CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Management at the Sinton Municipal Golf Course were surprised to discover the plans to remove dozens of trees from the course.
They said they were not a part of discussions to make the changes since they don't own the land, however they're trying to save the trees before it's too late.
The trees have populated the Sinton Municipal Golf Course since its opening about 75 years ago. Plans to upgrade power lines and an easement granted to AEP Texas, gives them authority to cut down the trees during the project.
Board Member of the Sinton municipal golf association, Viki Martino spoke with 3NEWS and said, "They're beautiful, they're important to this course and we're hoping that they don't come down."
The original easement allowed AEP to operate within 25 feet in both directions. But this new amendment, which happened in 2021, will allow them to operate within 50 feet, affecting the trees.
"Since AEP has agreed to halt the cutting of the trees temporarily, we're hoping to convince them to possibly trim the trees and not cut them down." Martino said.
Martino sits on the board of the association that manages the golf course. Since the land is owned by the City of Sinton, she said they have the legal authority to amend the original easement, granted in 1952.
3NEWS received a statement from AEP Texas in response to the Sinton Municipal Golf Associations request for the trees to be spared. It reads, in part, "AEP Texas is aware of the of the tree trimming work at the Sinton Municipal Golf Course associated with the rebuild of a new transmission line...We have decided to temporarily pause the work until we meet with city leadership to discuss this..."
Martino said as many as 37 trees could be cut down because of the amendment. But while she knows some may need to come down if they are in the way of the project, she requests some of the larger and older trees be spared.
Vicki Martino: "There are at least five that we would absolutely like to save. If we can save more than that, great, but there are five that we're like, 'Please don't cut these trees down.'"
Martino explained that removing the trees would also change the difficulty of the course and wants to maintain its appeal to everyone it brings to Sinton from around the Coastal Bend. The association plans to meet with city officials and AEP Texas soon to talk about a compromise.
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