TEXAS BEACHES BELONG TO ALL TEXANS

www.e-thepeople.org ^ | 9/04/03 | John Beatty

[tx4guns]

Do you enjoy fishing, surfing, beachcombing, sunbathing, or just long walks on the beach at sunrise or sunset? Are you aware that the beaches of Texas belong to the citizens of Texas? Did you know that there is an ongoing battle, to take away YOUR right to access YOUR property? The "Texas Open Beaches Act" guarantees, the citizens of our great state, open and unrestricted access to all Texas beaches,from "mean low tide" to the "vegetation line." The current fight is over the last 3.2 miles of open beach, at San Luis Pass. By the way, that is the only, truly, open beach left on Galveston Island. I have recently joined a group of people, who are fighting to preserve our right to access this beach, as it is being planned for developement. If you are passionate about your rights, as a citizen; or if you just want to know more about this struggle; please go to www.texasopenbeaches.org. This is the website for the T.O.B.A.(Texas Open Beach Advocates). Or if you are just mildly interested, and would like to learn more about this, before considering involvement; try going to www.guidrynews.com and click on Forum. You wil get both sides of the argument there. We need your support! Thanks to The Chronicle, for this forum. Get involved, get educated, knowledge is power! Thanks

[blam]

"BTW, the DNA could have belonged to some castaway trespasser :)"

Nah. 169 skeletons, 90 with their brains intact and buried over a 1300 year period. Read the original article below.

Bye, Bye Beringia (8,000 Year Old Site Found In Florida)

[Jalapeno]

You want to go to beach ? BUY the land with YOUR money, or pay the property owners' their access fee.

pRIVATE PROPERTY IS THE BASIS FOR SUCCESS and freeper ought not push socialism.

Agreed, but the beach is already public land. State of Texas owned. Maintained by the taxes paid by Texans.

The problem in Galveston is steps have been taken by the private land owners of the "beach front property" (its not on the beach, just near it) to make it difficult to access the beaches. That is the problem here.

The County and State are failing to comply with the law that requires them to maintain access to the beach. Many access ways are disappearring or the beaches are altered so traversing them in a car or on foot is difficult. The parks in the area are not being maintained very well either. I have suspected for a while this has been intentional.

This is not a case of 'have nots' whining about the 'haves'. It is a case of people wanting to control the access to more than they should be allowed to, more than they rightfully own, and they are using their influence (ie cash) to do it.

[blam]

"I see. Does it mean that we have right to walk on the beach?"

Read this story here that happened just down the way from my house.

[StriperSniper]

sea level is now dropping, slowly.

But don't forget there are places, I think Maryland is one, where the land is sinking faster. I remember reading a global warming debunking about rising sea levels in the Northeast where they showed it was sinking land that only made it appear like the sea was rising.

[Endeavor]

Huh? Sea level is now dropping? Splain that, Lucy. Erosion is a major issue, meaning "sea level" is rising, in effect.

[StriperSniper]

Does it mean that we have right to walk on the beach?

In New Jersey(imagine that!) all beaches are public land up to the high tide line, all streams also are public. You can't cross private land to access either, but once in the public zone, you can continue on/in it.

[zoobeach]

I can only imagine the traffic nightmare when the toll bridge is built. From Spring Break through Labor Day the beaches look like a garbage dump on any given day.

[Coleus]

http://www.texasopenbeaches.org/

We have the some of the same problems here in NJ. First we have to travel through mounds of traffic paying tolls on the Garden State Parkway. When we get to the beach there is usually nowhere to park and usually have to pay to park blocks away lugging all of our stuff. Then, it costs about $6.00 per person per day for a "beach badge" which we pay when entering and have to wear on our bathing suits.

Most of the coast was ruined by beach replenishment so there isn't too much beach area to ride good waves since the natural contour of the ocean floor has been rearranged.

This beach replenishment is paid for using "federal" dollars which means any American should be able to use the beaches in NJ, well in some cities that's not the case.

If one needs to go through private property to get to the beach he can not so those towns with houses along the beech can bar people from entering. That means no open beaches for the public in those towns even though yours and mine federal dollars paid for their beach restoration.

There is also a disdain for those of us who live up north where they invented a moniker for us called BENNY. Those who live down the shore hate to have the Benny's come down there to vacation and swim, they love our money but hate us.

http://www.gohomebennies.com/
http://www.bennysgohome.com/

[RightWhale]

Splain that

The guest said that we are entering an Ice Age. Not will enter, are entering.

[Jalapeno]

I have experienced the beach badge racket in NJ. what a mess.

[Conservative til I die]

I dunno man, I was at Long Beach Island in NJ two weeks ago and with beach erosion, a couple of the beach areas were literally ten feet from water to dune.

[Wissa]

169 skeletons, 90 with their brains intact...

So the Republicans outnumbered the Democrats back then, huh?

[Coleus]

I have experienced the beach badge racket in NJ. what a mess. >>>>

a racket it is...

did you live in Jersey or were you just vacationing there. which beach did you go to.

[ISawIt]

So, eh, you won't mind if I wander into your house
and have a looksie in your refrigerator tonight?

Okay, fine. You don't want me in your house. How about
if I just amble around and shoot varmints, and build a
fire spit and roast 'em for dinner in your front yard?

No?

You're restricting my access!

It's about Texas Law!

Why don't you research your deed and title. You'll
find that at one time it was most likely owned by the
State Of Texas, too.

So what's the big Communist Pinko Burr up your ass?

[gd124]

His land probably was but the land they are restricting has never been sold. It's more like me living next door to a public park and one day deciding to fence off half of the park for my own private use.

[bimbo]

pRIVATE PROPERTY IS THE BASIS FOR SUCCESS and freeper ought not push socialism.

You are absolutely on the mark … The Concepts of Marxism about “public ownership” are very seductive. They have obviously seduced many Texans and many Freepers on this thread. Next they’ll be pushing another of Marx’s concepts: expropriation of private land for the “public good.”

[Rebelbase]

"but development is not the answer down there."

Its private property and you have been trespassing if you've been crossing it on the way to the beach.

Go to either end of the 3.5 miles and walk to the middle. The "beach" is public and can't be developed.

[Rebelbase]

"land they are restricting has never been sold."

But is has been privately owned land and never was a "park" or public property. The beach behind the property can still be accessed from either end.

[tx4guns]

Man, you're way outta line here. I'm about as far from Commie as you can get. Beaches are historically used as roads, and that easement has been protected in the Open Beaches Act. It's about freedom. When some beachfront homeowner or local government restricts my and your use of PUBLIC land that I pay taxes for the state to maintain, that is a travesty. An analogy would be someone not liking cars going down their street, so they block it off so you can't drive there anymore. It has nothing to do with "owning" the beach. Those people own the land upto the dune line, and seaward of that, it's the public's land. No if's, snd's or but's about it. Educate yourself about the issue. You look like an ass accusing me of being Commie when I'm actually interested in preserving freedoms and the lack of restrictions. FREE AND OPEN ACCESS STUPID!!!

[tx4guns]

You're wrong. State law mandates access for every 1/4 mile of beach. It's not a Marxist concept. It's about preserving the use of the beach for the public. The beach is a public place and Texas has made laws that protect the beach from ever being sold. It's about people's freedoms to go to the beach and use it for their enjoyment. It is not for sale, and never will be. Why can't you people get this into your thick skulls. It has nothing to do with private property rights! It has everything to do with freedom and use of public land that the public pays taxes to maintain!