CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Today, council gave the green light to a Houston-based firm to figure out how much it will cost for 3 drainage options.
One of those options: a navigable canal.
Some North Beach residents are hoping that a canal system will be the answer to the flood and drainage issues that have long plagued that area.
Resident Carrie Robertson Meyer gave us a first-hand look at the issue last month where she showed us how current drainage can easily fill with sand.
Meyer was among those who called in during Tuesday's city council meeting to speak in favor of leaders moving forward to the next step of the process and she said there are many others who support the project.
"We also did an online survey where we got 500 signatures. This is a very popular project across the board with many people," said Meyer.
The original idea for a canal development on North Beach was first proposed by developer Jeff Blackard.
You might recall at the end of January an engineering firm hired by the city to study whether a canal system on North Beach is a feasible project presented its findings to council members.
The firm Lockwood, Andrews, and Newnam had to answer two main questions, will it help solve the area's drainage problem and would the waterway be navigable?
Their answer to both of those questions was yes.
At that last meeting city staff received direction to develop 3 drainage solution options for North Beach.
Those options include a navigable canal, open channel with linear park system, and closed conduit system.
What's missing though is exactly how much it would cost.
Phase two would allow the firm who did the original study to continue their work.
"This is about getting a firm to give us probable estimates so we can fix the drainage once and for all," said city manager Peter Zanoni.
Ultimately council members voted to move forward and have authorized that the preliminary design work by L.A.N. begin this month and is expected to be complete by May at a cost of nearly $124,000.
"The council's action today is an important next step in determining the economic feasibility of the proposed drainage solutions. Our City Council is committed to making real improvements on North Beach," said Mayor Paulette M. Guajardo.
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