy of The Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

PORT ISABEL, TEXAS

History in a Seashell
A timeline of significant events:

The first settlement in the area, Brazos Santiago, was on nearby Brazos Island. In 1788 water sellers traveled to the area to obtain water. Jean Laffite is said to have had a fifteen-foot well five miles NW of Port Isabel.

During the 1830s a small community developed at the site, known as El Frontón de Santa Isabel. Later that name was changed to Punta de Santa Isabel, that is, Point Isabel.

1845: A post office was established in the community under the name Point Isabel in June. The name of the post
1849: name of post office and community changed to Brazos Santiago
1849: Cholera epidemic occurs
1850: Port Isabel is the second largest town in the area
1853: Port Isabel Lighthouse is constructed
1859: $10 million dollars worth of cotton is shipped through the port annually
1863: All the ships in the harbor were destroyed or captured during a Union attack on May 30
1872: The narrow-gauge Rio Grande Valley Railway, connects Port Isabel to Brownsville
1881: Post Office name changes to Isabel
1904: the town had one school with two teachers and eighty-one students.
1915: the town officially becomes Point Isabel.
1928: town was incorporated as Port Isabel on March 23
1929: Population reaches 750
1930: the post office changed its name to Port Isabel.

In 1933: the ship channel was dredged to a depth of twelve feet and a width of 125 feet. That year Port Isabel had an estimated population of 1,177 and forty-five businesses.

In 1934 the first annual Texas International Fishing Tournament was held in Port Isabel by the International Game and Fish Association. The first modern use of Port Isabel as a seaport occurred on July 27, 1935.

In 1937 a six-foot channel was dredged from Port Isabel to a point two miles east of Harlingen.

In 1941 the Port Isabel and Rio Grande sold its track connecting Port Isabel to Brownsville to the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway. The channel connecting Port Isabel to Harlingen was full of silt by 1942 and was no longer in use.

In 1952 the community had a population estimated at 2,372 and seventy businesses.

By 1956 Port Isabel was served by the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, completed during the 1950s, increased trade and improved the economic health of Port Isabel, but it also caused problems. A spoil bank from its construction polluted the community, and the city's board sought the assistance of the United States government to solve the dust problem.

1954: A swing bridge was built between Port Isabel and South Padre Island.

1960s: During the 1960s, 65 percent of the state's shrimp production, came from the Port Isabella vicinity.

1967: Hurricane Beulah detroys a good portion of the city in September.

1974: The new Queen Isabella Causeway replaced the original Causeway, which became the "Old Fishing Pier."

Subject: South Padre Island
Our family lived in Weslaco, TX in the late 40's. One of my fondest memories was our family arriving at Port Isabel with our beach umbrella, folding chairs, Coca Cola "ice chest" and a picnic lunch. We, along with others, waited at the dock for the converted Navy boat to take us to Padre Island, where we climbed into an Army half-track which drove down the beach delivering the eager beach lovers. As the truck drove down the beach, we would look for a place to spend the day. To get the truck to stop, you rapped on the top of its cab and the driver knew to stop so you could unload. The trucks went up and down the beach all day long delivering and picking up people. - Peter H. Hamel, Houston, TX, September 17, 2005

WE WERE LIVING ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND NEXT DOOR TO ILA LOETSCHER AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT RIDLEY SEA TURTLE PROJECT ON THE BEACH WITH HER AND HER TEAM. I WAS DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF HER PASSING AND ONLY HOPE THAT SOMEONE IS CARRYING ON HER WORK.

WE ALSO STARTED AND OPERATED THE PORT ISABEL CAMERON COUNTY AIRPORT, WHICH IS WHERE WE SPENT THE HURRICANE ALONG WITH ILA AND SEVEN OF HER BABIES (TURTLES ), 2 DOGS, 3 CATS AND 10 PEOPLE. THAT HAD TO BE ONE OF THE SCARIEST NIGHTS OF MY LIFE. SHORTLY AFTER THE STORM, WE MOVED TO BRAZORIA COUNTY IN THE FREEPORT TEXAS AREA AND HAVE BEEN THERE EVER SINCE.

LOVE THE PICTURES YOU HAVE OF THE TOWN, IT BRINGS BACK FOND MEMORIES, IS THE WELL THAT ZACHARY TAYLOR BUILT STILL BEHIND THE CHAMPION BUILDING, WHAT ABOUT THE YACHT AND QUEEN ISABEL INN ARE THEY STILL THERE, I MAY HAVE SOME PICTURES IN MY FILES THAT I CAN DREDGE UP, MY SISTER DID SOME PUBLICITY MODELING FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAY BACK THEN.

OH BY THE WAY, PRESENTLY I AM WORKING IN KUWAIT WITH A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR, GUESS SOME OF US ARE DESTINED TO PLAY IN THE SAND ALL OF OUR LIVES. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES - Ronald Sandlin, Kuwait, June 03, 2006

News

City of Port Isabel, Modern Venice, Texas

MODERN VENICE SUBDIVISION PROJECT TIMELINE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Will the public improvement district raise my taxes?

A: No. A public improvement district will not impose taxes on anyone's property. The public improvement district will assess property owners for the cost of the improvement made to their property. The assessments are made and received by the city solely for repayment of the cost of improvements. The assessments may not be used by the city for any other purpose.

A: Yes. After the improvements are completed, properties will become more valuable depending on the level of improvements made. The more extensive the improvement, the more valuable the property will become. The appraised value of the property (determined by the Cameron County Appraisal District, not the City) may increase depending on the improvements. However, the city's tax rates will not increase on your property because of the improvements.

Q: If west Bass and west Tarpon are seawalled, soon homes and boat docks will be built in the channels. Will these docks make the channels more difficult to navigate?
A: No. The city reviews plans for all proposed boat docks. The city's policy is to require that no more than 50% of the width of the channel be encumbered with structures such as docks. There should be at least 50 feet of navigable channel for a channel 100 feet in width. The city believes navigability of channels will be improved by the project.

Q: If property owners on west Bass and west Tarpon have been paying City ad valorem taxes for all these years, why shouldn't the City pay for paving these streets by taxing the entire community?
A: Cities don't do this. As a general rule, the developer who proposes a subdivision pays for the streets and utility infrastructure and, thereafter, dedicates them to the City. In Port Isabel, there were many unpaved streets prior to 1964. In 1964 the City passed a series of ordinances (Numbers 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, and 261) which mandated the paving of most streets and which assessed all benefited property owners on a per-front-foot basis for the cost of paving. Island Avenue, Trout, and east Tarpon, Pompano and Bass were included in the project. The city does not have a record of why the west side of Island Avenue was not included in the project, but most probably the owners did not want the paving at the time. Ordinance No. 261, passed August 11, 1964, assessed each property owner for the paving costs. The assessment required 5 annual payments of an owner's pro-rata share of the cost with interest at the rate of 6% per annum. Matured unpaid amounts accrued interest at the rate of 8% per annum.

Q: If the channels in the Fingers area are "public streets," why doesn't the City pay for dredging them?
A: The research is not concluded, but it appears that the channels were specifically not dedicated to public use when the various subdivision plats were dedicated. (See the 1952 dedication of west Bass.) However, even if the channels were "public streets," their improvements as contemplated by this project will confer a special and direct benefit only on the adjacent properties, not on the general population of the City.

Q: Will the City participate in the paying for the cost of the improvements?
A: Yes. Although the City is not required by law to participate in the sharing of cost, it is anticipated that the City will participate. Those areas within the proposed district which abut City-owned property and which are seawalled will probably be included in the total front-foot cost to be assessed for seawall and dredging. The City will probably also pay for all of the State's share for property abutting Highway 100. These amounts will be a significant contribution to the overall project. Of course, these direct participation costs do not include the City's sizable indirect expenses in planning, facilitating and managing this long-term, extensive project from beginning to end.

Q: West Tarpon and Bass have no vegetation and cause dust problems. Will backfilling these peninsulas with dredge material worsen the dust problem?
A: No. All of the peninsulas in the Modern Venice Subdivision were created from dredge material or "spoil." Spoil has a high salt content and takes a while to support vegetation. After seawalling and backfilling these peninsulas, rain, instead of immediately running off into the channel, will be captured and this will help reduce the salt content of the spoil. After development begins, residents will plant lawns, shrubs, and trees. Eventually, these peninsulas will no longer produce dust and, until then, the dust problem should not be any worse than it is at present.

Q: Will properties other than those in Modern Venice such as First Street and North Shore Drive be required to be seawalled?
A: Yes. All properties abutting the waterways west of Island Avenue will be seawalled.

Q: If the channels are dredged, would it be possible for the dredge boat to dredge out individual boat slips?
A: Yes. If the project is done, the dredge operator could dredge individual boat slips needing dredging for a very reasonable price. The cost would be paid by the owner of the boat slip.

Q: I read an article in the Port Isabel Press suggesting that other cities across the nation pay for as much as 50% of improvements such as streets and utilities. Why doesn't Port Isabel pay 50% of these costs?
A: Other cities across the nation may have the resources and legal authority to do this. However, the Texas Constitution prohibits public funds from being expended to benefit private property interests. The law authorizing public improvement districts does allow the City's limited financial participation, but does not allow the City to pay for improvements to private property.

Q: If the owners of the lots on west Bass and Tarpon are going to have their property backfilled with the dredge spoil from the channels, shouldn't they pay extra for the filling of their lots?
A: No. The disposal of dredge spoil can be very expensive. The last time the Corps of Engineers dredged the entrance to the Fingers, the City had to pay over $50,000 for its transport to and disposal at the Navigation District. The ability to dispose of the spoil at the site will save many thousands of dollars in disposal costs. Although the property owners that receive the spoil on their property will receive some benefit, the dredging project and the district as a whole will receive a greater benefit by not having to pay for offsite spoil disposal. The disposal of spoil on adjacent properties should be viewed as a mutually beneficial trade of resources.

Q: I want to be assured that owners of undeveloped lots will pay their fair share. Will liens be placed on these lots prior to their being sold?
A: Yes. For each lot which receives improvements, a lien will automatically attach to the lot. If the lot is sold, the seller and buyer will be able to choose whether to pay the lien off or the new buyer may choose to pay the annual assessments.

Q: The Mayor's letter says that dredging would "probably" be assessed on a per-front-foot basis. If not on such a basis, how else would it be assessed?
A: The only other fair and practical basis would be based on the square footage of the lot receiving dredging. However, since both methods would probably result in roughly the same amount and since the per-front-foot basis would be easier to calculate, it probably should be the method used to apportion costs.

Q: Will a general or special election be required to implement the public improvement district?
A: No. The decision to create the district will be made solely by the property owners who will receive the benefits. Their decision to create the district will be made by a petition requesting the improvements. The petition must be signed by over 50% of the property owners by appraised value and by 50% of the owners by number or area. Please refer to section 372.005(b) of the Local Government Code which can be accessed on the “Information about Public Improvement Districts” page.

Q: Will the dredging be performed by a dragline or will the dredging be performed by pumps?
A: We hope the project can be performed by dragline dredging. Dragline dredging has many advantages. First, it is much less disturbing to the environment. Second, it is much less expensive than pump or “hydraulic” dredging. Third, the spoil which is produced by dragline is solid as compared to the liquid spoil created by hydraulic dredging. The spoil produced by dragline will dry quickly and should be amenable for maintainers to work within three months.

March 8, 2007 Completed Opinion No. GA-0528 Re: Whether a seawall funded from assessments levied pursuant to Local Government Code, chapter 372, subchapter A or B, may be built on privately-owned land.

Opinion from the Attorney General- (Legality of installing seawalls on private property by means of a Public Improvement District)

-The City of Port Isabel Received the Opinion from the Attorney General on March 8, 2007. The opinion was not in the City’s favor. The ultimate determination was that installation of seawalls on private property cannot be accomplished with public funds, even by means of a public improvement district. The only way construction of a seawall on private property can be completed with public funds would be if an easement was granted to the City for this purpose. However, liability and maintenance of the constructed seawall would not make this option feasible, unless the easement is then sold back to the property owner at fair market value. This option would likely not be favorable to the property owners, as they would be paying 1) for their seawall and 2) for the improved easement. The City is currently working with legal counsel to examine the possibility of certificates of obligation or other potential ways to complete Phase II.

- In regards to H.B.673 (the amendment to Public Improvement District’s to allow seawalls) The Attorney General’s Opinion states that no legislative body may alter this determination as it would serve as unconstitutional. Therefore even with this bill’s approval, the City would be unable to complete this project by means of a public improvement district.

In Progress Phase I is an emergency action in response to the shoaling that has caused the subject area to become nearly un-navigable during low tide. Phase I includes dredging of the turning basin (the mouth of the channel, that provides access to the Laguna Madre Bay) and the drag lining of a western portion of the fingers, beginning at the mouth of the channel, continuing along the north side of Tarpon St. and terminating just north of Highway 100. In order to help build up the eroded portion of the undeveloped properties, during this phase, the spoil material will be placed on the undeveloped fingers (Tarpon and Bass St.) with approval of the property owners.

City of Port Isabel, Modern Venice, Texas

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