CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Work to clean up North Beach following Tropical Storm Alberto started back up after getting interrupted by the threat of Hurricane Beryl.
On Wednesday, city crews were out moving sand from one stretch of beach left there by the storm.
The city said it's cleaning up the beach walk, but some residents fear the heavy equipment could remove native plants that serve as protection during storms.
A handful of those folks met on the beach in hopes of preserving that vegetation line.
The vegetation has built up between the sidewalk and the waterline, and residents said it's one of the highest points on the beach and helps protect against storm surge.
Feet away from the bulldozer, members of the North Beach Community Association kept an eye on city crews.
The city workers were trying to clean up the beach walk that was burred by sand brought in by Tropical Storm Alberto.
"Here they come, here they come," resident Carrie Robertson Meyer said. "I'm ready to lay down in front of it you guys."
As crews focused on the task at hand, the residents' attention turned to vegetated 'mini' dunes they don't want to see get damaged in the process.
"If you could tell that guy that we are concerned about the plants right here," Meyer told one of the workers.
"During Alberto, this was a high point on the beach, the water was everywhere else, except for here, it was dry, and when the water came up higher, it dumped sand on these plants, the plants hold the sand in place and then the plants grow up higher," she said.
Those who gathered said they have a vested interest in anything that happens at the beach.
Susan Bell lives nearby.
"Not only trying to protect our natural beauty and what should be here but also protect our properties and property values," Bell said.
"We've had no back and forth with the city we've reached out, asking what are you doing," Meyer said.
Councilman Jim Klein came out to hear the residents' concerns,
"I think they make a valid point to hold the sand in place, good for everybody," he said.
Klein started to make calls to city staff and so did 3NEWS.
Robert Dodd with the city's parks and recreation department helped clear things up.
"That's never been our intention and we've expressed to them on several occasions that the vegetation would not be disturbed," Dodd said.
Their goal, to clean up the sidewalks and move the sand back closer to the water.
"We understand it's important to them, it's important to us as well and that's never been our intention," he said.
It's a lot of sand, and a big project Dodd said could continue for at least a couple of more weeks.