10-01-03 La Porte Redevelopment Authority Meeting minutes

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Sylvan Beach Shoreline Protection and Beach Nourishment Project Texas General Land Office, Project #1114 Harris County Precinct 2 City of La Porte OVERVIEW As you know, the City of La Porte's primary interest in the Sylvan Beach Erosion Protection and Beach Nourishment Project (USACE Permit #23069) has been to restore the Sylvan Beach Park "beach" that has eroded away over time, and to reduce the likelihood of future erosion by adding shoreline protection. The project has been designed by URS under an agreement between the City of La Porte and the Texas General land Office, and Harris County. The project has been approved and a permit has been issued by the U.S,. Army Corps of Engineers for the project. All that remains now is to put the funding in place for the actual construction of the project. CURRENT STATUS As a result of the Texas Legislature's "belt tightening" in the last session, the amount of money allocated to coastal protection projects was reduced from $15 million to 7.5 million. Subsequently, the Texas General Land Office changed its match requirements from 850/0-150/0 match for coastal erosion protection projects, to a 600/0 state, 400/0 local match. Given our estimated cost of $2.43 million for our overall project, that increases the City of La Porte/Harris County share from $360,000 to $972,871, or $486,435 for each local partner, if the project remains classified strictly as a coastal erosion protection project. This amounts to a 630/0 increase in our original cost estimates for the local match. The TGLO has an alternative classification under the program, "Beach nourishment/replenishment" that allows a 750/0 state, 250/0 local match. A portion (approximately 40%) of our project could potentially be classified under this category because of the beach establishment portion of our project, and we have asked the Texas General Land Office to consider this option by submitting an Amended Project Goal Summary. If the TGLO agrees to re-classify this project as described above, the savings would amount to just under $73,000 each, for Harris County and the City of La Porte. FUTURE DIRECTION There are two ways that the project can move forward, given the expanded budget requirements and depending on Harris County's, and City of La Porte's continued participation: · The project can be constructed as a single project · The project, which is permitted as a whole, can be constructed in 2 or more phases, based on funding as it becomes available.